Evangelii Gaudium Sunday is celebrated each year on the Third Sunday in September. We proclaim the unique message of the Gospel that brings joy to all people who receive it with an open heart.
A Call to Mission in England and Wales
In 2013, the first year of his pontificate, the late Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation on the joy of the Gospel titled Evangelii Gaudium. In it, he encouraged the Christian faithful to “embark on a new chapter of evangelisation” marked by this joy, whilst striving to find new paths to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world.
We cannot forget that evangelisation is first and foremost about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him. Many of these are quietly seeking God, led by a yearning to see his face… Christians have the duty to proclaim the Gospel without excluding anyone.
Evangelii Gaudium, §14
This is the challenge and opportunity we take up on Evangelii Gaudium Sunday. Formerly known as Home Mission Sunday, Evangelii Gaudium Sunday is celebrated each year on the Third Sunday of September.
The work of encounter and evangelisation is promoted through the Directorate for Mission. Through this directorate, the vision of the Holy Father is embraced in a fuller way and promotes the whole ideal of proclamation, evangelisation, dialogue and catechesis.
I believe…
Evangelii Gaudium Sunday will be celebrated in our parishes on 21 September 2025. This year, the Church has been celebrating a significant anniversary. It’s 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea. This great gathering of Bishops from around the Church began the work to formulate the creed we proclaim Sunday by Sunday. It is the content of this creed that is our mission, so that we may know and love God in this life, in order to be happy with him forever in the next. The creed begins with a profound proclamation, “I believe…” This is the theme for Evangelii Gaudium Sunday 2025.
In this section, you will find resources to help you celebrate the day. Our main reflection comes from Abbot Hugh Allen O’Praem, Director of Mission for the Bishops’ Conference.
A second collection will also be taken to support the work of the Bishops’ Conference Mission Directorate. Please hold this important work in your prayers.
Our Mission Director, Abbot Hugh Allan O'Praem, offers a reflection for Evangelii Gaudium Sunday 2025.
Elliot Vanstone, Senior Mission Advisor at the secretariat of the Bishops' Conference, offers a reflection on the Council of Nicaea.
Fleur Dorrell, Biblical Apostolate Manager and Faith and Formation Manager, reflects on the question, what’s in a creed?
Kinga Kosterska, Administrator of the Mission Directorate, reflects on how belief enriches family life.
For this year's Evangelii Gaudium Sunday, we have resources including prayers, messages, a refection on missionary discipleship, and more.
Evangelii Gaudium Sunday is named after Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel, the day offers the Catholic community in England and Wales the opportunity to celebrate the beauty of our faith and our commitment to witness to the fullness of life in Christ.
