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Introduction: A Call That Never Expires
“Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
These words of Christ echo powerfully through the centuries. They are not a suggestion or advice: they are a divine command, an urgent and universal call. Missions are not a secondary activity of the Church—they are her very reason for being. As St. Paul reminds us: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16)
Today more than ever, the world needs missionaries. Not necessarily with sandals in remote jungles, but with willing hearts in homes, on social media, in offices and communities. This article is an invitation to rediscover the missionary soul of the Church and to live it out, here and now.
1. What Does “Mission” Mean in the Catholic Church?
The word “mission” comes from the Latin missio, meaning “sending.” Theologically, it refers to the sending of the Church—and of every Christian—to announce the Gospel. This sending springs from the heart of the Trinity: the Father sends the Son, the Son and the Father send the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit sends the Church.
Theological Dimension
Missions have a deeply theological foundation: they are participation in God’s salvific mission. Evangelization is not merely a human endeavor, but cooperation with the work of the Holy Spirit. As Vatican II reminds us in Ad Gentes (2):
“The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature.”
Spiritual Dimension
To be a missionary is not primarily about “doing things” but about being someone: a witness of Christ. Being light, salt, leaven (cf. Mt 5:13–14). It means saying with your life what you preach with your lips. This requires prayer, humility, ongoing conversion, and deep union with God.
2. A Journey Through the Church’s Missionary History
a. The Early Centuries: Witnesses Even Unto Martyrdom
After Pentecost, the Apostles scattered across the known world. St. Peter went to Rome, St. James to Spain, St. Thomas to India… Evangelizing meant risking one’s life, and many sealed their mission with blood. The Church was planted in the soil of martyrdom.
b. The Middle Ages: Monks and Evangelizing Kings
After the fall of the Roman Empire, a fragmented world remained. Great missionaries like St. Patrick in Ireland, St. Boniface in Germany, and Saints Cyril and Methodius among the Slavs emerged. Monasteries became centers of evangelization, culture, and charity.
c. Evangelizing the Americas, Asia, and Africa
The discovery of the New World opened a new Pentecost. Missionaries like St. Francis Xavier in Asia, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, and Fray Junípero Serra, alongside countless Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits, brought the faith to millions. Not without mistakes, but with tremendous zeal.
d. The 19th Century: Africa and Oceania
The 19th century saw the rise of new missionary congregations, such as the White Fathers and the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit. Africa, Asia, and Oceania were fertile ground for the faith. The witness of martyrs like St. Thérèse of Lisieux—patroness of the missions without ever leaving her convent—reminds us that prayer is the soul of every mission.
e. The 20th and 21st Centuries: Mission From and To Everywhere
Mission is no longer just about going to distant lands, but about understanding that every baptized person is a missionary. St. John Paul II, in Redemptoris Missio, reminded us that mission ad gentes remains a priority, but so does the re-evangelization of de-Christianized cultures.
3. Why Is Mission Still Urgent Today?
We live in an era marked by relativism, secularism, and religious indifference. Many people have never truly heard of Christ. And many baptized individuals have abandoned the faith.
Pope Francis expresses it clearly:
“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 49)
Today’s peripheries are not only geographical. There are also existential peripheries: loneliness, despair, spiritual poverty, addiction, and meaninglessness. We are called to these as well.
4. How to Live the Mission in Daily Life — A Practical Guide
a. Start at Home
Evangelization begins with loving those closest to you. Teaching the faith to your children, living the sacraments, creating a Christian atmosphere in the home—the family is the first mission field.
b. Be a Witness in Your Environment
At work, university, in the street… what does your life say? Coherent testimony, kindness, and hope are signs that speak. It’s not about imposing, but proposing with joy.
c. Use Social Media With a Missionary Spirit
The digital continent is a new mission field. Sharing reflections, respectful comments, Christian content—these can touch hearts. One post can be a seed.
d. Pray for Missions and Missionaries
Never underestimate the power of prayer. Pray the Rosary, offer Masses, support those on the front lines. As St. Thérèse said:
“I want to be love in the heart of the Church.”
e. Join Missionary Groups
Many parishes and movements have missionary branches. You can help with catechesis, popular missions, social outreach, or financial support.
f. Discern a Deeper Call
What if God is calling you to something more radical? To leave everything for Him? Many young people discover their missionary vocation in the silence of prayer or the cry of the poor. Don’t be afraid to say “yes.”
5. Resources to Grow in Missionary Spirit
- Evangelii Nuntiandi (Paul VI) – Key document on modern evangelization.
- Redemptoris Missio (John Paul II) – Profound call to ad gentes mission.
- Evangelii Gaudium (Francis) – A blueprint for a missionary Church.
- Pontifical Mission Societies – Support missions worldwide.
- Missionary documentaries and films: The Mission, Silence, Molokai, etc.
Conclusion: You Are Mission
Mission is not something from the past or only for a select few. It is the very heart of the Christian life. Today the world needs witnesses who speak of God with the language of love, consistency, and hope.
Christ still says:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2)
Will you respond?
