India: 247 Participants from Seven Countries Join World Mission Day Centenary Webinar

Three Catholic institutions in India brought together 247 participants from seven countries for an international webinar on October 16, reflecting on Pope Leo XIV’s theme, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” ahead of the 100th World Mission Day in 2026.

The 90-minute online program was jointly organized by the Pontifical Mission Organizations (PMO) India, the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Tamil Theological Cenacle, and the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) Commission for Proclamation and Charismatic Renewal.

Bishops, priests, religious, theologians, pastoral workers, and lay faithful participated in the webinar, which sought to strengthen missionary awareness, ecclesial communion, and collaboration in evangelization.

Bishop Ambrose Pitchaimuthu of Vellore, director of PMO India, delivered the presidential address, tracing the history of World Mission Day, instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926, as an annual expression of prayer, missionary commitment, and solidarity among local Churches.

He highlighted the contribution of the four Pontifical Mission Societies: the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of the Holy Childhood, the Society of Saint Peter the Apostle, and the Pontifical Missionary Union.

Describing them as the “four hands” of the Church’s missionary outreach, Bishop Ambrose explained their roles in supporting evangelization, fostering missionary awareness among children, promoting the formation of local clergy and religious, and strengthening missionary spirituality. He emphasized that every baptized person shares responsibility for the universal Church, particularly communities facing pastoral and missionary challenges.

In the first conference,  Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi, Interlocutore Referente of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, examined the biblical and theological foundations of missionary communion.

Drawing on Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17, Pauline theology, and the recent Synod on Synodality, he explored how Christian identity, communion, participation, and mission are interconnected. He explained that unity in Christ provides the foundation for shared responsibility and collaboration in the Church’s missionary work.

The second conference focused on the theme “United in Mission.” Fr. M. Irudaya Raj, regional secretary of the TNBC Commission for Proclamation and Charismatic Renewal, discussed contemporary challenges and opportunities for evangelization in India and Asia.

He emphasized pastoral cooperation, missionary formation, interreligious dialogue, and the active participation of clergy, religious, and lay faithful in proclaiming the Gospel through words and credible witness amid the region’s religious, cultural, and social diversity.

The webinar also highlighted the role of digital platforms in connecting participants across national boundaries for theological reflection and missionary formation.

The organizers expressed hope that the centenary initiative would encourage continued theological dialogue, pastoral cooperation, and renewed missionary commitment as the Church prepares to mark 100 years of World Mission Day.