Mission Sunday is celebrated the world over. Pope Francis is inviting the entire Church to support priests, religious and lay leaders around the world as they bring the Gospel to those most in need. Please keep the pope’s missions in your prayers. The Archdiocese of Seattle takes up a special collection this weekend to support these efforts. In 1926, Pope Piux XI instituted World Mission Sunday for the whole Church with the first worldwide World Mission Sunday collection taking place in October 1927. Pope Francis’ message for World Mission Sunday this year reflects on the theme: “You shall be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). He reminds us that the Church is missionary in nature and that we are called at Baptism to share in this mission together. The Holy Father exclaims, “Would that all of us in the Church were what we already are by virtue of baptism: prophets, witnesses, missionaries of the Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the ends of the earth!” On World Mission Sunday, we join our Holy Father in supporting his missions. As we pray and respond here at home, we share in those celebrations taking place in every parish and school throughout the world. Together, through our prayers and financial support, we bring the Lord’s mercy and concrete help to the most vulnerable communities in the Pope’s missions. In a world where so much divides us, World Mission Sunday rejoices in our unity as missionaries by our Baptism, as it offers each one of us an opportunity to support the life-giving presence of the Church among the poor and marginalized in more than 1,100 mission dioceses. To read Pope Francis’ 2022 message for World Mission Sunday visit: 2022 World Mission Sunday Message. Donations can be made via FaithDirect, monthly envelopes, as well as envelopes available at all weekend Masses.