Browse past isues
Help the mission
Support the mission
Get in touch
During his 2023 series of catechesis on “A passion for evangelization,” late Pope Francis dedicated each Wednesday general audience to a saint who exemplifies this passion. Here’s a look at 12 of the men and women he has cited who gave their lives to Christ and to evangelization.
Freddie Bernardino, a lay missionary from the Philippines, has been serving in Zambia, at a mission station entrusted to the Comboni Missionaries. For the past four years, he has served as Principal of the Technical Vocational School in Chikowa, where he accompanies young people through education while sharing in the life and mission of the local community.
For the past 100 years (1927-2026), the Church has been observing World Mission Day. Over the course of this century, there have been nine popes, each enhancing this event with their messages, insights, and inspiration. The current piece simply presents a synthetic overview following the pivotal mission documents and encyclicals of each pope.
According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, water is a common good, the adequate management of which contributes to the realization of the common good of the entire human family. It is true that aqua fons vitae, “water is a source of life”.
Ezekiel’s biblical vision of living water flowing from the sanctuary stands in sharp contrast to the reality of the water crisis we face. According to the United Nations UN News, 1.7 billion people lack basic hygiene services at home, and 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water!
This year’s theme of the Season of Creation, “Living Water”, explores Ezekiel, 47:9, 12 as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing. The image of living water reveals divine healing that renews land, water, biodiversity, and human responsibility towards the whole creation.
St. Francis told stories that were retold and passed down across generations. They invited hearers to place themselves within the narratives and imagine themselves living in a way more aligned with the Gospel in everyday life.
Rather than imagine St. Francis as some sort of medieval superhero, we would do well to remember his full humanity and lifelong journey of conversion, including the inevitable stumbles and mistakes he made along the way. In this way, he models for us how to embrace an authentic journey of faith.
Eight hundred years after his death, Francis of Assisi’s legacy of poverty, peace, and reverence for nature continues to influence Catholic life worldwide, from the Franciscan order to the papacy’s stance on social and environmental justice.
The Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus have been present in Asia since 1988, focusing on first evangelization, vocation promotion, and formation. Their work prioritizes mission awareness and the formation of new candidates while reaching out to those who have not yet encountered the Gospel.
The Pope invites all Christians to contribute to the great mission of evangelization: "Your prayers and your concrete support, especially on World Mission Day, will be of great help.”
“Will Pax Silica…primarily serve the strategic interests of others while Filipinos provide the land, natural resources, water, energy, tax incentives, and labor?”
Foreigners will leave but the problems of inequality and poverty will stick around. Foreigners have become a scapegoat for the mess created by years of corruption in government.
In today’s world where technology–especially artificial intelligence (AI)–is moving at lighting speed, Pope Leo, in his first encyclical letter titled Magnificent Humanity, strongly feels that without clear, comprehensive moral guardrails, it is very possible AI will become significantly uncontrollable, posing grave risks to humanity.
This year’s World Mission Sunday is special because it marks 100 years since its institution by Pope Pius XI. In his message for the occasion, Pope Leo encourages Christians to be united in mission and “to keep our gaze fixed on the Lord so that He may truly be at the center of our lives and communities.”
The Salvatorian Pastoral Care for Children (SPCC), which began working with Philippine parishes 25 years ago, caters to children who suffer from corporal punishment and neglect, online grooming, and sexual exploitation.
What if humanity’s biggest challenge isn’t AI, money troubles, or political drama but something way closer to home? What if the future of civilization is actually being decided quietly, every day, in our homes: when we choose to get married, have kids, stay loyal and take care of each other.
In the latest Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International, the Philippines ranks 120th out of 182 nations in 2025, placing it near the bottom of regional standings. These figures call us to a moment of honest self-examination: What kind of society are we truly building together?
Saint Paul writes that the elderly Patriarch Abraham continued to “hope against hope” (Romans, 4:18). Ultimately, God rewarded his faith-filled hope when he and his wife Sarah welcomed their son Isaac into the world. We can look to Abraham and other Christian saints as beacons of hope.
Young Dominic Sang answered positively when asked by his mom if he still dreamed of becoming a priest, beginning a vocational discernment journey with the Comboni Missionaries. He has now completed his formation and has been ordained a deacon, awaiting his ordination as a priest in 2027.
In our daily life, we cross various kinds of thresholds and at times, we may unknowingly enter an unchartered territory. This is what happened to us in this story.
Please mark the correct answer with an 'x' and submit your responses to the editor via email at wm.editor@gmail.com. A winner will be selected from those who submit all correct answers and will receive a six-month subscription to World Mission.
World Mission Magazine Channel
Published work from the World Mission Community
Published work from the World Mission Community
The articles and content from the September 2026 Issue
The articles and content from the September 2026 Issue
“Will Pax Silica…primarily serve the strategic interests of others while Filipinos provide the land, natural resources, water, energy, tax incentives, and labor?”
This year’s theme of the Season of Creation, “Living Water”, explores Ezekiel, 47:9, 12 as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing. The image of living water reveals divine healing that renews land, water, biodiversity, and human responsibility towards the whole creation.
