World Mission Sunday was first established by Pope Pius XI in 1926
NEWS RELEASE
October 14, 2026
Contact: Dominic Colucy, Vice-Chancellor, Diocese of Youngstown, (330) 744-8451, ext. 293, dcolucy@youngstowndiocese.org
YOUNGSTOWN, OH – On October 18, the Diocese of Youngstown joins Catholics worldwide in celebrating World Mission Sunday, an annual observance emphasizing the universal Church’s shared responsibility to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926, World Mission Sunday marks its 100th anniversary this year. (The first collection took place in October 1927). The observance centers on the theme “One in Christ, United in Mission,” chosen by Pope Leo XIV to call the faithful toward deeper unity through baptismal identity and missionary zeal.
On World Mission Day, we are also reminded of a harsh reality that two thirds of the people alive in our world today—5.5 out of 8.1 billion—have no relationship with Christ or His Church. For the faithful, World Mission Sunday provides the opportunity to stand in solidarity with missionaries, priests, religious sisters, brothers and lay leaders, serving in the 1,130 million dioceses across the globe.
Locally, second collections taken up in parishes across Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, and Ashtabula counties support The Pontifical Mission Societies (supporting 1,130 mission dioceses across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and the Middle East), as well as the Catholic Home Missions and the Black and Indian Missions here in the United States.
Pope Leo reminds us that “being a Christian is not primarily about practices or ideas; it is a life in union with Christ, in which we share in his filial relationship with the Father in the Holy Spirit. It means abiding in Christ, like branches on the vine (cf. Jn 15:4), immersed in the life of the Trinity.” Citing the words of St. Paul—”we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Cor 4:5)—Pope Leo explains, “This process of genuine evangelization begins in the heart of every Christian in order to reach all of humanity. Therefore, the more united we are in Christ, the better able we will be to carry out together the mission that he entrusts to us.”
Click on the link to learn more about World Mission Sunday 2026.
The Diocese of Youngstown encourages all parishioners and local communities to respond generously to this global effort, praying that the Holy Spirit renews the fire of the early Church in the hearts of all believers. For local information on missions, please contact Dominic Colucy, at 330-744-8451, ext. 293 or dcolucy@youngstowndiocese.org
(Photo for World Mission Sunday courtesy of The Pontifical Mission Societies)
