"The missionary task entrusted by Christ to the Apostles does concern us all", states the Pope, who wished that World Missionary Day "may be a favourable opportunity to become more aware of it and develop together appropriate spiritual and educational programs, that will boost cooperation between the Churches and the training of new missionaries for the spreading of the Gospel in this day and age". Bearing in mind, warns Benedict XVI, that "the first and foremost contribution that we are called to make to the missionary work of the Church is prayer". Praying more and "multiplying Masses celebrated for the missions", went on the Pope, who made a special appeal "to the children and the young, unfailingly keen on generous missionary impulses", and ended his message with a "daily thought" for "the ‘fidei donum’ priests, the religious men and women, the volunteer lay people working for evangelisation, as well as all those people who are engaged, someway or other, in the announcement of the Gospel". According to statistics from the agency Fides, 85,000 diocesan priests and religious people, plus 28,000 religious people other than priests, 450,000 religious women and 1,650,000 catechists work for the missionary world.
