MISSIO MUNICH: Sunday of the World Mission 2025

MISSIO MUNICH: Sunday of the World Mission 2025

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World Mission Month is the largest solidarity campaign of Catholics worldwide and traditionally takes place in October. This year, the focus is on the Philippines.

Focus on the Philippines

During World Mission Month in October, we are welcoming guests from the Philippines this year, who will report on the work of the Church in their home country in the Bavarian (arch)dioceses and in the diocese of Speyer. Their commitment to human rights is a sign of hope. The highlight will be World Mission Sunday on October 26, 2025, which this year will be marked by the Holy Year and thus under the motto "Hope does not perish" (Romans 5:5). The central festivities will be organized by the Diocese of Augsburg.

Church as defender of human rights

The Philippines is the only "Catholic" state in Asia, along with the much smaller East Timor. Christianity came to the country more than 500 years ago with the Spanish conquistadors and the church is still an important social and political power factor today. Over 80 percent of the population of around 115 million people belong to the Roman Catholic Church. Due to the widespread poverty and injustices in the country, the Church has repeatedly taken an active stance as an admonisher, for example when dictator Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown in 1986 or most recently against the dictatorial President Rodrigo Duterte.

However, the human rights situation in the Philippines is still worrying today: society continues to be shattered by poverty, violence and drugs, by child prostitution and disregard for children's rights, by restrictions on press freedom and political repression. In Mindanao, there is also frequent land theft and bloody conflicts with the indigenous population. This is why the Catholic Church in the Philippines continues to see itself as a defender of human rights by campaigning for justice and social equality and publicly addressing grievances.

Our action material uses examples to show how the Catholic Church stands up for human rights.