During the whole month of October, dedicated to the Missionary life, the Missio Foundation of Italy will post videos and photos of the missions throughout the country

Newsroom (08/09/2021, 11:00 AM, Gaudium Press) Under the impetus of Pope Francis, throughout the month of October the National Direction of the Pontifical Missionary Works in Italy (Missio Foundation) will share on its social networks photos and videos of missionary work in Italian dioceses. Actions that aim to do justice to the statement “We cannot be silent”. A statement made by Pope Francis to encourage missionary action by Catholics around the world.

The Missio posts seek to show the lived experiences and the missionary commitment to promote peace and hope.

A continuity in the call to Mission

The Director General of Missio, Father Giuseppe Pizzoli, explained that the days dedicated to the Missions in the last three years in Italy form a single whole. Thus, in 2019 the theme was “Baptized and Sent: rediscovering the missionary vocation that belongs to all the baptized”, in 2020 “Weavers of fraternity: living the project of Jesus as disciples that He loved” and now in 2021, “Witnesses and prophets: announcing the Kingdom of God, which will come and has already begun among us”.

Father Pizzoli also explained that with the theme “witnesses and prophets” Catholics are invited to see the present times with “eyes of trust and peace” and that even with the present difficulties “the Lord has never abandoned us and continues to accompany us”.

Why is October the month of the Missions?

Effectively the month of October is known as the Missionary Month. Beginning the month, on October 1st, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite nun. However, even though she was a cloistered nun, the Church named her as the patroness of the Missions thanks to her lively desire to be a missionary in the heart of the Church. (FM)

Compiled by Camille Mittermeier