MISSION WORK IN THE UNITED STATES

The Catholic Church in the United States celebrates the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday this year. Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926, the day encourages the Church to pray for missionaries and those receiving the Gospel while collecting funds to assist them.

The United States was originally considered mission territory that relied on donations from Europe to build parishes, schools, seminaries, and cathedrals. Pope St. Pius X declared the U.S. no longer a mission territory on November 3, 1908, after the local Church reached self-sufficiency and no longer required support from the Propagation of the Faith.

Current mission efforts encourage Catholics to support churches that are poor, young, or facing persecution. Before the formalization of World Mission Sunday, missionary work was managed through various religious orders and mission organizations.