Many Catholics worldwide associate the month of October with the rosary. And this is true: In October, Catholics are especially encouraged to pray the rosary, to meditate the life of Jesus and to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for her intercession for our prayers to her Son.
But October is also tied to the gobal mission of the Church. This connection began in 1919 when Pope Benedict XV issued an encyclical entitled Maximum Illud (“The Greatest”). The apostolic letter was designed to reset the direction of Catholic missionary work after World War I and redefined the way the Church looked at missionary work. Pope Benedict XV underlines Christ’s command to preach the gospel to the whole world. And he strongly rejects nationalism: His letter sharply criticized missionaries who prioritized the political or colonial interests of their home countries over the spiritual message of Christ. The Pope further urged the training and elevation of indigenous priests and bishops so local churches could thrive independently, and called for personal holiness, deep dedication to spiritual salvation, language proficiency, and cultural respect.
In 1926 Pope Pius XI declared the second to last (or penultimate) Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day that celebrates all missionary ministry in the world. The very next year, Saint Therese of Lisieux, whose feast day is October 1, was named as co-patron saint of missions, alongside St. Francis Xavier.
The Congregatio Jesu joins the global Church in celebrating this month which emphasises mission in following Jesus with a stronger focus on our missions and ministries.
Social Media publications
Sisters who have been entrusted with a mission in remote areas tell about their experiences and give us short insights in their lives. We show that on facebook and instagram.
We have also prepared quotes of Mary Ward and Teresa Ball about mission, combined with photos from our sisters in their missions and ministries.
