Archbishop Weisenburger celebrates centennial World Mission Sunday at National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica
ROYAL OAK — For 100 years, the Catholic Church has set aside a specific Sunday to pray for and organize support for missionaries who carry the Gospel message of Jesus Christ around the world.
Pope Pius XI established World Mission Sunday in 1927 under the patronage of St. Therese of Lisieux as a time for the Church to pray for and support missionaries.
That tradition continued Oct. 18 at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak — one of the first parishes in the country named for St. Therese of Lisieux — and at parishes throughout the world, in remembering and supporting the work of missionaries.
Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger celebrated Mass at the basilica on Oct. 18, reflecting on how the missions are near and dear to the heart of the current Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, who spent much of his ministerial life in Peru.
“World Mission Sunday was established by Pope Pius XI in October 1927. We are celebrating the 100th anniversary,” Archbishop Weisenburger said to begin his homily. “As the Church prepares to celebrate this day, Pope Leo XIV calls us today, in unity with Christ, to renew missionary commitment.”
Archbishop Weisenburger recalled a moment shortly after Pope Leo XIV was elected and Cardinal Christoph Pierre, then papal nuncio to the United States, asked whether he had a particular message for the Church in the United States.
“And the Holy Father mentioned the missions,” Archbishop Weisenburger recalled. “Pope Leo spoke extensively on his love for the mission, his hope that the American Church will continue its support for the missions.”
Archbishop Weisenburger celebrated Mass alongside Msgr. Charles Kosanke, rector of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, and Fr. Paul Ballien, director for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Detroit and other missionary priests serving in the archdiocese.
Archbishop Weisenburger said it was providential that the Mass was celebrated in a church named for St. Therese of Lisieux, given her love for the missions.
“St. Therese of Lisieux is the patron of missions through her devotion and prayer for the missions,” Archbishop Weisenburger said. “I’m always impressed by her little way of doing little things consistently with great love. Surely, that speaks to her commitment to the missions.”
Even though St. Therese lived a contemplative religious life, her love of the missions was deep, the archbishop said.
“She was devoted to praise, sacrificing and spiritually supporting missions around the world with extraordinary zeal,” Archbishop Weisenburger said. “And it was that commitment Pope Pius recognized when he named her patroness of the missions. I’ll leave you with one last sentence, which always moves me: According to St. Therese, what makes a missionary is not the place, but the heart. May we always have a heart of a missionary.”
Fr. Ballien, who took on the role of director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 2023, said World Mission Sunday raises the visibility of the local work being done to support missionaries. World Mission Sunday offers the faithful the opportunity to donate to a special collection in support of the missions.
“Days like World Mission Sunday are so important because spreading the light of Christ is ultimately our mission, and supporting the work of the missions and the Propagation of the Faith is how we spread the message of Jesus Christ,” Fr. Ballien told Detroit Catholic. “World Missions Sunday helps us do this in spades by helping fund mission-oriented programs with dioceses throughout the world. Priests from (places such as) Fiji, India and Latin America come to our archdiocese to raise funds for the missions.”
Fr. Ballien said it is the work of the Church to support the missions year-round, citing Americans’ generosity in spreading the Gospel message around the world.
“Even today, we still need to support the missions in places that have already heard the Gospel message, but where the Church is young and in need of support,” Fr. Ballien said. “There are places where there is knowledge of Christ, but the people still need priests, they need material support for their churches to help them to spread the good news. These things don’t just happen. In so many places around the world, the Church exists because of the generosity of people in countries like the United States.”
After Mass, parishioners had a chance to talk with priests and lay missionaries about their experiences overseas and the importance of financially supporting the missions.
Fr. Daniele Criscione, PIME, director of the PIME (the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions or Pontificium Institutum pro Missionibus Exteris) U.S. Mission Center in Detroit, said World Mission Sunday is also an opportunity for the faithful to learn about the impact of their generosity.
“Today gives us the opportunity to pray for all the missionaries and missions,” Fr. Criscione said. “Being a missionary institute, we remind the faithful that we are a missionary Church. Being a missionary is part of the DNA of the Church, to go out and proclaim the Lord. This is what we do in 19 countries.”
Fr. Criscione said the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit have been exceedingly generous in their support of missionaries, citing an increase in contributions from 2022 to 2025 to support 75 projects across 19 countries, particularly building schools and health care facilities in places like India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Myanmar.
“It’s just a great joy to see the support these missionaries have and see the Lord's work in so many ways,” Fr. Criscione said. “The Lord is already present there, and I learned a lot from the people. The new churches are very committed, and you can feel the freshness of the mission. You see people who are converted, willing to risk their own freedom, even their own life, for the faith. It’s a great witness to see people all over the world come to know Christ, and they know Christ because of the support people back here provide.”
