October is the month of missions

The Catholic Church observes October as the Month of the Missions to encourage prayer, sacrifice, and financial support for global evangelization. The Obras Misionales Pontificias, an official Church institution, promotes missionary spirit and collects funds for missionaries worldwide.

In 1951, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, then the National Director of the Obras Misionales Pontificias in the United States, created the Missionary Rosary. This prayer uses specific colors for each decade to represent different regions. The 1.º Misterio uses green for Africa to represent its forests and prairies, while the 2.º Misterio uses red for America to symbolize the blood of martyrs. The 3.º Misterio uses white for Europe to represent the Pope and the Church's central seat.