Pope Leo XIV marks 100th World Mission Sunday

Pope Leo XIV marked the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday on October 18, 2026, with the theme "One in Christ, United in Mission." The annual observance was established in 1926 by Pope Pius XI to support missionary work globally.

The centenary highlights the growth of the Church's missionary footprint, which has expanded from approximately 300 jurisdictions serving 10 million Catholics at the time of the Sunday's founding to more than 1,000 territories serving over 300 million faithful today. Collections taken during Mass go to the Universal Solidarity Fund, coordinated by the Pontifical Mission Societies to support work across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In Scotland, Archbishop Leo Cushley oversees Missio Scotland, which uses donations to support projects such as providing electricity generators for Catholic centers in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and assisting Franciscan Sisters in providing education and care for children in Albania. In Thailand, Father Piyachart Makornkan, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, noted that the day serves to support young churches on the front lines of evangelization.

In Mexico, bishops issued a statement through Archbishop Víctor Sánchez Espinosa calling on the faithful to pray for peace and to overcome divisions to fulfill their missionary calling. Similarly, Father Ferdinand Sambou in France highlighted missionary efforts such as supporting a new school in Senegal.