What we do
The Pontifical Mission Societies: A Global Missionary Network
The Pontifical Mission Societies are a worldwide family of prayer and charity, working in communion with the Holy Father to support the Church’s missionary outreach – especially in young and developing churches across the globe.
Rooted in the Gospel and inspired by the call to “go and make disciples of all nations,” the Pontifical Mission Societies invite every Catholic to share in the universal mission of the Church through spiritual and material solidarity.
Together, the Pontifical Mission Societies form one mission, expressed through four distinct but united charisms:
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith – supports missionary dioceses and pastoral needs around the world.
The Society for Missionary Childhood – engages children in mission through prayer, learning, and acts of solidarity.
The Society of St Peter the Apostle – funds the formation of seminarians, novices, and religious in mission territories.
The Missionary Union – forms and inspires clergy, religious, and laity in their missionary spirituality and commitment.
Through these four societies, Catholics everywhere have an opportunity to join hands in prayer, generosity, and service – bringing Christ’s love to the Church around the world.
Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith
Our History
The roots of the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith go back to the early 19th century, in a time of great upheaval and renewal in France. In the aftermath of the French Revolution’s fierce persecution and the turmoil of the Napoleonic era, the Church in France was struggling to recover. Missionary efforts had all but ceased – so much so that only two missionaries could be sent to Asia during this entire period.
In the midst of this spiritual drought, a remarkable young woman from Lyon, Pauline Marie Jaricot, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to respond. Born into a wealthy family, Pauline experienced a personal conversion and chose to live a life of simplicity, prayer, and devotion – especially to the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the age of 17, she took a private vow of chastity and began to discern how she could serve Christ and the Church more fully.
Her response was both bold and simple: she gathered a small group of working-class people, known as the “Réparatrices,” to pray regularly and offer support for the missions. Each person would commit to forming a group of ten people, who would pray weekly for missionaries and contribute just one penny each for their support. This network grew rapidly – spreading from person to person, parish to parish, and eventually across national borders.
What began as a humble grassroots initiative took fire in the hearts of Catholics everywhere. On May 3, 1822, this growing movement was officially established as the Association for the Propagation of the Faith.
A century later, recognising the importance of Pauline’s vision and its impact on the Church’s missionary efforts, Pope Pius XI formally designated the Society as “Pontifical” on May 3, 1922, through the Motu Proprio Romanorum Pontificum. Today, the Society stands as a living testament to the missionary call of every baptised person – and to the power of faith shared in community.
Mission
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith invites every Catholic to embrace the Church’s universal mission – to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and support the growth of the Kingdom of God. It calls us to open our hearts to the vastness of Christ’s mission through prayer, formation, and generous solidarity.
This Society works to form and animate missionary disciples by promoting:
By nurturing a spirit of prayerful generosity and global awareness, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith helps every believer live out their calling as missionary disciples, actively participating in the Church’s mission to share the Gospel with the world.
Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood
Our History
The Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood was born from a heartfelt concern and a creative response to the needs of the Church’s youngest members.
In the early 19th century, Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson of France was deeply moved by reports from China, where many children were dying without the grace of baptism. Though he longed to become a missionary himself, health and duty kept him in France. Seeking guidance, he turned to Pauline Jaricot, foundress of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Their exchange of ideas sparked a vision: what if children could be missionaries to other children – through prayer and generosity?
On May 19, 1843, that vision took shape. Bishop de Forbin-Janson invited the children of France to take part in mission through a simple yet powerful commitment to pray “One Hail Mary a day, and donate one small coin a month.”
The idea quickly captured hearts. Young people across France – and eventually across the world – began to support the Church’s mission among children through their prayers and offerings. In time, this grassroots movement grew into an official Pontifical Society.
The society’s motto “Children Helping Children” beautifully expresses the unique spirit of Missionary Childhood: children growing in faith and compassion by supporting the needs of children in mission territories – especially in places where the Church is young, poor, or persecuted.
Today, through this Society, millions of children are not only helped, but also formed to become missionary disciples – learning that no one is too young to share the Gospel and make a difference in the world.
Mission
Today, the Pontifical Society for Missionary Childhood has taken root in over 130 countries around the world, inspiring children everywhere to live out a vibrant missionary spirit. Its mission is beautifully simple yet profound: Children Evangelizing Children, Children Praying for Children, Children Helping Children.
The Society encourages young people to grow as missionary leaders, empowering them to share both their faith and material support – especially with children living in the most challenging circumstances. It nurtures a sense of solidarity that crosses borders and cultures, helping children understand that they are part of one global family united in Christ.
Beyond inspiring prayer and generosity, Missionary Childhood actively promotes and supports missionary vocations, particularly ad gentes – those called to serve in mission territories. It also serves as a powerful tool for faith formation, encouraging children to discover their unique role within the Church’s mission and vocation.
