Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States Introduction My background / experience related to my Catholic faith. My personal “evolution” with regard to the work of the Church in the Missions.

Who Are the Pontifical Mission Societies? The Pontifical Mission Societies are: The Society for the Propagation of the Faith The Holy Childhood Association The Society of St. Peter Apostle The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious

What Do We Do? Promote a universal missionary spirit – a spirit of prayer and sacrifice – among all baptized Catholics. Provide financial support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs of the Catholic Church in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America.

What Does the Term “Pontifical” Mean? The four Societies each received the title “pontifical” in 1922 to indicate that they are the official means by which the Holy Father and the Universal Roman Catholic Church reach out with the Good News of Jesus to the Missions.

Where Are the Pontifical Mission Societies Located? National offices exist in more than 120 countries around the world including the United States. Central administrative offices are located in Rome, Italy, under the direction of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The national office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States is located in New York City. Diocesan offices are located in every (arch) diocese.

Our Organizational Structure The Holy Father The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples The Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States Diocesan Mission Offices

How Can YOU Help? All baptized Catholics can participate in the worldwide mission of the Church by offering their prayers, personal sacrifices or financial contributions to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Holy Childhood Association or the Society for St. Peter Apostle. The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious is a spiritual apostolate for Priests, Religious men and women, catechists and lay people.

The Society for the Propagation of the Faith The Society for the Propagation of the Faith was founded in Lyons, France, in 1822 by Pauline Jaricot. Inspired by stories she heard about missionary work in China, she felt called by the Lord to help the Catholic Church's worldwide missionary work. Young dioceses in the United States were some of the first to benefit from Pauline’s vision.

World Mission Sunday World Mission Sunday, organized by the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church's missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice. Annually, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on the next-to-last Sunday in October.

MISSION Magazine Telling of the heroic witness of missionaries Telling the story of the Church in the Missions Showing how all baptized Catholics are called to share their faith, to be part of the mission story Published four times annually MISSION@propfaith.org

Holy Childhood Association (HCA) French Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson founded the Holy Childhood Association in 1843. He was convinced that children rich in faith and love are capable of playing their own part in the Church's mission - and even of stirring adults to show the same generous spirit.

What Makes HCA Unique? HCA is unique in that its primary aim is to encourage children to share their faith with children in the Developing World.

How Do Children Make a Difference through HCA? They Pray They Sacrifice They Offer Financial Help

HCA’s Programs Membership Advent Lent Prayer Week Christmas Artwork Contest HCA Around The World

Membership Suggested Offering - $1.25 Includes: Prayer Card Book Mark Membership Card It’s Our World

Advent & Lent Programs Both programs are designed to prepare children for the celebration of Christmas and Easter through prayer, reflection and mission-based activities. Programs Include: Poster One Coin Holder per student Teacher’s Guide

Prayer Week National Prayer Week is a time for young Catholics to be united in prayer for those in need throughout the world. Program Includes: Prayer Week Poster Postcards to record the number of students in school / parish who participate

Christmas Artwork Contest Annually, HCA selects 24 drawings from more than 10,000 entries to appear as HCA Christmas cards. Ten children are given honorable mention and are presented with certificates of merit. The contest is open to students in kindergarten through eighth grade attending Catholic schools, parish religious education programs or home schools.

HCA Around The World HCA Around the World is designed to help animate a missionary spirit among young people and increase their understanding of their heritage as well as current events and geography.

The Society of St. Peter Apostle Founded in France in 1889 by mother and daughter Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard to support the education of seminarians and Religious novices in the Missions. Jeanne Bigard

Your Faith Can Do Great Things! In its first year, the Society of St. Peter Apostle sent help for some 2,700 seminarians in the Missions. TODAY, some 30,000 major seminarians, mostly in Africa and Asia, receive an annual subsidy of $700 per student.

The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious Founded in 1916 by Father Paolo Manna, PIME Spiritual apostolate that “animates the animators”: - priests - Religious Brothers and Sisters - seminarians - pastoral leaders - catechists & religious educators

Why Is the Missionary Union Necessary? The success of the efforts of the three other missionary societies is linked to the vitality of the Missionary Union, because it is through this work that the missionary spirit – a spirit of prayer and generous sacrifice – is developed and nurtured.

The Work of the Missionary Union Includes: Outreach to Catholic Media Mission Education Meetings Parish-based Mission Experiences Mission Education for Seminarians and Religious Novices

www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org