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If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil.Ps 127:1

Vatican Angelus, 18 October 2026

100th WORLD MISSION SUNDAY - Pope Leo XIV: May the Church always remain faithful to the mandate of the Risen Lord

Catholic IntelligenceUpdated 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to pray that the Church remains faithful to the command of the Risen Lord during the 100th World Mission Sunday. Speaking from his study in the Apostolic Palace after the Angelus, the Pope reflected on the century of missionary history since Pope Pius XI established the day in 1926. He used a verse from the Gospel of Mark to urge the Church to proclaim the good news to all creation and expressed gratitude for the generosity of missionaries throughout the past hundred years.

The Pope also addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square regarding his recent health. He thanked those who prayed for him following a surgery to remove a lung tumor at Gemelli University Hospital. He specifically expressed his thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital, noting that his experience of illness has made him feel closer to those living with infirmity.

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  9. Oct 22, 12:12 PM PT · 11 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to register for World Youth Day in Seoul 2027
  10. Oct 22, 12:11 PM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Argentina
  11. Oct 22, 11:21 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV invites youth to Seoul for World Youth Day 2027
  12. Oct 22, 10:39 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to hold private audience with Villanova, Notre Dame teams
  13. Oct 22, 9:05 AM PT Pope Leo XIV and the Pressure to Be Perfect: “Many Give Up Before Even Trying”
  14. Oct 22, 8:30 AM PT A Global Symphony of Prayer: 16 Readers Share Ways They Prayed for Pope Leo XIV
  15. Oct 22, 8:20 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to Seoul for WYD 2027
  16. Oct 22, 8:07 AM PT · 33 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 24 new members to International Theological Commission
  17. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 7 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints Leandro Machado Silvestre as bishop of Guajará-Mirim
  18. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 21 sources Pope Leo XIV leads General Audience on October 21, 2026, emphasizing marriage and family
  19. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 23 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Holiness in History conference
  20. Oct 22, 7:28 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas presented to Dutch and Flemish bishops
  21. Oct 22, 6:18 AM PT · 61 sources Pope Leo XIV speaks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  22. Oct 22, 5:20 AM PT · 9 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Synod on Synodality
  23. Oct 22, 4:30 AM PT · 3 sources COMECE bishops send message of prayer and support to Pope Leo XIV
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  25. Oct 22, 3:55 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV emphasizes protecting marriage at general audience

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