The Society invites children to engage personally and communally, aiming to:
Pontifical Society of St Peter the Apostle
Our History
The story of the Pontifical Society of St Peter the Apostle is a powerful reminder that God often works through the humble and the weak to accomplish great things (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Rooted in this truth, the Society was established to support the growth of the local Church by helping form local clergy – priests and religious who serve their own communities.
From the 16th through the 19th centuries, the Holy See consistently emphasised the vital importance of nurturing local vocations. Missionaries knew that their work could only be truly fruitful if it included the creation of priests and religious from the local Church, capable of shepherding their own people. Yet, many obstacles stood in the way – most notably, the severe lack of financial resources to build seminaries and support the training of seminarians.
An example of this comes from Japan in the late 19th century. Monsignor Jules-Alphonse Cousin, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Japan and later Bishop of Nagasaki, was faced with the heartbreaking task of turning away young men with clear priestly vocations simply because there was no funding to support their formation. He deeply understood that these local priests were essential for the Church’s future in Japan.
On June 1, 1889, Monsignor Cousin reached out to a generous benefactress, Jeanne Bigard, who, along with her mother Stéphanie, had long been devoted supporters of the missions. This partnership sparked the founding of the Society of St Peter the Apostle, dedicated to providing the resources necessary to train local clergy and religious around the world.
Today, the Society continues this mission, helping to build up the Church by investing in the seminarians and religious who will serve as shepherds in their local church.
Mission
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle inspires Christian communities to recognise the vital need to nurture and develop local clergy and religious life in young, recently established missionary Churches.
Serving as a bridge of solidarity, the Society encourages prayer, sacrifice, and financial support across local Churches to help form future priests and men and women religious. It also supports the essential training of those who guide and form these future Church leaders.
Working closely with local Christian communities and their pastors, the Society collects and distributes funds to sustain seminaries and novitiates – places where seminarians and novices are educated and prepared for their mission.
This support is provided through various means, including:
Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU)
Our History
The Pontifical Missionary Union was founded on 31 October 1916, inspired by Blessed Paolo Manna, a passionate missionary priest who longed to awaken in every baptised person a deep sense of responsibility for the Church’s mission. Guided by the motto, “All the Church for all the world,” the Pontifical Missionary Union seeks to nurture and strengthen the missionary spirit across the entire People of God – especially through the formation of priests, bishops, religious, and pastoral leaders.
Unlike the other Pontifical Mission Societies, which focus on faith-raising and direct support of mission territories, the Pontifical Missionary Union is dedicated to missionary formation -helping the faithful understand that mission is not just the work of a few, but the calling of all the baptised.
In 1966, Pope Paul VI renewed and affirmed this vision, giving the Pontifical Missionary Union a new emphasis on serving the missionary identity of the entire Church. Since then, the Union has continued to grow as a dynamic network supporting the ongoing formation of lay faithful, catechists, religious, clergy, and bishops in mission-related spirituality and pastoral practice.
Recognising the need to listen to and respond to the real needs of local churches, the Pontifical Missionary Union began a renewed process of discernment and engagement in 2016. This process has focused especially on dioceses and communities connected to the Dicastery for Evangelization (formerly the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples), encouraging local approaches to missionary formation tailored to their unique cultural and pastoral contexts.
A key fruit of this renewal is the International Centre for Missionary Animation (CIAM), established on 31 May 1974, following the Synod of Bishops that led to Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi. Founded by Cardinal Angelo Rossi, then Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, CIAM continues to serve as a global hub for missionary reflection, education, and animation.
The Pontifical Missionary Union exists to remind us that the Church does not have a mission – the Church is mission. Through formation, prayer, and witness, every Christian is invited to be part of God’s saving work in the world.
Mission
The Pontifical Missionary Union exists to ignite and deepen the missionary spirit within the entire Church. Inspired by the one mission of Jesus Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, we are committed to the ongoing formation of clergy, religious, and laity – so that all may live their baptismal call to mission.
Pontifical Missionary Union promotes a Church that is constantly reaching outward: from local communities to the ends of the earth. We support the growth of a mature and missionary faith – one that is nourished by prayer, formed through encounter, and expressed through witness and charity.
Our focus is on building a culture of mission in every local Church, encouraging dialogue across cultures, and fostering solidarity with peoples of every background, faith, and tradition.
In partnership with bishops, dioceses, seminaries, religious institutes, and lay movements, we help form hearts and minds to see the world as God sees it – filled with dignity, longing, and hope.
Missionary formation is not just about going elsewhere – it is about being sent, wherever we are, to share the joy of the Gospel and to bring Christ’s transforming love to every corner of society.