Home Page Post – Page 2 – Pontifical Mission Societies

2020 HCA Appeal

November 26, 2020 by admin123 in Home Page Post

My Dear Friends,

On behalf of the staff of PMS Toronto and the missions that we serve, I wish you and your loved ones a joyful and blessed Christmas

It has been a challenging year for all of us, and the “normal” is now very different, but we continue to look upon Our Lord for strength and wisdom to be witnesses for His Kingdom. Let us take the time to stop and ponder on how these changes affected everyone, especially the most vulnerable children at our missions.

WILL YOU JOIN OUR MISSION? Through our baptism, we were tasked to go and spread the Good News. Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love”. What we might perceive as our small act of kindness can cause many ripples of good deeds for the poor missions that need so much.

Christ came into this world as a child that we might see the pure and gentle hearts that He gave them. Let us focus on how we can make it a better world for them. one mission at a time.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! May the Lord bless and protect you and your loved ones.

Yours in the service of Christ,

Rev. Alex Osei, C.S.Sp.
National Director

They are celebrating a 25th anniversary in the Diocese of Koforidua, Ghana! Their guiding principle is that every Cathoic is a member of God’s people – their own Parish Family. As a member of a Parish Family, we are to develop our own spiritual leaders by training and supporting them, especially when it comes to caring for the young.

During their Holy Childhood Day, they scheduled a week-long program of activities for children in 37 parishes in the diocese. Children performed all the major roles during the Masses. They camped at St. Andrew Parish to play games, socialize and learn about Christ.

With the grant support from The Holy Childhood Fund, they were able to re-build the Adiemmra Community Centre that was brought down by a rainstorm. The community now has two new classroom blocks to accommodate the students and an office.

A grant was provided as well to St. Michael’s Clinic and Maternity in Akim Ntronang for Child Welfare Services to providing services from breast-feeding, vitamin supplements, immunization, and curative care for minor ailments; and for School Health & Development that provides screening, health education, and hygiene. 96% of the children in basic schools were provided attention and care.

This year we need to raise $250,000 to fund projects in parts of India, Kenya, Banglasdesh, Pretoria, and Nigeria that were assigned to PMS Toronto.

Again, we lean on your kindness and generosity to be our missionaries at home by supporting the work of all those who have been sent to different parts of the world. Their ministry is only possible through the help of benefactors of the global network of Pontifical Mission Societies. Our counterparts worldwide have specific projects assigned to them too!

The Holy Childhood Association needs your support now more than ever. The children are most vulnerable for they cannot fend for themselves. We need to protect them and let them know they matter.

Please consider a GIFT OF SECURITIES (stock, bonds and mutual funds). It can offer you a smart opportunity to support the needs to the port and at the same time, benefits from tax savings. By donating your securities directly to the Holy Childhood Association, you will be except from payment of taxes on capital gains. More information on this can be found at CanadaHelps https://bit.ly/37fQTFQ

2020 PROP Appeal

November 26, 2020 by admin123 in Home Page Post

This year with the restrictions imposed on churches due to COVID-19, we are reaching out to you through this letter to provide you an opportunity to know what is going on at missions worldwide and offer a way to make a difference in the lives of those at the missions. We have heard of stories of missionaries who are unable to reach those in their care because of the distance and the financial difficulties that go with it, and of others who are faced with extreme poverty, displacement, hunger, and disease on top of the pandemic with their communities.

#WeAreStillHere is a hashtag adopted by PMS worldwide to express that our missionaries are here for you, they are not going anywhere, they are not giving up, and their hope is that you can be here for them.

Involvement of children and young people in proclaiming Christ during the World Mission Sunday

October 21, 2020 by admin123 in Home Page Post

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “Children and young people are protagonists of the missionary month and of missionary animation in the whole world. They are the young missionary disciples who evangelize, through prayer and the testimony of Jesus in schools, in their own homes, in places they frequent with their peers”. This is what was said by Sister Roberta Tremarelli, Secretary-General of the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies which, present in more than 130 countries, works with the motto “Children evangelize Children, Children pray for Children, Children help Children all over the world”. The Society, also known as the “Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood” (POSI), proposes to accompany children, young people, adolescents, in the development of a missionary spirit, helping them to share faith and material means, especially with the most needy children.

