Go and invite everyone to the banquet

by Archbishop Gregory Aymond

By Archbishop Gregory Aymond

As we prepare to celebrate World Mission Sunday on Oct. 20, I reflect on the rich history of mission work within our Church and how it continues to shape us today. My own journey with the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which oversees the mandatory collection, has deepened my understanding of the global Church’s mission and the importance of our role in supporting it.

I have been associated with the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the missionary work of the church for over 35 years. The call to bring the Gospel to all nations – especially where the Church is young, poor or facing persecution – is central to who we are as Catholics.

World Mission Sunday, established by Pope Pius XI in 1926, invites us all to participate in this mission by offering our prayers and financial support to missionary territories around the world.

Inspired by the vision of Blessed Pauline Jaricot, who urged Catholics to contribute as little as a penny a week to the missions, this collection has become a lifeline for missionaries. It has helped build churches, schools and communities in regions where the faith is still taking root.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans itself was once mission territory. When Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg first arrived here in the early 19th century, he faced the enormous task of building the Church in a largely undeveloped region. Thanks to the support of Catholics worldwide, particularly through funds from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Bishop Dubourg and his successors were able to establish churches, schools, and ministries that laid the foundation for the vibrant Catholic community we have today.

During my time as director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, I was privileged to help foster relationships between New Orleans and mission territories abroad, including Nicaragua.

Through programs like Acompaño for seminarians and Christ the Healer for medical missionaries, we worked alongside our brothers and sisters in Nicaragua. These efforts were not just about providing aid but about building lasting relationships of mutual respect and faith. We walked with the people we served, recognizing that Christ’s healing power flows through every encounter.

This year’s World Mission Sunday theme, “Go and invite everyone to the banquet,” echoes Pope Francis’ call for a universal Church that embraces and serves all people. When we contribute to the World Mission Sunday Collection, we offer more than financial support – we offer hope and an invitation to share in the love of Christ. Your generosity helps to build churches, train seminarians, and provide essential services to communities in mission territories across Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America.

Just as the early missionaries built the Catholic Church here in New Orleans, we are now called to support the growth of the Church in places where faith is still young. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, along with three other Pontifical Mission Societies, play a critical role in ensuring that the Gospel continues to spread to the farthest corners of the world.

I invite you to join me in supporting this year’s World Mission Sunday Collection. Together, we can answer Christ’s call to invite everyone to the banquet of God’s love.

May God bless you for your generosity and your missionary heart.

Questions for Archbishop Aymond may be sent to [email protected].