Welcome to the Pontifical Mission Societies

Letter from the Executive Director

As we continue to move into the fall season, October is upon us. And with October comes the wonderful celebration of World Mission Sunday. It is hard to believe that the first World Mission Sunday collection was taken up in 1927! Established by Pope Pius XI, it is the one Sunday in the year that the entire global Church comes together to support missions and missionaries throughout the world. What an amazing tradition! This year World Mission Sunday will take place on October 24.
The theme for this year’s worldwide celebration is “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20), and here in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles we have added our own special call to: Proclaim it with Joy! As the theme reminds us, we must not keep the Lord to ourselves. His love and message burn in our hearts, and it is with joy that we proclaim His Good News!
Today, I reach out to you with joyful enthusiasm and invite you to participate in this year’s World Mission Sunday. It is my hope that you will seize this opportunity to respond to our missionary call through prayer and participation in the Eucharist and by giving generously to this annual collection for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Your gift will support and sustain priests, religious and lay pastoral leaders in more than 1,100 mission dioceses, throughout Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe, as they become our voices and hands proclaiming the Gospel, building the Church, serving the poor – and speaking of our shared faith in all corners of the world.
I hope you will join us. While I know that many continue to face economic challenges and uncertainty, it is my prayer that you will celebrate World Mission Sunday in the fullest extent you are able.
I thank you in advance for your willingness to proclaim it with joy, and I ask God’s abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.

– Reverend Monsignor Terrance L. Fleming

                            October 2021