Mission and Aid · October 10, 2026
Also published in עברית
Catholic Church's Largest Solidarity Action Marks 100 Years
In 2026, the Catholic Church will celebrate the 100th anniversary of "World Mission Sunday," originally established by Pope Pius XI in 1926. The current Pope has expressed joy over this milestone, with Madagascar designated as the focus country for this year's celebrations.
For the centenary, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of the action day, with this year's theme being "One in Christ, united in mission." He invited reflection on the fundamental task of promoting the unity of the Church in following Christ, as stated in a message released on Wednesday.
World Mission Sunday, scheduled for October 18, serves as an occasion to thank all those who contributed to the success of the project over the decades, according to the Church leader.
As the largest solidarity action in the Catholic Church, World Mission Sunday sees papal missionary works collecting funds worldwide for social and pastoral work in the poorest dioceses.
In Germany, this year, the observance will take place on October 25, with international Catholic aid organizations missio Aachen and missio München extending it into a month-long celebration of world mission, again focusing on Madagascar.
The initiative aims to address the stark contrast between great joy in life and severe poverty, particularly in Madagascar, where climate change and exploitative resource extraction are critical issues affecting people's lives. Missio advocates for transparent supply chains, while a nun is developing medications to aid those in need.