Ezekiel’s biblical vision of living water flowing from the sanctuary stands in sharp contrast to the reality of the water crisis we face. According to the United Nations UN News, 1.7 billion people lack basic hygiene services at home, and 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water!
According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, water is a common good, the adequate management of which contributes to the realization of the common good of the entire human family. It is true that aqua fons vitae, “water is a source of life”.
The possession of nuclear weapons, the ongoing modernization of them, the aiming of them at adversaries, and the outright threatening to use them, is absolutely insane! And deeply immoral!
The Lord Jesus spoke from His heart to His disciples, sharing precious words that reminded them of His commandment to love and strengthened them for future difficulties and trials. As we continue on our earthly journey, let us allow His words to inspire and help us.
Hidden behind an iron gate in Quezon City’s crowded district of Culiat, a modest clinic run by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters has operated for more than three decades on the premise that health is not a luxury reserved for those who can pay, but a basic human right.
The Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on September 24 this year. He will possibly be one of the most unusual people ever to be beatified.
A new international order is taking shape, with some nations abandoning dialogue in favor of violence and lawlessness. The present crisis in the Middle East is a painful reminder of this truth. Leaders need sober thinking, balance, and moderation.
The stark contrast between the Philippines’ wealthiest families and the millions of ordinary citizens navigating daily economic uncertainty presents a profound moral and structural challenge. This divide is often sustained by an outdated and regressive fiscal framework that disproportionately burdens working-class families.
The Second Vatican Council ignited a spirit of renewal that continues to shape the Church today. Among the many architects of this transformation, three remarkable cardinals-Newman, Bea and Suenens-stand out as enduring witnesses of faith, hope, and courageous leadership.
What kind of nation are we building if cheating becomes an accepted way of life? Every act of dishonesty in the classroom plants a seed that may later grow into corruption, fraud, and injustice. As followers of Christ, we are called to choose the narrow path of truth , even when deception seems easier.
Congratulations to JENNIFER ABAD, winner of the Bible Quiz in the July 2026 issue! She has received a free six-month subscription to World Mission.
Caritas Philippines has come out against a U.S.-backed plan to build a large AI and semiconductor hub on farmland north of Manila, saying the project is moving forward without answers on who will control it or who will pay for it.
One year from now, Catholics from around the world₋alongside Pope Leo XIV₋will gather for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, from Aug. 3–8, 2027.
Christian families in the Holy Land are finding it “very, very difficult” to stay there and continue to “stand for peace”, Cardinal Fernando Filoni has warned.
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 50 million people worldwide are living in conditions of modern slavery, while human trafficking generates an estimated 236 billion dollars in illicit profits every year.
The goings-on happening in the world today.
The goings-on happening in the world today.
Pope Leo XIV will visit Latin America for the first time since his election as pope, from November 6 to November 17.
The theme for the 60th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2027, has been announced: “Disarming Technology, Serving Peace: Politics as Preventive Responsibility.”
Irish missionary Fr. Shay Cullen has launched his new book, Justice and Truth Win Freedom, chronicling more than five decades of his work defending human rights and protecting vulnerable women and children in the Philippines.
A veteran Singaporean diplomat, a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur and humanitarian, and a Myanmar human rights defender have been named winners of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award, often called the “Asian Nobel Prize.” This year’s winners are Tommy Koh of Singapore, Runa Khan of Bangladesh, and Bo Kyi of Myanmar (from left to right in picture).
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), around 50 million people worldwide are living in conditions of modern slavery, while human trafficking generates an estimated 236 billion dollars in illicit profits every year.
Christian families in the Holy Land are finding it “very, very difficult” to stay there and continue to “stand for peace”, Cardinal Fernando Filoni has warned.
One year from now, Catholics from around the world₋alongside Pope Leo XIV₋will gather for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, from Aug. 3–8, 2027.
Caritas Philippines has come out against a U.S.-backed plan to build a large AI and semiconductor hub on farmland north of Manila, saying the project is moving forward without answers on who will control it or who will pay for it.
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar has described the xenophobic violence against migrants that has been plaguing South Africa since April as the “denial of universal fraternity and of the Africa we want.” Because of this situation, thousands of migrants are returning to their countries of origin.
The return of the El Niño climate phenomenon is alarming scientists and international organizations, who fear a combination of extreme heat, declines in agricultural production, and worsening hunger in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
A forum of Philippine organizations, including the Catholic-affiliated “Church People-Workers Solidarity” (CWS) and unions such as Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the National Federation of Labor Unions, is calling for the protection of workers’ dignity and rights in the face of economic crises and the emergence of technologies like artificial intelligence that could replace humans.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for the 2026 celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to be held on September 1, as “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah, 2:4).
During his address to representatives of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Pope Leo XIV invited the entire Church to participate in World Mission Sunday.
Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas offers AI developers a valuable anthropological contribution as they design systems with which human beings interact at a deeply personal level, according to Taylor Black, Microsoft’s Director of AI and Venture Ecosystems.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) wants a humanitarian corridor to be established in the Strait of Hormuz to remove merchant ships stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the conflict in the Middle East.
