Pope Francis encourages Catholics to spread hope through prayer and action.

By Kristina Millare

Vatican City, Feb 6, 2025 / 11:30 am

Pope Francis recently released his inspiring message for World Mission Day 2025, calling on all Catholics to become “missionaries of hope” and actively engage in the Church’s evangelizing mission through a combination of prayer and action.

The Holy Father urged people of all ages to participate actively in the Church’s mission by living out their faith, praying, making sacrifices, and being generous in their actions.

For this year’s mission day, the pope selected the theme “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples,” to be celebrated on October 19.

Pope Francis emphasized the importance of developing a deep faith in Christ through prayer to continue spreading hope as missionaries. He highlighted the significance of prayer as the primary missionary activity, quoting Venerable Cardinal François-Xavier Van Thuan.

The pope also stressed the essential role of the Eucharist and other sacraments in empowering Catholics to work diligently and patiently in the global evangelization effort.

He emphasized that Christians are called to share the good news by connecting with people in real-life situations and becoming agents of hope in the world.