![Cardinal in a black cassock with red trim and red skullcap, seated in a leather chair with a microphone nearby.”] ,](https://www.gaudiumpress.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Cardinal-Muller--218x150.jpg "Tradition, Authority, and Division: An Interview on the Society of St. Pius X and Vatican II")
Pope Leo XIV praises Fulton Sheen ahead of beatification, urging renewed missionary zeal as World Mission Sunday marks 100 years.
Newsroom (01/06/2026 Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV on June 1 delivered a sweeping reflection on the Catholic Church’s global missionary mission, intertwining institutional milestones with a deeply personal tribute to Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, whose beatification is scheduled for September 24 in St. Louis. Addressing participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the pope described Sheen as “a light of faith, hope, and love,” emphasizing the enduring relevance of his evangelizing work.
The address came at a significant moment: 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of World Mission Sunday, observed annually on the penultimate Sunday of October. Pope Leo underscored the importance of the day as a focal point for “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization,” particularly in regions where Christianity is still taking root.
Global Mission in a Divided World
In his remarks, the pope stressed the continuing necessity of missionary outreach in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.” He called on Catholic communities worldwide to participate actively in both spiritual and material support for missionary initiatives, particularly those serving areas of first evangelization.
“Every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices,” Leo said, highlighting the universal responsibility of believers to sustain the Church’s efforts in young and developing regions. He further noted that World Mission Sunday serves as a reminder that even long-established Churches must actively embrace a missionary spirit.
Funds raised through the annual observance play a crucial role in sustaining global Church operations. The Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith distributes these contributions to more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions reliant on the Dicastery for Evangelization. These resources support the construction of infrastructure, missionary programs, and the operation of five colleges in Rome dedicated to training priests and consecrated religious.
Institutional Milestones and Missionary Formation
Beyond the centenary of World Mission Sunday, the pope also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union. Founded by Blessed Paolo Manna and later elevated to pontifical status by Pope Pius XII, the union was described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
Leo encouraged a renewed engagement with the union’s purpose of fostering a deeper missionary spirituality among the baptized. “I encourage all to participate in its mission,” he said, calling for a more fervent commitment to evangelization in what he termed a “new missionary age.”
He also drew attention to the specialized roles within the missionary network. The Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood, he noted, carries out a “particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and charity to children, especially in regions plagued by violence. Meanwhile, the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle supports the formation of Indigenous clergy and religious in mission territories, reinforcing the Church’s long-term presence in these areas.
Fulton Sheen: A Personal and Global Influence
Returning to the figure of Fulton J. Sheen, Pope Leo offered both institutional recognition and a personal recollection. Sheen served as national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States and became one of the most influential Catholic communicators of the 20th century.
“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope said, recalling his own exposure to Sheen’s broadcasts during his youth. Those programs reached millions, spreading the message of the Gospel while also generating substantial spiritual and material support for missionary territories.
The pope expressed hope that Sheen’s example would inspire contemporary leaders within the Pontifical Mission Societies. “May our new blessed be an example for all,” he said, pointing to Sheen’s ability to combine media outreach with tangible missionary impact.
A Call to Unity and Conversion
The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” reflects a broader ecclesial vision of unity and shared purpose. According to the pope, the theme calls all members of the Church into “a deeper communion in Christ and a fuller unity in his divine mission of love.”
Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, Leo reiterated the Church’s fundamental identity as missionary in nature, rooted in the divine mission of the Trinity. He urged the assembly to embrace what he described as an “ongoing missionary conversion,” encouraging new ways of being a Church that actively contributes to healing a fractured world.
“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” the pope said, concluding with the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Looking Ahead
As the Church prepares for Fulton Sheen’s beatification and commemorates a century of organized global mission efforts, Pope Leo XIV’s message underscored continuity and renewal. By linking historical milestones with contemporary challenges, he presented a vision of a Church both rooted in tradition and dynamically engaged with the needs of the modern world—united in faith, and steadfast in mission.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
Related Images:
