Each year, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) asks Catholics worldwide to remember those displaced by conflict and persecution. God walks with his people is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for his message for WDMR, which will be celebrated on September 29th. The Holy Father reminds us that “all of us, God’s people, are migrants on this earth, on our way to the ‘true homeland’, the Kingdom of Heaven.” Members are invited to pray for migrants and refugees and all displaced persons, mindful of the corporal works of mercy, which are tangible ways of being united with their suffering.  

In his pilgrimage to Canada in July 2022, Pope Francis described his apostolic journey to Canada as a “penitential pilgrimage.” He began his message at Maskwacis by saying, “I have come to your native lands to tell you in person of my sorrow, to implore God’s forgiveness, healing and reconciliation, to express my closeness and to pray with you and for you.” The Catholic Women’s League of Canada is committed to healing and reconciliation, expressed by its document of resources titled “Walking Together with Indigenous Catholic Women.” Members are encouraged to pray the attached prayer and to express their solidarity.  

The Sisters in Spirit Vigil is an annual national movement in Canada held on October 4th to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, to raise awareness about the systemic violence they face, and show support for their families and communities.

The Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care is a resource from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), helping parishes reflect on and provide palliative care through a faith-based, community-centred approach.  It’s designed to educate and empower parishioners, caregivers and pastoral teams; foster compassionate community care grounded in Catholic moral and pastoral theology, and offer support through illness, death, suffering and bereavement. Available materials include: A facilitator’s guide, video content, social media images, posters and four thematic modules.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. Many of us will experience a mental health challenge at some point in life. Regardless of the struggles we face in our lives, and indeed because of them, we are all welcomed and valued in the eyes of the Lord. We pray that ministries will help build communities of warmth and care where those who face mental health challenges will, in the words of Pope Francis, “find support and a light that opens them up to life."

“The bountiful produce of the earth is a visible sign of the many blessings God wants to shower on us through Christ. Our God also wants us to share the goods of the earth with all people” (Ordo). Thanksgiving Day, as well as World Food Day (October 16), are occasions to give thanks but also to remember the issue of hunger in the world, remembering Christ’s words: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…”

Catholics worldwide are invited to pray for and give on World Mission Sunday, observed the second last Sunday in October. Organized by the Pontifical Missions Society, the funds collected assist approximately 1,250 mission dioceses globally. Pastors and pastoral workers are invited to encourage a missionary spirit among all people of God, promote missionary vocations, and collaborate spiritually and materially in the church’s mission work, including support for all the dioceses in Canada’s northern regions (Ordo). Members are urged to respond by donating and by praying for missionaries who have responded to God’s call in this special way.

People are encouraged to wear purple to show support for survivors of domestic violence and raise awareness about “the intersection between brain injury and interpersonal violence.” The colour purple symbolizes courage, peace and survival, and wearing it helps to show survivors they are not alone and that a supportive community exists for them.