100th Mission Day: Pope Leo XIV urges churches, missionaries to unite for fruitful evangelism

Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV has called on churches worldwide to embrace love and unity regardless of cultural, spiritual and liturgical differences for the gospel of Jesus Christ to spread largely.

Pope Leo XIV made the call on Sunday in his message to celebrate the 100th Mission Day, titled: One in Christ, united in mission.

He charged christians to genuinely cooperate with one another for mission work to be firmly established on earth.

The pontiff said, “Following the Jubilee Year, I wish to encourage the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal in the Holy Spirit. This requires hearts united in Christ, reconciled communities and, in everyone, a willingness to cooperate with generosity and trust.

“Evangelization is achieved when local communities cooperate with one another and when cultural, spiritual and liturgical differences are fully and harmoniously expressed in the same faith.

“I therefore encourage all institutions in the Church to strengthen their sense of ecclesial missionary communion and to develop creative and concrete ways of cooperating with one another for and in the mission.”

He noted that Jesus wants all His disciples across the world to be in harmony as the divine Trinity is which was revealed in His prayer while He was on earth.

Pope Leo emphasised that oneness is key for fruitful evangelism, urging church leaders to uphold love and unity.

“The mystery of union with Christ lies at the heart of mission. Before his Passion, Jesus prayed to the Father, “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us” (Jn 17:21).

“These words reveal Jesus’ deepest desire, as well as the identity of the Church as a community of his disciples. That is, a communion that flows from the Trinity, and continues to be sustained by the Trinity.

“Being a Christian is not primarily about practices or ideas; it is a life in union with Christ, in which we share in his filial relationship with the Father in the Holy Spirit. It means abiding in Christ, like branches on the vine (cf. Jn 15:4), immersed in the life of the Trinity. This union gives rise to mutual communion among believers and is the source of all missionary fruitfulness.

“Indeed, just as Saint John Paul II taught, “communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission” (Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 32),” the revered cleric explained.

Pope Leo XIV further prayed for all churches, “Holy Father, make us one in Christ, rooted in his love that unites and renews. May all members of the Church be united in mission, docile to the Holy Spirit, courageous in bearing witness to the Gospel, proclaiming and daily embodying your faithful love for all creatures.

“Bless all missionary men and women, support them in their efforts, and watch over them in hope!”