Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On May 3, 2021 the Society for the Propagation of the Faith celebrated the 199th anniversary of its founding and the 99th anniversary of its recognition as "Pontifical". Despite the challenges with which the mission is also confronted in times of the pandemic, the anniversary is cause for joy with a view to the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of this Society at the service of world mission in 2022. In a message sent to the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Father Tadeusz J. Nowak, OMI, Secretary General of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, wrote: "Thank you for your generous and valuable service to the mission entrusted to us by the Holy Father, inspired by our beloved foundress, Pauline Marie Jaricot. May the Lord bless us all so that we may continue to respond to the vocation that Pauline courageously accepted in devoting her life to evangelizing the world so that the gospel can take root in every country and culture to the ends of the world". He then invites to offer the following prayer: "Lord, you inspired Pauline-Marie Jaricot to found the Propagation of the Faith and the Living Rosary, as well as her total commitment to the cause of the workers. Hasten the day when the Church will be able to celebrate the sanctity of her life. May her example lead a large number of Christians to dedicate themselves to spreading the Gospel, so that the men and women of our time and all the peoples of the world may discover your infinite love manifested in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen".
The Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith was founded in Lyon in 1822 with the aim of promoting missionary cooperation in all Christian communities through prayer and material support. Pauline Marie Jaricot, foundresse of the then "Association of the Propagation of the Faith" and of the "Living Rosary", she was born on July 22, 1799 in Lyon, where she died on January 9, 1862, in poverty. On May 3, 1922, Pope Pius XI elevated the Society for the Propagation of the Faith founded by Jaricot, to "Pontifical", together with the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood and the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, and moved the headquarters from Lyon to Rome. Pope John XXIII declared Pauline Jaricot venerable on January 25, 1963. On May 26, 2020, Pope Francis confirmed the miracle attributed to her intercession. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 4/5/2021)
EUROPE/ROMANIA - Children's mission organizations from European countries come together in Bucharest: The focus is on cooperation
EUROPE/FRANCE - Inauguration of the "Point Mission" in the heart of Lourdes