“Missionaries of hope among peoples”

On Sunday, October 19, the universal Church joyfully celebrated World Mission Day, known as DOMUND. Under the motto proposed by Pope Francis, “Missionaries of hope among peoples,” where we are invited to renew our baptismal vocation and our missionary commitment in the world. Indeed, DOMUND is a privileged occasion to give thanks to God for the gift of the missionary vocation, which God continues to raise up in his Church through so many men and women who, with generous dedication, proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. It is also a moment of profound communion and solidarity with all missions, especially those facing the greatest difficulties.

We remember with gratitude the missionaries who, for love of Christ and their brothers and sisters, gave their lives unto death. We cannot forget those who continue to be courageous witnesses of faith in the midst of adversity today. This is the true meaning of Domund, that is, the Church that “goes forth because the joy of the Gospel is for all peoples” (Ev. Gaudim). This need to go forth has its roots in Jesus, the missionary par excellence, when he says: “Let us go elsewhere and preach to other neighboring communities, for that is why I have come” (Mt 1:38).

Pope Francis invites us, in light of this Jubilee Year’s theme, to turn our gaze to Christ, the foundation and center of all Christian life. He is our model, the source of life and hope, the one who inspires our steps, giving meaning to our commitment. Without Christ at the center and without his living presence, the life of the missionary and all Christian existence becomes empty. Because only Christ fills us with love, strength, joy, and peace, so that we can share it with others. Therefore, the mission only advances when Christ occupies the central place in our hearts. All of us, without exception, are called to be living witnesses of hope for those who have lost it. Being a missionary isn’t just about saying beautiful words or identifying with a suit; it’s a testimony of life. The missionary of hope is someone called to live out their commitment inside and outside their home. They are someone who reaches out to touch the reality of their people. They are someone who shares their life with joy and lives with simplicity, openness, and a spirit of discernment, always seeking to better understand Christ and the mission entrusted to them.

Pope Francis reminds us: “All the baptized, and missionaries in particular, are called to renew our ‘yes’ to the proclamation of Christ, our hope. But this evangelical and missionary renewal begins with ourselves because of what we are and what we have, because no one can give what they don’t have.” Today, faced with so many paradigms that the world presents to us, we are called to be more creative and transformative with small details. May hope continue to accompany our lives and our communities, so that we may be authentic missionaries, small seeds, capable of spreading joy and not sadness, peace and not war, reconciliation and not division, hope and not despair. Let us ask today for God’s blessing that he may renew in each of us the commitment to be witnesses of his love in the world, hoping and rejoicing in the small changes that are taking place in our missions. This requires that the missionary is lived by prayer, availability, openness, listening, witness of life, a simple life, and integration among the people.

Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary,

Congregational Juniorate of Aldaia, October 19, 2025