Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Pope Leo XIV speaks to students in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Oct. 30, 2025, as part of the Jubilee of the World of Education. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Vatican announces theme for World Mission Sunday 2026


By
Catholic News Service Filed Under: Missions, News, World News

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When the Catholic Church celebrates World Mission Sunday for the 100th time in 2026, it will focus on theme, “One in Christ, united in mission.”

The theme, chosen by Pope Leo XIV, is a reflection of his episcopal motto, “In Illo uno unum,” or literally “In the One, we are one.”

The Vatican announced Oct. 31 the theme for the 2026 observance, which will be celebrated Oct. 18. A papal message on the theme is expected in early February.

The theme “highlights the unity of believers in the faith, founded on the unity of Christ with the Father, and the consequent shared mission of evangelization,” the Vatican said.

For World Mission Sunday, Catholics around the globe spend time learning about the Catholic missions, pray in support of missionaries and make donations to support the work of the church in mission lands.

Ahead of the 2025 celebration, Pope Leo had issued a video explaining that “when I served as a missionary priest and then bishop in Peru, I saw first-hand how the faith, the prayer and the generosity shown on World Mission Sunday can transform entire communities.”

As an Augustinian priest, Pope Leo had served in the missions in Peru from 1985 to 1999 and then as apostolic administrator and later bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023.

Pope Pius XI instituted World Mission Sunday in 1926 to ensure that Catholics around the world shared responsibility for the missionary work of the church.

World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul to be ‘a celebration of hope,’ archbishop says

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260807T1612-WORLD-YOUTH-DAY-SEOUL-PREVIEW-1824477.jpg’, description: ‘World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul to be ‘a celebration of hope,’ archbishop says’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260807T1612-WORLD-YOUTH-DAY-SEOUL-PREVIEW-1824477.jpg’, description: ‘World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul to be ‘a celebration of hope,’ archbishop says’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295499’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul to be ‘a celebration of hope,’ archbishop says

Pope Leo XIV to visit 10 cities in South America in November

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260805T1317-POPE-SOUTH-AMERICA-CITIES-1824349.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo XIV to visit 10 cities in South America in November’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Pope Leo XIV will make the first apostolic journey to South America of his pontificate Nov. 6-17, visiting 10 cities in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the Vatican has announced.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260805T1317-POPE-SOUTH-AMERICA-CITIES-1824349.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo XIV to visit 10 cities in South America in November’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295450’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading Pope Leo XIV to visit 10 cities in South America in November

Pope encourages Catholics to deepen prayer through Liturgy of the Hours

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260805T0830-1824354.jpg’, description: ‘Pope encourages Catholics to deepen prayer through Liturgy of the Hours’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Returning to his weekly general audiences after a monthlong summer break, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to embrace the Liturgy of the Hours more fully in their daily lives, saying the church’s public prayer is an antidote to a world shaped by technology, consumerism and an efficiency-driven mindset.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260805T0830-1824354.jpg’, description: ‘Pope encourages Catholics to deepen prayer through Liturgy of the Hours’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295420’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading Pope encourages Catholics to deepen prayer through Liturgy of the Hours

Pope Leo XIV’s August prayer intention is ‘for evangelization in the city’

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260803T1423-POPE-PRAYER-INTENTION-AUGUST-1824280.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo XIV’s August prayer intention is ‘for evangelization in the city’’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics to pray “for evangelization in the city” as his August prayer intention, asking the Lord to accompany millions searching for meaning amid the noise and haste of urban life.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260803T1423-POPE-PRAYER-INTENTION-AUGUST-1824280.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo XIV’s August prayer intention is ‘for evangelization in the city’’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295352’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading Pope Leo XIV’s August prayer intention is ‘for evangelization in the city’

Pope Leo writes to 97-year-old cardinal who spent 18 years in labor camps

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260803T1223-POPE-CARDINAL-SIMONI-1824271.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo writes to 97-year-old cardinal who spent 18 years in labor camps’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

At the age of 97, Cardinal Ernest Simoni, returned to the former prison camp in Albania where he used to offer Mass in secret during his 18 years of sentenced forced labor, offering a public Mass July 31 in the memory of those who suffered and died at the labor camp.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260803T1223-POPE-CARDINAL-SIMONI-1824271.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo writes to 97-year-old cardinal who spent 18 years in labor camps’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295331’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading Pope Leo writes to 97-year-old cardinal who spent 18 years in labor camps

Pope Leo’s meeting with Patti Smith highlights rocker’s Church-adjacent artistry

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-before-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-before-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-before-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260731T1748-PATTI-SMITH-MEETS-POPE-LEO-1824223.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo’s meeting with Patti Smith highlights rocker’s Church-adjacent artistry’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-before-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

The American singer-songwriter Patti Smith met with Pope Leo XIV July 31 in a private audience at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$(‘#facebook-after-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
facebook: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘facebook’);
}
});
$(‘#twitter-after-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
twitter: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { twitter: { via: ‘CatholicReview’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘twitter’);
}
});
$(‘#pinterest-after-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
pinterest: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { pinterest: { media: ‘https://catholicreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/20260731T1748-PATTI-SMITH-MEETS-POPE-LEO-1824223.jpg’, description: ‘Pope Leo’s meeting with Patti Smith highlights rocker’s Church-adjacent artistry’ } },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘pinterest’);
}
});
$(‘#linkedin-after-295300’).sharrre({
share: {
linkedin: true
},
enableHover: false,
enableTracking: true,
disableCount: true,
buttons: { },
click: function(api, options){
api.simulateClick();
api.openPopup(‘linkedin’);
}
});

});

Continue Reading Pope Leo’s meeting with Patti Smith highlights rocker’s Church-adjacent artistry

Copyright © 2025 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print