CIRCULAR
Raphael Thattil the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church to the Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Menand Women and Lay Faithful of the Syro-Malabar Church.
May the grace of the Lord be with you all!
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The observance of Mission Sunday in the universal Catholic Church was initiated by Pope Pius XI. In 1926, he designated the penultimate Sunday of October as Mission Sunday, with the aim of deepening the faithful’s awareness of the missionary mandate of the Church and encouraging them to support missionary activity through prayer and financial contributions. In his encyclical Rerum Ecclesiae, published in 1926, he placed special emphasis on the growth of the missions and the expansion of the Church. The Mission Sunday has since developed into an annual observance reminding all the faithful that they are partners in the Church’s universal mission.
Along with the universal observance of Mission Sunday in October, the Syro-Malabar Church has, since 2016, celebrated Mission Week from the Feast of Denha until 12 January, with the aim of fostering missionary consciousness among the faithful. Since this observance did not produce the desired results for various reasons, the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, following the recommendation of the Major Archiepiscopal Assembly held at Pala in 2024, has decided to observe the entire month of October as Mission Month replacing the Mission Week in January. Accordingly, from 2026 onwards, the month of October is hereby established as Mission Month in the Syro-Malabar Church. The coordination of the observance of Mission Month is entrusted with the Syro-Malabar Mission (SyMM) at Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad.
The Second Vatican Council reminded us that the Church is missionary by her very nature. Evangelization is not merely the principal mission of the Church but belongs to her very identity; indeed, the Church exists in order to evangelize (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14, 16). Therefore, every baptized believer is called to participate in the missionary mandate of the Church. We gratefully remember the bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay missionaries who have dedicated their lives to the proclamation of the Gospel and continue to serve in various parts of the world. Even in these times, when circumstances are becoming increasingly unfavourable to missionary activity, let us never neglect or undermine the mission entrusted to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.
We gratefully remember the pioneering missionaries from other Churches who helped us to grow in faith. We thank God that, in the course of time, our Church has been blessed with numerous priestly and consecrated vocations and that our priests and consecrated persons have gone forth with missionary zeal to proclaim the Gospel and render their service in India and throughout the world. Likewise, the bishops, priests and consecrated persons, hailing from the Syro-Malabar Church, serve in the dioceses and consecrated communities of other Churches in India and around the world elsewhere for the proclamation of the Gospel, are a source of pride for our Church. It is also worthy of special mention that members of the Syro-Malabar Church are actively involved in lay movements dedicated to the proclamation of the Gospel. But, let us always remember that missionary service is our duty, not merely an act of charity from our side.
The observance of mission month that we are now beginning is intended to inspire eparchies, parishes, families and individuals to know, understand and support the various dimensions of evangelization and missionary activity. Accordingly, the four weeks of this month will focus on missionary activity at four distinct levels.
During the first week of October, efforts should be made to learn about and introduce the missionary activities of the universal Church. The second week should be devoted to studying the missionary activities of the Syro-Malabar Church and identifying ways of participating in them. During the third week, the faithful should become acquainted with and support the missionary activities undertaken by the respective eparchies. In the fourth week, special attention should be given to recognizing the missionary responsibility of every parish and every believer and to coordinating various missionary initiatives at the parish level.
In addition, special prayers should be offered for the missions in parishes, family units and families throughout Mission Month. During the recital of the rosary and the celebration of the Holy Qurbana, we have to pray in a special way for the missionaries serving throughout the world and those who endure persecution and even death for witnessing the faith. Sunday homilies, faith-formation classes, the sharing of missionary experiences, the Mission Quest quiz competition, missionary skits and short films should be organized and coordinated in ways that foster missionary zeal among children, young people and adults. It would also be especially commendable to identify and bring together, at the eparchial level, laypeople engaged in new evangelization initiatives and to encourage and honour those involved in missionary service.
As communicated earlier, an official lay missionary movement named Jeevan Jyothi has been established in our Church. Jeevan Jyothi should be introduced and made active in all our eparchies and even in parishes, according to their respective circumstances. It would be appropriate to bring together the lay missionaries engaged in the field of evangelization during mission month and to inaugurate the activities of Jeevan Jyothi. It is our hope that, by strengthening this lay movement, a renewed missionary orientation will grow and flourish throughout the Syro-Malabar Church.
More detailed action plan and practical guidelines for the observance of this month will be provided by the Syro-Malabar Mission Office, which has been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating mission month. I exhort all of you to observe the mission month with vitality and effectiveness by ensuring the active participation and cooperation of all.
Beloved brothers and sisters, the proclamation of the Gospel and missionary activity constitute the very soul of the Church. It is our duty to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Not only parishes, eparchies, seminaries and consecrated communities, but every baptized believer must recognize and embrace his or her missionary identity. I invite you to learn more about the missionary activities carried out by our Church in India and throughout the world, to pray for them and to participate actively in them to the extent possible. When we generously share our time, talents and resources, the evangelizing mission of the Church becomes stronger and more vibrant. In this way, the love and blessings we have received from Lord Jesus Christ will become a light in the lives of others. May the observance of mission month pave the way for a renewed missionary awakening in our Church as we prepare for the Great Jubilee of Redemption in 2033!
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first missionary, together with the Apostles, martyrs, missionaries and all the saints, be our guiding light on this missionary journey! I impart to you all my prayerful blessing!
Given from the Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro-Malabar Church at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad, on 10 September 2026.
âś Raphael Thattil
Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church
