The SVD AUS Province is gearing up to celebrate World Mission Sunday on October 16 by sharing resources and planning activities across the Province to mark this special day in the Church’s calendar.

Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD says that on World Mission Sunday, Catholics all over the world are called to reflect on and recommit to the Church’s missionary activity, through prayer, sacrifice and personal involvement.

“In the Jubilee Year of Mercy, we are called to be the true face of God by bringing the message of love, forgiveness and tenderness to those who have not yet experienced the love of our God,” Fr Truc says.

Fr Truc says the Divine Word Missionaries join with Pope Francis in recognising that mission is not just the responsibility of people in religious life, but of everyone.

In his World Mission Day message for 2016, Pope Francis says that the merciful love of God, as in the early days of the Church, is witnessed to by many men and women of every age and condition.

“The considerable and growing presence of women in the missionary world, working alongside their male counterparts, is a significant sign of God’s maternal love,” the Holy Father says.

“Women, lay and religious, and today even many families, carry out their missionary vocation in various forms: from announcing the Gospel to charitable service.”

Fr Truc says World Mission Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate the partnership in mission between religious and lay people.

“As we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we recognise the many talents and gifts that our lay partners have and use this opportunity to bring people together to promote and spread the Gospel in our parishes, communities and beyond,” he says.

“Mission Sunday is a very happy occasion for us Divine Word Missionaries, and will be celebrated with great joy and happiness with our parishioners, local SVD communities, SVD friends and lay partners.”

Fr Truc says the celebrations will range from mission activities, multicultural events and, in some places, a special collection for missions.

“It’s also an opportunity to say thank you to our lay partners who are already involved in mission activities with us,” he says.

For parishes who wish to incorporate World Mission Sunday into their liturgies on October 16, the SVD AUS Province has prepared liturgy notes, which can be downloaded here.

World Mission Sunday Liturgy notes are downloadable here:  document Liturgy for World Mission Sunday 2016

World Mission Sunday posters are downloadable here:  pdf World Mission Sunday Poster 2016 - PDF

World Mission Sunday celebration suggestions are downloadable here:  pdf World Mission Sunday 2016 - Celebration Suggestions

Pope Francis’ Message for World Mission Sunday is available here.