One of the great blessings of the Church in New York is undoubtedly the rich missionary legacy we’ve inherited. If you think about it, what would our city, this incredible melting pot, look like today if not for the courageous work of missionaries who came to our shores, like St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and St. Isaac Jogues? Or, for that matter, what would our nation’s Catholic school system look like if St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a native New Yorker, had not responded to the call to serve in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she established the first parochial schools under the guidance of missionaries?

Mother Cabrini, known as the Patroness of Immigrants, arrived in New York from Italy in 1889 with nothing but her faith and determination. Despite facing daunting challenges, she founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages, transforming lives across the city and nation; we are blessed to have her shrine in Washington Heights. Similarly, Father Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit missionary from France, gave his life to spread the Gospel among the native peoples of New York. He, too, left an indelible mark on our faith and history. Their pioneering efforts built the spiritual and social fabric of our Church in New York.

And what about Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint? She responded to the Sulpicians’ invitation to open a mission in Emmitsburg, where she laid the foundations of the Catholic school system that serves millions today. Without her, our nation’s outstanding Catholic education system would surely be very different.

What unknown Cabrinis, Jogues, and Setons are out there today, bringing the Gospel to territories that are mission lands just as New York and Maryland were in centuries past? We may not yet know their names, but they are undoubtedly there, serving the poorest and most marginalized, building schools and churches, and proclaiming the Good News.

As we prepare for World Mission Sunday, celebrated this upcoming Sunday, October 20, we are invited to support these modern-day missionaries. The World Mission Sunday Collection, which began in 1926, sustains the work of missionaries in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East. These funds support communities where the Church is young, poor, or persecuted. Even before 1926, Catholics were inspired by Blessed Pauline Jaricot, foundress of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, to give as little as a penny a week for the missions. These small contributions laid the foundation for the churches, seminaries, and schools that have flourished throughout mission territories.

From 1822 until 1908, the United States itself was considered mission territory, receiving over $7 million in support. This funding helped build the very foundations of the Catholic Church in America, including many of the parishes and schools we know and love today. Our beloved New York is just one example of how the generosity of the faithful built a thriving Catholic presence.

This year, echoing the words of Matthew’s Gospel, Pope Francis calls us to “go and invite everyone to the banquet.” When you contribute to the World Mission Sunday Collection, to be held in every parish in the archdiocese, you are extending that invitation to people across the world. Your donations help build churches, train seminarians, and provide for the spiritual and material needs of the most vulnerable.

Your contributions aren’t just financial — they are gifts of hope. As we reflect on the sacrifices made by missionaries throughout history, we are reminded that the mission is not yet over. It continues today in places where the Church is still young and growing, where new saints like Cabrini, Jogues, and Seton are quietly changing the world, one act of faith at a time.

Together, let us answer Christ’s call. Let us continue to invite everyone to the banquet, ensuring that His message of love and salvation reaches the ends of the earth.

May God bless you for your generosity and your missionary heart.