Pontifical Missionary Children

PONTIFICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.

The foundations of the PMS date back to 1822 with Pauline Jaricot establishing the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (POF). She discovered an ingenious system of engaging the faithful in the mission of the Church by prayer and fundraising. The initiative began with a small circle of friends who prayed daily for the mission ad gentes and gave a small weekly donation in support of the Church’s mission. This quickly spread throughout France and beyond. Drawing from Pauline’s inspiration and following her insistence on the first prayer and then charity for missionaries around the world, Bishop Charles Forbin Janson, seeing the need to bring the Gospel to children in mission countries, was inspired to involve their peers in France in the task of evangelization by founding the Society of the Holy Childhood in 1843(PMC). Soon after, Jean Bigard and her mother, Stephanie, followed this path and founded the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA)for the formation of indigenous clergy. Finally, in 1916, Blessed Paolo Manna founded the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) to encourage and form bishops and priests to be zealous for the mission ad gentes by engaging baptized faithful.

In 1922, Pope Pius XI proclaimed the first three Societies Pontifical. Later, in 1956, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the fourth one Pontifical (PMU). As Peter’s successor and Universal Pastor, the Pope expresses his missionary solicitude for the whole Church and for each local Church through the work of the PMS.

The Nature of the societies is a worldwide network of prayer and charity for the church’s mission at the service of the Holy father. PMS works for greater awareness and zeal for the mission of all the baptized through prayer, mission animation, information, cooperation, and personal sacrifice.

Charism: To form in every baptized a missionary spirit rooted in prayer sacrifice and charity at the service of the Holy Father. All four Societies benefit the Church. For instance:

• Propagation of faith is celebrated on the World Mission Sunday and for October as “Month of the Rosary” and “Month of the Mission” (POPF)
• Missionary Childhood Day (PMC) is celebrated every year on Epiphany Sunday.
• Day of St. Peter Apostle (POSPA) is celebrated on good Shepherd day, the fourth Sunday of Easter.
• Pontifical Missionary Union is celebrated on 11^th February world day of the sick.

Note; all children under 18 years are under the PMS office.