Each October, the Church invites us to remember two beautifully intertwined truths: that we are a missionary people and a people of prayer. This Sunday, October 19, we celebrate World Mission Sunday—a day when Catholics everywhere unite in prayer, solidarity, and support for the global mission of the Church. And fittingly, October is also the Month of the Rosary, a time to rediscover the power of prayer as the heartbeat of missionary discipleship.
Maryknoll Priest Father Joseph Healey, M.M. calls World Mission Sunday his favorite day of the year. This year’s theme, drawn from Pope Francis’ message for the 2025 Jubilee Year, is “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples.” The Pope calls every Catholic to be a “messenger and builder of hope”—through prayer, through service to the poor, and through the creative sharing of the Good News in a world facing uncertainty and change. Hope, he reminds us, is not wishful thinking but the living pulse of faith. It’s what keeps us walking together—synodally—across boundaries of culture, nation, and creed.
Father Healey shares a Sukuma proverb from Tanzania: “The salesperson does not have only one door.” Mission, he says, is about using every door—every opportunity, every means—to bring Christ’s love to others. From traditional preaching to digital storytelling, from social media to the quiet witness of compassion, every door can open toward hope.
Read Fr. Joe's reflection for Mission Sunday.
The Mission Rosary: Praying for the Whole World
If prayer is the lifeblood of mission, then the World Mission Rosary is its most colorful expression. First envisioned in 1951 by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the Mission Rosary invites us to, in his words, “embrace the world in prayer.” Each decade represents a region of the world—Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania—uniting us in intercession for our sisters and brothers across the globe.
As we pray each mystery, we hold the world in our hands:
Green for Africa, where life and growth continue despite struggle.
Red for the Americas, born of the fire of faith and the Spirit’s passion.
White for Europe, the seat of early Christianity and ongoing renewal.
Blue for Oceania, surrounded by the waters of creation.
Yellow for Asia, radiant with light and wisdom.
Every bead is a bridge. Every mystery, a moment of solidarity. Through the Mission Rosary, we become missioners of hope—not by traveling far, but by letting our hearts travel wide.
Maryknoll has even created special Mission Mysteries—Gospel moments that reflect Christ’s mission and our call to continue it: https://www.maryknoll.us/Resources/mission-rosary
Be Bold. Be Creative. Be Missionary.
This World Mission Sunday, join millions of Catholics in prayer and action. Whether you pray the Mission Rosary alone, with your family, or with your faith community, you’re taking part in the global mission of the Church—to bring hope, healing, and love to every corner of the Earth.
So light a candle. Pick up your rosary. Say yes to that call the Holy Spirit keeps placing before us: to be missionaries of hope among all peoples.
Learn more about the Mission Rosary and how to pray it here:
👉 maryknoll.us/Resources/mission-rosary
