Christian mission

[news intro music] In the headlines this Wednesday, the seventh of October, delegates at a climate conference in Fiji call for stronger efforts to cut emissions and limit global warming to one point five degrees Celsius.

Pope Leo thanks those supporting the church's missionary work in a video message for the one-hundredth World Mission Sunday.

And at his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo reflects on the church's mission in today's world.

In the Vatican, I'm Francesca Merlo.

Meanwhile, Russia's health watchdog said on Tuesday that no cases of plague had been detected among anyone who had come into contact with a Siberian Plague Institute laboratory worker who died last week, and locals said their lives had barely been disrupted.

Authorities say the 28-year-old woman died on Friday from pneumonia of an as-yet unestablished origin in a case that has prompted international concern, including from U.S. President Donald Trump.

And turning now to papal news, Pope Leo has sent a video message marking the 100th World Mission Sunday, marked on the 18th of October 2026.

In his video, the Pope reflects on the theme One in Christ, United in Mission, and he expresses his gratitude to all those who have supported the annual celebration over the past century.

And then the third area, which I'm super excited to share about, is the Lord gave us a vision.

Uh, He said, "I'm taking you out of the business world so you can do my business." And so, uh, we started a Business as Mission fund as part of our overall budget.

Uh, and so, uh, the Business as Mission fund is set up as grants, not loans.

They're literally micro-loaning.

They're all grants.

We feel like the Lord, the money the Lord gave us is to be, to be given out and to be utilized, uh, without a requirement to give it back.

Got it.

And so, um, we have a Business as Mission fund.

I made this point, I kind of came to an understanding of this late in the day when I was studying for my sermon.

And so they were supposed to be the catalyst, right? Missions-wise, proclaiming the gospel, but they rejected it, of course.

And so then their sin became the catalyst.

This is the beauty when he says at the end he starts worshiping God for who can really know God.

When I left Price is Right, Bob Barker called me up on camera and said, this is Jack Hart.

He's been with us for 16 years and he's going off to be a Christian missionary.

Wow.

That was a nice send off.