As the Church prepares for the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen later this year, Pope Leo XIV is encouraging Catholics around the world to embrace a renewed missionary spirit and place Christ at the center of evangelization.
Speaking to participants in the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies on June 1, the Holy Father reflected on the Church’s missionary mission, the significance of World Mission Sunday, and the enduring witness of Archbishop Sheen, whose beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis. According to EWTN News, the Pope described Sheen as “a light of faith, hope, and love.”
The Pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday, established by Pope Pius XI to unite Catholics in prayer, sacrifice, and support for missionary work throughout the world.
“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” Pope Leo said, according to EWTN News.
He emphasized that every Catholic has a role to play in supporting the Church’s missionary efforts, explaining that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.” According to EWTN News, the Pope also reminded long-established Catholic communities that they remain called to share in the Church’s missionary identity.
Pope Leo highlighted the vital work of the Pontifical Mission Societies, whose support reaches more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions worldwide. The funds collected through World Mission Sunday help build church infrastructure, sustain missionary initiatives, and support the formation of priests and religious serving in mission territories, according to EWTN News.
The Holy Father also reflected on the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, encouraging Catholics to deepen their commitment to evangelization. He urged the faithful to foster “an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” according to EWTN News.
Turning to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Pope Leo spoke warmly about the beloved American bishop whose radio and television ministry brought the Gospel to millions.
“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” the Pope said, according to EWTN News.
The Holy Father then offered a personal reflection on Sheen’s influence.
“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” Pope Leo said. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”
Pope Leo expressed hope that the future Blessed Fulton Sheen would inspire missionary leaders throughout the world, saying, “May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world.”
The Pope also addressed the challenges facing the modern world, noting that division, war, and conflict make the Church’s missionary witness more important than ever. He praised the work of the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood and the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for bringing faith, charity, and support to vulnerable communities and mission territories around the globe.
Reflecting on this year’s World Mission Sunday theme, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” Pope Leo said the celebration invites Catholics to grow in communion with Christ and unity in the Church’s mission of love. According to EWTN News, he encouraged the faithful to cultivate “an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ.”
Drawing on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the Holy Father reminded Catholics that missionary outreach is not optional but flows from the very nature of the Church. He called for an “ongoing missionary conversion” and urged believers to seek ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”
Concluding his remarks, Pope Leo offered a simple but powerful reminder for all who share the Gospel: “In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center.”
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