Vatican confirms World Mission Day 2020 will be observed on Oct. 18

The Catholic Church’s World Mission Day 2020 will be observed as usual on October 18, the Vatican said on Friday.

“In response to some requests about the celebration of World Mission Day 2020, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples confirms that it will be celebrated this year at the universal level on Sunday, October 18, with no change in the calendar,” the Congregation said in a press release.

Several worldwide observances of the Catholic Church have been postponed and rescheduled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In many countries and regions, Holy Masses and liturgies are being streamed live or are celebrated in keeping with health protocols.

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has now confirmed that World Mission Day, this year, will be observed as usual on the penultimate Sunday of October. Most of the countries observe it on that day.

“In many dioceses,” the Congregation noted, “the preparation for World Mission Day has been underway for some time and the missionary animation of the People of God remains pre-eminent.”

“Faith, in fact, by its very nature, is missionary and the celebration of World Mission Day serves to keep this essential dimension of the Christian faith alive in all the faithful.”

Collection to support mission lands

The Congregation, which oversees the missionary work and related activities of the Catholic Church worldwide, said it also “relies on the sense of communion and co-responsibility of the bishops for the collection of that Day in favour of the Pontifical Mission Societies, which work in a universal context for an equitable support of the Churches in mission territories”.

Pope’s message

On Pentecost Sunday, May 31, Pope Francis released his message for this year’s celebration. Based on theme taken from the Book of Isaiah, “Here am I, send me”, the Pope’s message says that the Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for mission and service to others.

World Mission Day, or Mission Sunday, was instituted by Pope Pius XI instituted in 1926, to remind Catholics about their commitment and support to the missionary work of the Church through prayer and sacrifice. (Vatican News)

A version of this article was first published on Vatican News.