October 9, 2024 — In preparation for World Mission Sunday, October 20th, The Pontifical Mission Societies USA and Hallow are excited to announce a special novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Patroness of the Missions. This global initiative invites the faithful to join in nine days of prayer, reflecting on the mission and spirit of St. Thérèse, starting on October 11th.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Section of Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will guide the novena in English, offering daily reflections to inspire hearts and deepen prayer. Members of the international Pontifical Mission Societies network will lead additional reflections:
- Sister Regina Da Costa Pedro, National Director of TPMS Brazil, will lead the novena in Portuguese.
- Father José María Calderón, National Director of TPMS Spain, will lead the novena in Spanish.
This novena honors St. Thérèse’s life and her profound dedication to spreading the Gospel through small acts of love and faith. Known for her “little way,” St. Thérèse continues to inspire Catholics worldwide to contribute to the Church’s missionary efforts, even in the smallest, everyday actions.
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.
Global Participation via Hallow
The Novena will be available for free on the Hallow app, inviting participants from all over the world to pray alongside these mission leaders in their native languages. By downloading the app, users can access guided prayers, daily reflections, and special features to journey spiritually with the patroness of the missions.
The Novena will begin on October 11th and conclude on October 19th, leading up to World Mission Sunday on October 20th. St. Thérèse, who is the patroness of the missions despite never having left France, remains a model of love and dedication to the Church’s global mission.
Participants can also follow the novena on The Pontifical Mission Societies’ social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn).
About Hallow
Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has more than 10,000 sessions, including a Daily Rosary, Daily Gospel, Daily Saint, Novenas, Examens, Father Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the #1 Catholic app in the world and has been downloaded 20 million times and used to pray more than 600 million times across 150-plus countries.
About The Pontifical Mission Societies USA
The Pontifical Mission Societies USA is part of a worldwide network under the Pope’s direction, supporting the Church’s missionary activities in over 1,150 mission territories. Its mission is to spread the Gospel and meet the spiritual and material needs of the Church in mission territories.