Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The purpose of the Pontifical Mission Societies, directed by a Supreme Committee presided by the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, is to foster awareness of the Church's missionary nature and the duty of every member of the Church to participate in her missionary activity with prayers, sacrifices and material cooperation. There are four Pontifical Mission Societies: the Pontifical Mission Society of the Propagation of the Faith, the Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle, the Pontifical Mission Society of Holy Childhood, the Pontifical Missionary Union. Although founded at different times, the four Societies form one institution and have one common goal: to foster a spirit of universal mission in the whole People of God, that is the Church.
World Mission Sunday, which falls this year on 21 October, the culmination of the year's activity for missionary animation and cooperation, is known at every level and is now a tradition in the Church. It was the Pontifical Mission Society of the Propagation of the Faith which first requested the celebration of a World Mission Sunday every year and this is the 81st edition. We give below information on the subsidies assigned by the Pontifical Mission Societies during the Annual General Assembly in May this year.
Pontifical Mission Society of the Propagation of the Faith
Every year the Pontifical Mission Society of the Propagation of the Faith receives an average of 6/7000 requests for support for projects in mission territories. The projects are mainly for formation and wages of catechists, building and maintenance of churches, chapels and convents, diocesan organisation activities, assistance to religious congregations for pastoral work … The Annual General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies in May 2007, after examining the requests assigned subsidies for a total 88,903,750 $, as follows: ordinary subsidies: 32,645,200$; Subsidies to catechists: 11,871,700$; media (Signis): 2,263,400$; special subsidies: 42,123,450$. (for distribution by continental see below)
Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle
The Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle supported a total 942 seminaries, dependent and non dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: 503 minor seminaries, 125 propaedeutic seminaries, 314 major seminaries. The total number of seminarians assisted by the Society in 2006 was 81,323, as follows: 50,130 minor seminarians, 3,864 propaedeutic seminarians 27.197 major seminarians. A total number of 10,213 new students were admitted to major seminaries. With regard to priestly ordinations in 2006, the figures are incomplete, but the number we have is a total 2,317 as follows: Africa 1.069, America 284, Asia 926, Europe 21, Oceania 17.
The Annual General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies examined the requests received and granted subsidies for a total 30,020,015 $ as follows: minor seminaries: ordinary subsidies 6,393,145 $; propaedeutic Seminaries: ordinary subsidies 1,672,920 $; major seminaries: ordinary subsidies 14,507,100 $; minor seminaries: special subsidies 2,097,500 $; major/prop. seminaries: special subsidies 2,645,200 $; religious orders : special subsidies 15,000 $; various special subsidies 107,800 $; male novitiates: 971,250 $; female novitiates: 1,610,100 $.
Domus Missionalis
The Domus Missionalis Foundation was recently created by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to manage the Pontifical Colleges dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples in view of more efficiency in formation and economy, suited to the needs of the mission world today.
In the academic year 2005/2006 at the two colleges dependent on Domus Missionalis, San Pietro apostolo College and San Paolo College the total number of resident student priests sent to Rome to study at the various Pontifical Universities was 321: 147 from Africa, 22 from America, 145 from Asia, 4 from Oceania, 3 from Europe.
In the same academic year 2005/2006 Collegio San Giuseppe, had 31 resident students; Foyer Paolo VI had 75 resident Sisters of 64 religious, coming from 24 countries, sent to Rome to study at the Pontifical Urban University: 19 from Africa, 15 from America, 41 from Asia; Collegio Mater Ecclesiae, had 18 resident students from 17 African countries studying in Rome.
Pontifical Holy Childhood Mission Society
The Pontifical Holy Childhood Mission Society has as its focal point the role of «little ones» in the announcing of the Kingdom. Subsidy requests are requested to support programmes of religious instruction, food aid and medical assistance, supplies of clothing and school material, furniture for catechism classrooms and Infant Care Centres, purchase of medicines, up keep of poor children, … After examining the requests for assistance the General Annual Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies in May 2007 assigned subsidies for a total 18,258,930 $. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 11/10/2007; righe 69; parole 737)
