By Demetria Banda
The Catholic Church through the office of Pontifical Missionary Society (PMS) in Malawi on Sunday June 27, 2021 will be launching a three months’ preparation period for World Mission Sunday which will be celebrated on 24 October 2021.
According to National Director of Pontifical Mission Society, Fr Vincent Mwakhwawa, World Mission Sunday is celebrated annually and is international day of prayer and the main way to collect funds for the propagation of the faith in the whole world especially in places where the faith is not planted or is young.
“On this day, Catholics worldwide recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice. This year’s National Cerebration here in Malawi will be held in Zomba Diocese at Katamba St. Martin De Porres Parish whereby Zomba is a leading diocese in the whole country in praying for the success of Mission Month of October by offering daily masses and other prayer sacrifices like praying the missionary rosary, praying for the mission of the Church, praying the novena of Pauline Jaricot, the prayer for her beatification and collecting money for universal missionary work of the Church,” Explained Fr Mwakhwawa.
He further said during the preparation of World Mission Sunday, they also teach the people of God on the Universal Mission of the Catholic Church which is to go and proclamation the Gospel to the whole world while praying for the Universal Church that it can carry on with urgency, the mission of Christ.
According to the Message of his Holiness Pope Francis for the World Mission Day 2021, This year’s World Mission Day will be celebrated under the theme “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20)
“This theme summons us to “own” and to bring to others what we bear in our hearts. This mission has always been the hallmark of the Church, for “she exists to evangelize”. Our life of faith grows weak, loses its prophetic power and its ability to awaken amazement and gratitude when we become isolated and withdraw into little groups. By its very nature, the life of faith calls for a growing openness to embracing everyone, everywhere,” Said His Holiness
Pope Francis, in his Message, pointed out that, once we experience the power of God’s love, and recognize his fatherly presence in our personal and community life, we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard.
“Everything about Christ reminds us that he knows well our world and its need for redemption, and calls us to become actively engaged in this mission: “Go therefore to the highways and byways, and invite everyone you find” (Mt 22:9). No one is excluded, no one need to feel distant or removed from this compassionate love,” said his Holiness
The celebration of World Mission Day, said the Pope, is “an occasion for recalling with gratitude all those men and women who by their testimony of life help us to renew our baptismal commitment to be generous and joyful apostles of the Gospel. Let us remember especially all those who resolutely set out, leaving home and family behind, to bring the Gospel to all those places and people athirst for its saving message.”
The Church has set aside the month of October as a mission Month. It is a time for serious animation in preparation for the Mission Sunday. Pope Pius XI is the one who instituted this day in 1926 so that the Society for the propagation of Faith should have a month and a day of prayer and collection of money for the mission of the Church in the whole world.