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. The national director is Rev. Andrew Small, OMI. In addition, every diocese in the United States has a diocesan director who is appointed by the local ordinary (bishop) of that diocese.

What makes the Pontifical Mission Societies unique from other mission organizations?

According to the teaching of Vatican Council II, the Pontifical Mission Societies are institutions of the Universal Church and of each local church. Therefore, unlike any other mission organization, the Pontifical Mission Societies are both Pontifical and Episcopal in nature. And, as such, the Pontifical Mission Societies are recognized as the principal instrument for educating the faithful to an awareness of the Church’s universal mission and for encouraging their support, in prayer and sacrifice, for the evangelizing mission of the Church among two-thirds of the human family.

How can I help the Missions of the world through the Pontifical Mission Societies?

All baptized Catholics have the opportunity to 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 Missionary 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. Each year, the celebration of World Mission Sunday provides an opportunity, within the context of the Eucharist, for Catholics to express their prayerful and financial support of the Church’s worldwide missionary work and the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in particular.

What is World Mission Sunday?

World Mission Sunday 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. Offerings from Catholics in the United States, on World Mission Sunday and throughout the year, are combined with offerings from Catholics around the globe and distributed to mission dioceses — about 1,100 at this time.

Our parish has a special relationship with another parish in the Developing World. I help to support this relationship through financial contributions and volunteer work. Do I still need to support the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies?

Yes! Forms of direct cooperation between churches, also called “twinning” can be of great benefit to a parish in the Developing World and provide parishioners of the “sister” church in the United States with great spiritual fulfillment. This one-on-one relationship works best to the degree that it broadens the vision of Catholics here to see the universal needs of the mission Church. Care should be taken not to limit one’s range of action to one objective so as to safeguard the principal of universal equity in the distribution of funds.

A priest from India just visited my parish. During his homily, he asked for help for his diocese. Does the money I offer during this special collection get sent to the Pontifical Mission Societies?

Very often, priests and Religious men and women visit the United States (often in the summer months) to seek prayer and financial support for the work of their dioceses or Religious Communities in the Missions. These parish appeals are coordinated in dioceses by the Pontifical Mission Societies director as part of the Missionary Cooperation Plan. The money collected in your parish in response to such a visit / appeal is given directly to the missionary for use in his / her diocese or by his / her Religious Congregation. This help would be in addition to any help offered by the Pontifical Mission Societies themselves, which is sometimes the case, particularly for a mission diocese.

How are my donations distributed to the Missions?

Offerings from Catholics in the United are combined with offerings to the Propagation of the Faith from Catholics worldwide. Mission dioceses receive regular annual assistance from the funds collected. This grant of help is provided according to a diocese's size. In addition, these mission dioceses submit requests to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples for assistance for, among other needs, catechetical programs, seminaries, the work of Religious Communities, communication and transportation needs, and the building of chapels and churches. These needs are then matched with the funds gathered in each year. The world's national directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies vote on these requests, matching the funds available with the greatest of needs for help. These funds are then distributed to mission dioceses throughout the world, directly from the country in which that help was raised. All of the General Fund of support is distributed in its entirety each year. 

Has a "cause for sainthood" been established for Pauline Jaricot?

In 1962, 100 years after her death, Pope John XXIII signed the decree that proclaimed the virtues of Pauline Marie Jaricot declaring her “venerable.” Pope John wrote: “It was she who thought of the society, who conceived it, and made it an organized reality.”

How does MCA differ from other organizations helping children in the Developing World?

MCA is unique to other organizations that assist children in the Developing World in that its primary aim is to encourage children to share their faith with children in the Developing World through their prayers, personal sacrifices and financial offerings.

Does MCA help only Catholic children?

MCA cares for children regardless of their religious affiliation.

Why doesn't MCA participate in sponsoring individual children or families?

Contributions to MCA are allocated to mission dioceses throughout the world according to need. This system of allocating funds helps ensure that aid is distributed fairly and that those who are most desperately in need receive enough support. MCA funds are distributed to help children in 110 countries throughout the world.

How much of my child’s contribution is used to support the work of the Church in the Missions?

Eighty-seven percent of MCA's annual funding in the United States is used for the Church’s service among children in the Developing World and to provide mission education materials to children in the United States.

Who participates in MCA programs in the United States?

Annually, more than one million young people, kindergarten through eighth grade, participate in MCA-sponsored programs in the United States through Catholic schools and parish religious education programs.

