Faithful urged to take part in global novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux ahead of World Mission Sunday

NEW YORK (OSV News) — Ahead of World Mission Sunday Oct. 20, Hallow, the acclaimed prayer app, and the Pontifical Mission Societies USA are uniting to offer a global novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, patroness of the missions.

The global initiative “invites the faithful to join in nine days of prayer, reflecting on the mission and spirit of St. Thérèse, starting on October 11th,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said in an Oct. 9 statement announcing the novena. “St. Thérèse, who is the patroness of the missions despite never having left France, remains a model of love and dedication to the Church’s global mission.”

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for First Evangelization, will guide the novena in English, offering daily reflections “to inspire hearts and deepen prayer,” the organization said.

Father Anthony Andreassi, interim director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, told OSV News that “as Pope Francis has invited all of us to pray for the church in mission territories, we echo his call.”

He said that the novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux “is an opportunity for Catholics worldwide to unite in prayer and mission, supporting the church where it’s most in need.”

The novena begins Oct. 11 and concludes Oct. 19. It will be provided in multiple languages, with members of the international Pontifical Mission Societies network leading additional reflections in Portuguese, by Sister Regina Da Costa Pedro, and in Spanish, by Father José María Calderón.

“This novena honors St. Thérèse’s life and her profound dedication to spreading the Gospel through small acts of love and faith,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said in a statement. Known for her “little way,” St. Thérèse “continues to inspire Catholics worldwide to contribute to the Church’s missionary efforts, even in the smallest, everyday actions,” the organization added.

The novena will be available for free on the Hallow app, “inviting participants from all over the world to pray alongside these mission leaders in their native languages. By downloading the app, users can access guided prayers, daily reflections, and special features to journey spiritually with the patroness of the missions,” the statement added.

For those new to the Hallow app, by registering for the novena they will get three months of premium service for free.

“We’re deeply grateful to Hallow for partnering with us to make this novena accessible to so many,” Father Andreassi told OSV News. “Their commitment to helping Catholics deepen their prayer life has been invaluable in making this initiative a truly global effort.”

Participants can also follow the novena on the Pontifical Mission Societies’ social media channels: Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

The societies’ worldwide network, which operates at the service of the pope, consists of four mission societies designated as pontifical by Pope Pius XI in 1922. The network supports the church’s missionary activities in over 1,150 mission territories.

The Society of the Propagation of the Faith supports the evangelization efforts of the local church; the Missionary Childhood Association educates children about their role in the church’s missionary outreach; the Society of St. Peter the Apostle trains the next generation of missionary clergy and consecrated religious; and the Missionary Union of priests and religious focuses on forming clergy, religious and pastoral leaders more deeply in their role as evangelizers.

“This novena is part of an international effort by the Pontifical Mission Societies, that work with the Dicastery for Evangelization, to invite all to the banquet of the Lord,” Father Andreassi said.

“World Mission Sunday reminds us that many still don’t know that Christ came for all, and it gives us the chance to sustain the work of missionaries who are bringing that life-changing message to the farthest corners of the world,” he added.

The World Mission Sunday collection, which began in 1926, sustains the work of missionaries in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East. “These funds support communities where the Church is young, poor, or persecuted,” the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said.

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