Global Mission Office

Extraordinary Mission Month

OCTOBER 2019

Pope Francis has declared October 2019 to be an Extraordinary Mission Month. While every October is considered Mission Month because of the celebration of World Mission Sunday on the third Sunday, this year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud, which, “sought to give new impetus to the missionary task of proclaiming the Gospel.” This is a unique occasion to celebrate global mission. Moreover, Pope Francis’ message for October’s World Mission Sunday 2019 states:

“Today too, the Church needs men and women who, by virtue of their baptism, respond generously to the call to leave behind home, family, country, language and local Church, and to be sent forth to the nations... By proclaiming God’s word, bearing witness to the Gospel and celebrating the life of the Spirit, they summon to conversion, baptize and offer Christian salvation, with respect for the freedom of each person and in dialogue with the cultures and religions of the peoples to whom they are sent. The missio ad gentes, which is always necessary for the Church, thus contributes in a fundamental way to the process of ongoing conversion in all Christians.”


Global Mission Surveys

Global Mission Surveys help generate more information about the various projects and programs at work on our archdiocese. By responding to this survey, you help us identify all those involved in global mission.

Global Mission Mass and Celebration

Cardinal Cupich wishes to recognize and celebrate all those in the Archdiocese of Chicago who support and engage in missionary efforts beyond our national borders. For that reason, the Mission Office is preparing to host a Global Mission Mass and Celebration on Sunday, October 27. All the groups, parishes, schools, colleges and universities, religious congregations, organizations, and individuals involved in global mission are invited.

Sunday, October 27, 2019
5 p.m. Mass presided over by Cardinal Cupich
Reception to follow

St. Ferdinand Parish
5900 West Barry Avenue
Chicago, IL 60634

There will be opportunities to honor and recognize distinguished leaders in global mission and to share photos and stories about the joy of missionary discipleship.

Register here.

Promotional Flier (PDF)

Article for Use in Bulletins or Newsletters:

Global Mission Mass and Celebration
In honor of the Holy Father's call to renewed fervor for the Church’s universal mission during October 2019, every parish, group and organization in the Archdiocese of Chicago engaged in works of solidarity and charity with our global neighbors are invited to a Global Mission Mass and Celebration with Cardinal Blase Cupich on Sunday, October 27. This Mass and the reception that will follow will be held at St. Ferdinand Church 5900 West Barry Avenue in Chicago beginning at 5:00 p.m. Together we will give thanks for the local communities that are dedicated to the Catholic Church's global mission. Register and learn more about this unique celebration at www.wearemissionary.org/emm.

To learn more about this event contact Megan Mio at 312.534.3310 or [email protected].

Resources and Events for Extraordinary Mission Month

International/National Resources:

Formation Materials:

  • Catholic Social Teaching 101 Videos and Materials
    This collaborative video and discussion guide series brings the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching to life and inspires us to put our faith into action. These resources are presented by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services. Also consider inviting a guest speaker from Catholic Relief Services to speak at your parish: Contact Beth Knobbe ([email protected]) or Luis Beteta ([email protected]).
  • Discover Your Neighbor
    An interactive education program for teachers sponsored by the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers that offers classroom resources designed specifically for globally-minded educators who want to guide their students toward making a difference in the world.
  • Extraordinary Mission Month Small Group Study Guide
    Created by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
  • Interfaith Water Curriculum
    Learn more about the central role water plays in our faith and reflect on our obligation to conserve and protect this precious resource. There are three versions of the content that adapt to the time-frame and context of the community. This program is one among many offered through Faith in Place, an interfaith organization committed to caring for the Earth and providing resources to educate, connect and advocate for healthier communities.
  • Just Eating? Readings for Reflection and Action
    The Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table curriculum will help people better understand the relationship between our Christian heritage and our food. This program is one among many offered through Faith in Place, an interfaith organization committed to caring for the Earth and providing resources to educate, connect and advocate for healthier communities.
  • Praying With Missionary Saints Ebook
    Created by the Mission Doctors Association. Following Christ’s call to heal the sick, this medical mission trains, sends and supports Catholic doctors and their families to provide lifesaving medical care for the poor and trains local healthcare professionals around the world.
  • Respect Life Month Resources
    Parish resources for the celebration of Respect Life Sunday and all of October to help communities to cherish, defend and protect the dignity of all human life from its beginning to natural end.
  • Stories From the Missions, Prayers and More
    Created by Solidarity Bridge, a lay mission of the Archdiocese of Chicago rooted in the tradition of Catholic social justice and a spirituality of solidarity that works in partnership with the medical communities of Bolivia to increase access to safe, essential, and timely surgical care.

Mission Events in October:

  • Praying Together for the Healing of Our Planet
    Friday, October 4 at 12 p.m.
    St. James Cathedral Commons
    To learn more, click here.
  • Luzbetak Lecture on Mission and Culture
    Research, Practice and Training: The Challenge of Mission in an Increasingly Mobile and Complex World
    Monday, October 7 at 4 p.m.
    Catholic Theological Union
    5416 South Cornell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615
  • Vinny Goes to the UN: What Must Be Done for the World’s Poor? (PDF)
    Thursday, October 10 at 6:30 p.m.
    DePaul University Cortelyou Commons
    2324 North Fremont Street, Chicago, IL 60614
    2019-20 Lecture Series, "Poverty: Vincentian Responses around the World"
    Hosted by the Center for World Catholicism & Intercultural Theology
    To learn more, click here.
  • Missionary Discernment Retreat (PDF)
    Friday, October 11 – Sunday, October 13
    Chicago Maryknoll House
    5128 South Hyde Park Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60615
    To learn more, click here.
  • Religion in China Today: Back to the Center of State and Society (PDF)
    Tuesday, October 29 6:30 p.m.
    Loyola University Chicago
    Hosted by the U.S.-China Catholic Association
    To learn more, click here.
  • La Agenda misionera de la iglesia en favor de la humanidad y de la tierra (PDF)
    The Missionary Agenda of the Church in Favor of Humanity and Care of Creation

    (event offered in Spanish)
    Saturday, October 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. including Eucharist
    St. Simon the Apostle Parish
    5157 South California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632
    Hosted by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
    To learn more, click here.
  • A Voice of the Vincentian Laity: The Haiti Initiative and the FamVin Homeless Alliance
    Thursday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m.
    DePaul University Student Center, Room 220
    2250 North Sheffield Avenue, Chicago, IL 6614
    2019-20 Lecture Series, "Poverty: Vincentian Responses around the World"
    Hosted by the Center for World Catholicism & Intercultural Theology
    To learn more, click here.