Blantyre Archdiocese launches Month of Mission as Church marks centenary of World Mission Sunday

The Archdiocese of Blantyre has launched its Month of Mission at St Anthony of Padua Parish in Chinyonga Township, opening a pe

riod of prayer, charitable works and fundraising in support of the Church’s missionary activity.

The launch was presided over by the Archdiocese’s vicar general, Fr George Buleya, who called on the faithful to take an active part in spreading the Gospel through prayer, works of charity and financial contributions to the Church’s missionary endeavours.

He thanked the Christians of Chinyonga Parish for the commitment and dedication shown in organising the event.

The Month of Mission is observed annually by Catholic dioceses in the lead-up to World Mission Sunday, traditionally marked on the penultimate Sunday of October, and forms part of the wider work of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Church’s principal agency for coordinating and funding missionary activity worldwide.

The societies operate in virtually every diocese, encouraging Catholics to support missionary priests, religious and lay workers serving in territories where the Church remains young or under-resourced.

This year’s observance carries particular significance, marking a century since the establishment of Mission Sunday by the Pontifical Mission Societies, an anniversary being marked across the universal Church.

The centenary theme reflects on a hundred years of Catholics worldwide being invited, once a year, to renew their solidarity with the Church’s missionary vocation through prayer and material support.

In Malawi, this year’s principal national celebrations will be held on October 18 in the Diocese of Mzuzu, bringing together Catholics from across the country’s dioceses in a shared act of commitment to the Church’s missionary work, before parishes return to their own local observances for the remainder of the Month of Mission.