Missionary work has been at the heart of the Catholic Church since its earliest days. From the moment Christ sent his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations,” the Church has understood mission not as an optional activity, but as an essential part of her identity.
Today, Catholic mission work continues across the world—bringing the Gospel to new communities, strengthening local Churches, and serving those most in need through faith, charity, and solidarity.
Missionary work expresses the Church’s calling to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to reveal God’s love through lived witness and service. It is not measured by distance traveled, but by the intention to bring Christ to those who most need to encounter him.
While missionary activity can include traveling to distant countries — traditionally known as mission ad gentes, or mission “to the nations” — missionary work ultimately flows from Christ’s command to love God and neighbor and to share the Gospel with all peoples.
At its core, missionary work includes:
Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ
Accompanying communities as they grow in faith
Serving human dignity through education, healthcare, and charity
Building and strengthening local Churches so they can evangelize their own communities
Missionaries often serve in places marked by poverty, conflict, persecution, or profound spiritual need, offering a faithful presence rooted in prayer, encounter, and hope. Missionary work flows from an encounter with Christ, especially in the Eucharist, and sends the Church outward in love.
Yes — and it always has.
From its very beginning, the Catholic Church has been missionary by nature. Founded by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the apostles, the Church has carried out Christ’s mandate to “go and make disciples of all nations” for more than two thousand years.
From St. Paul’s journeys among the Gentiles to the missionary witness of saints such as St. Francis Xavier, the Gospel has spread through the courageous and patient work of missionaries who lived among the people they served.
This mission is not limited to one era or region. Wherever the Gospel has taken root, it has done so through missionary witness — faithfully proclaimed, patiently lived, and generously shared.
Catholic missionaries serve in many different ways, depending on the needs of the communities they accompany. While evangelization remains central, missionary work also includes concrete acts of service that uphold the dignity of every human person.
Missionary efforts often involve:
Evangelization and catechesis
Building schools, churches, and pastoral centers
Providing access to clean water and basic healthcare
Supporting families through charitable outreach
Strengthening local leadership within the Church
Missionary work reflects the Church’s conviction that faith and charity are inseparable, and that authentic evangelization addresses both spiritual and material needs.
The Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS) are the official mission organizations of the Catholic Church, supporting evangelization in mission territories where the Church is young, growing, or materially poor.
In the United States, The Pontifical Mission Societies connect Catholics to the Church’s global mission through prayer, formation, and charitable support, ensuring that no mission diocese stands alone.
TPMS is made up of four missionary societies:
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which supports mission dioceses
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle, which fosters priestly and religious vocations
The Missionary Childhood Association, which forms children in missionary discipleship
The Missionary Union, which promotes missionary formation among clergy and pastoral workers
Together, these societies place the needs of mission territories at the heart of the Church.
Missionary work is not reserved for priests and religious alone. Every baptized Catholic is called to take part in the Church’s mission.
Through The Pontifical Mission Societies, lay people can participate by:
Praying for missionaries and mission communities
Supporting mission dioceses through charitable giving
Learning about the life of the global Church through MISSION Magazine and the resources of the Missionary Childhood Association
Encouraging and supporting missionary vocations
In this way, Catholics everywhere — regardless of where they live — can share in the Church’s missionary calling.
In a world marked by division, inequality, and spiritual hunger, missionary work remains essential to the life of the Church. It proclaims hope where it is most needed and bears witness to Christ’s presence in every culture and community.
Through missionary work, the Church continues to fulfill her enduring mission: to bring the Gospel to all peoples and to serve the dignity of every human person.
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