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Vatican City (Fides News Agency) – The Pope's message for the upcoming 100th World Mission Day, which will be celebrated on October 18, 2026, is the focus of an online training program for missionary formation. The program begins tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6, in French and will be offered in other languages in the coming months.
"One in Christ, united in mission" is the title of the papal message. These words recall the motto of Pope Leo XIV, "In Illo uno unum" (In the One we are one), based on a sermon by Saint Augustine. The papal message for World Mission Day was published on Sunday, January 25, the commemoration of the Conversion of Saint Paul, the great missionary and "Apostle to the Gentiles."
The 100th World Mission Day is celebrated on Sunday, October 18
The French-language training program on the papal message is a joint project of the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Missionary Union and the National Directions of the Pontifical Mission Societies in French-speaking African countries.
The training program comprises four online conferences, each taking place from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. (Rome Time). A link to participate via the Zoom platform will be sent to you for each conference.
The event tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6, will begin with an introductory address by Father Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, a Conventual Franciscan and Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union. Following this, Nicolas Lhernould, Archbishop of Tunis, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Tunisia will speak. The first online conference is entitled “The Message of Pope Leo in the context of today’s mission.” Three further events will follow, exploring the Pope's message from different perspectives. Another conference, scheduled for Friday, June 12, is entitled "One in Christ: Spiritual and missionary deepening." On Friday, July 20, the training program continues with a conference on "United in Mission: How can we live and implement the Pope's impulses in concrete terms?" The final conference, entitled "Mission of Love: Following Christ and the Saints," will take place on Friday, September 11. (EG) (Fides 5/5/2026)
Link to participate in the conference on Wednesday, May 5: from 12:30 to 2:00 pm (Rome time):
https://zoom.us/j/95032376147?pwd=FEaaWvGcBoFAmu2vJO47bcd6aQCxt4.1
Meeting ID: 950 3237 6147
Passcode: 496429
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