Why should my child participate in MCA?

All young Catholics have a baptismal responsibility to make Jesus Christ and His love known to others. MCA helps young people understand the universal nature of the Catholic Church and recognize that they are missionaries today, in prayer and sacrifice, reaching out to children in the missions.

How do children raise money for MCA?

Some children work in groups sponsoring walkathons, raffles, talent shows, car washes or other creative events to raise money for their brothers and sisters in need. Some children make substantial personal sacrifices by sending money to MCA that they received for mowing lawns or babysitting; others share their allowances or birthday gift money.

What else can children do to help the Missions?

Children can offer their prayers in support of missionaries and the work of the Church in the missions.

How can adults support MCA's mission?

Parents, guardians, parish priests, Religious Brothers and Sisters and lay people, especially teachers and catechists, play a vital role in MCA’s mission. With support from these people, children can learn about children in other countries through MCA programs and learn too the message of MCA -- that children are and can be missionaries today, called to share their faith and their love, in prayer and sacrifice, with the poorest of the world's children. In addition, financial contributions from adults help to underwrite the cost of education materials for children in the United States and also help support the Church's service to children in the Developing World.

I hear that vocations are growing in the Missions. How many seminarians does the Society of St. Peter Apostle support?

Currently, more than 30,000 major seminarians in some 400 seminaries receive help from St. Peter Apostle. In addition, close to 10,000 men and women Religious novices receive assistance.

How can I help the Society of St. Peter Apostle?

You can offer your prayers and personal sacrifices for the growth of mission vocations. You can also help young men as they prepare for the priesthood through the Society of St. Peter Apostle with a donation of $700 for a year of studies. A gift of $300 will help toward the formation of men and women novices preparing for a life of service as Religious Brothers and Sisters. You may also want to remember the Society of St. Peter Apostle when writing or changing your Will.

Why does it cost more to educate a seminarian than a Religious novice?

Seminarians typically spend a greater length of time studying for the priesthood than a religous brother or sister would spend in a spiritual formation program. A greater length of study requires a seminary to provide additional textbooks, classroom supplies as well as room and board for that period of time.

Once ordained, where do these priests serve?

Very often, priests ordained in the Missions will serve in the very dioceses where they were born and raised. Others are asked by the ordinary (bishop) of their dioceses to serve in other areas of their native countries or in other dioceses throughout the world — even in the United States.

May I sponsor an individual seminarian or novice through the Society of St. Peter Apostle?

Contributions to the Society of St. Peter Apostle are allocated to seminaries and seminarians in mission dioceses throughout the world according to need, with certain help offered to each seminary by the number of students there. This system of allocating funds helps ensure that aid is distributed fairly and that those who are most desperately in need receive enough support.

I would like to serve as a lay missionary. What should I do?

There are a number of local and national organizations that help “connect” lay Catholics to mission opportunities in the United States and abroad. Contact your diocesan mission office for more information or contact the Catholic Volunteer Network. This organization promotes opportunities for men and women of all backgrounds and skills to respond to the Gospel through domestic and international volunteer service to people in need. Catholic Volunteer Network connects volunteers and missioners with more than 200 faith-based programs offering more than 10,000 full-time volunteer placements throughout the U.S. and in over 115 countries.

What is the purpose of the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious?

The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious is a spiritual apostolate. Unlike the other three Pontifical Mission Societies, this mission society family member does not collect or distribute funds. Its purpose is to educate and inspire priests, Religious men and women, pastoral leaders and those responsible for catechesis and religious education so that they may better animate others to share their faith and to be missionaries themselves, supporting also the missionary work of the Church worldwide.

Could you give me an example of some of the types of activities conducted on behalf of the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious?

In dioceses throughout the United States, Diocesan Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, as well as others engaged in the work of the Church, help “animate the animators” so they can tell others about the mission of Jesus Christ.

How can I further my personal spiritual commitment to the Church’s universal mission?

If you are a lay person, you can deepen your commitment to the missionary work of the church by offering your prayers and personal sacrifices for the Missions and for missionaries. In addition, the Pontifical Mission Societies offers several publications on mission spirituality for lay people. In addition, you may speak to your pastor or diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies about activities, discussions or pilgrimages in your area designed to animate baptized Catholics to the missionary work of the Church.If you are a priest, seminarian, Religious Brother / Sister or catechist, contact your diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies about mission education programs available in your area.