Missio England and Wales, also known internationally as the Pontifical Mission Societies, recently held their National Council meeting in the north-west of England. Local Diocesan Directors, Mill Hill Missionaries and the small Missio team were delighted to welcome special guest, Father Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen OFM Conv, the Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union.
Fr Anh Nhue presented a reflection on the Holy Father’s message for the 100th celebration of World Mission Sunday this year ‘One in Christ, united in mission’:
‘This year marks the first time that Pope Leo XIV, a missionary who became Pope, has written a message for World Mission Sunday.
‘It is especially up to us, who work in the Pontifical Mission Societies [Missio] – the Pope’s Societies – to be instruments for making the World Mission Sunday message known, meditated upon and shared. It is a true mission within a mission: to bring the Pope’s message, with simple language and concrete proximity, almost “door to door,” to every Christian community and family.
‘With this message, we are presented with an invitation to start afresh from Christ, to let ourselves be guided by his grace to renew within us the fire of our missionary vocation. The objective is to renew the missionary spirit, indeed that missionary fire that Christ the Lord so desires to transmit, with the Holy Spirit, to each of his disciples.
‘The Pope calls for a serious examination of community conscience. Where there are divisions, misunderstandings and mutual distrust, mission loses strength. Growing in a shared missionary spirituality means learning to look at one another with the eyes of faith, recognising the good that the Spirit works in each person, embracing diversity as a richness and seeking the unity that comes from on high.
‘Within this framework, the Pope expresses renewed appreciation for the service of Missio (the Pontifical Mission Societies), a living sign of ecclesial missionary communion, and invites everyone to collaborate with them in a spirit of gratitude.
The Church does not proclaim an abstract idea, but the Gospel of God’s faithful love, embodied in the life and face of Jesus Christ. Mission is participation in the very mission of God, who unconditionally loves humanity to the point of total self-giving.
‘The mission of love is expressed through the testimony of life, prayer and concrete support for the missions. Every gift, even the smallest, becomes an act of missionary communion.
‘What can we do concretely after reading the message for World Mission Sunday 2026? Three simple, concrete actions can be suggested:
1. Reread and invite everyone to reread the 2026 World Mission Sunday message https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/mission/documents/20260125-giornata-missionaria.html
2. Pray with the prayer proposed by the Pope at the end of his message and invite others to do the same
3. Contribute to the mission by offering more prayers, sacrifices and donations, and by collaborating with the Pontifical Mission Societies (known as Missio in some countries).
Missio’s National Director, Fr Anthony Chantry, shared:
‘We were very happy to have Fr Anh Nhue, with us for our National Council meeting. His presentation on the upcoming celebration of 100 years of World Mission Sunday (18 October 2026) was inspiring and informative.
‘Fr Anh Nhue's presence emphasised the solidarity that we share with Missio offices across the world. His passion for mission and extensive experience enriched our time together, and we will keep him in our prayers for his ongoing mission.’
