Extraordinary Mission Month

“For the month of October 2019, I have asked that the whole Church revive her missionary awareness and commitment as we commemorate the centenary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud of Pope Benedict XV (30 November 1919). Its farsighted and prophetic vision of the apostolate has made me realise once again the importance of renewing the Church’s missionary commitment and giving fresh evangelical impulse to her work of preaching and bringing to the world the salvation of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again. (Pope Francis)

As one with the universal Church throughout the Extraordinary Mission Month of October, we as Good Samaritans therefore focus particularly on embracing God’s mission in partnership and fostering ecclesial community. We gather in prayer and engage in spiritual reading as “one particular way of listening to what the Lord wishes to tell us in his word and of letting ourselves be transformed by the Spirit”.

The below booklet has been developed as a way for us to participate in the Extraordinary Mission Month, personally and communally. For each day in October, excerpts from Baptised and Sent and the homilies of Pope Francis’ are provided. The third section then draws on the wisdom of the Good Samaritan Benedictine tradition through quotes, reflections, prayers, images and poems.

The readings of the day lead us gently into the reflections. We read God’s word in prayer, asking that it ‘enlighten and renew’ us. You may wish to take five minutes of silence to reflect upon how God is speaking through the text. Responding to some of the following questions may assist with reflection:

I think about my life