EUROPE/FRANCE PMS Assembly - Over 80.000 seminarians in mission territories prepare for the priesthood thanks to funds from the Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle

Saturday, 14 May 2005

Lyon (Fides Service) - The purpose of the Pontifical Mission Society St Peter Apostle is to support the formation of local clergy in mission territories. Last year 2004, the Society supported the formation of 80,297 seminarians in young Churches Mgr José A.S. Galvez, Secretary General of the Society told the participants at the Annual General Assembly being held in this year France in Lyon.
The seminarians assisted by the Society reside in 924 seminaries (516 major, 101 propaedeutic and 307 minor. In reply to requests from the respective rectors, the Society distributes funds to pay for the student’s upkeep and academic formation as well as repair work on college buildings and construction of new seminaries.
The Society founded in 1899 by a French woman Ms Jean Bigard receives money which National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies all over the world collect by means of special days and appeals for the needs of local mission territory clergy and also donations from thousands of benefactors who adopt a seminarian during the time of his formation to become a priest.
The increasing numbers of vocations in mission territories come up against a scarcity of means and without the solidarity of Catholics all over the world these young Churches would be unable to guarantee the formation of local clergy properly trained to guide the growing Catholic communities. In 2004 in mission territories which depend on the assistance of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples the Society supported the following numbers of students for the priesthood: Africa 51,622; Asia 20,829; Oceania 930; America and Europe 6,916.
Besides supporting the formation of clergy, the Society St Peter Apostle also contributes to the formation of novices belonging to Religious Congregations in mission territories. In 2004 it provided funds for the formation of 3,379 men novices and 6,556 women novices thanks to offerings from Catholic all over the world sent by National Directors to Rome and added to the PMS International Solidarity Fund.
All through the last century the Popes stressed the importance of providing for the formation of local clergy, beginning with Pope Benedict XV and his encyclical “Maximum illud” in 1919. Pope John Paul II who ordained numbers local priests during his many pastoral visits to mission lands said repeatedly “we cannot allow vocations to be lost for lack of economic support”. (G.R.) (Agenzia Fides 14/5/2005, Righe:29, Parole:401)


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