During the month of October, traditionally dedicated by the Church to missions, “this animation reveals itself as an instrument of growth in the faith, also from a vocational perspective”, remarks Sister Tremarelli. “All the baptized are called to give the Gospel, regardless of their age”, continues Sister Tremarelli, reporting that in many countries of the world “young people have embraced the Pope’s message for World Mission Day, saying: here we are, send us, young missionaries”.

Sister Roberta cites countries such as Peru “where the missionary animation of the local community has been strengthened by the prayer and witness of faith of children and young people”. Their presence in the Church, notes the Secretary of POSI “is important because children are educated to broaden their horizons to others, to those in distant lands. And, when they become young or adult, this seed, through the work of the Holy Spirit, will sprout and give them a heart and a look towards others, open to the challenges of the mission”.

In particular, this time marked by the pandemic, has challenged, in many countries of the world, the Society of Missionary Childhood and animation has often resorted to new technologies since many of these children are “digital natives”. “In India – reports Sister Tremarelli – the local section of POSI has been raising awareness since September, posting a video every day on Internet channels and social media to make known the social reality of childhood in a given continent. In October the animation continued by encouraging prayer and the material collection of aid for the peoples and especially for the poorest and most needy children of that given continent”.

Sister Roberta also recalls the work of formation carried out by POSI on digital platforms such as ‘Zoom’, which have helped to make the children feel close, even if local conditions did not allow it, given the restrictions imposed by the pandemic: “This has been the case, for example, in countries such as Honduras, but also in Zambia and Malawi in Africa “, she notes

A last, but not secondary aspect, concerns the evangelization of families: “Promoting prayer, formation, missionary awareness with children is an opportunity to reach their families. All over the world, young people involve their parents in missionary initiatives and this is a very important aspect, which helps to renew and revive the faith of adults, within the whole Catholic community”.

“POSI – she remarks – aims at a personal and community involvement in order to make children feel part of a family where everyone is important and everyone helps each other. This is the current pedagogical challenge: to open the heart to universality, to contribute to the salvation of their peers”. The General Secretary explains: “There are three concrete ways in which this involvement is expressed: prayer, offering, and sacrifice. The children of Missionary Childhood pray every day for other children and for the spread of the Gospel message. The collection then is the fruit of the sacrifices of the children: Everyone does their part to give a better future to the children of the world. Thanks to these aids, many children can know Jesus and his Word, eat, study, have a roof under which to sleep, Finally, there is the missionary witness: with their behavior and their message the young missionaries are witnesses and example of life for their peers and for the whole community”.

The Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood was born when, in the mid-nineteenth century, French Bishop Msgr. Charles de Forbin-Janson was struck by the news that came from the French missionaries in China about the many children who died without having received baptism. Regretful for not being able to leave personally as a missionary, he asked Pauline Jaricot, foundress of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith for advice. The exchange of ideas between the two was enlightening and the Bishop had the idea of involving the children of France so that, through prayer and material collaboration, they could help their Chinese peers. “One Hail Mary a day, a penny a month” to cure a child and save his soul: this was the commitment proposed by the Bishop of Nancy to French children. It was May 19, 1843 when, with this initiative, the seed from which the Missionary Childhood Society would sprout was sown. Years later the motto “Children help Children” was coined, which sums up the intuition of the founder and the charisma of the Society.

In a short space of time, many other countries joined the project. On May 3, 1922, Pope Pius XI recognized the Society as Pontifical, while on December 4, 1950, Pope Pius XII instituted the “World Day of Holy Childhood”, declaring Epiphany as the date of celebration, but giving freedom to every nation to adapt the date to local needs. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 21/10/2020)

We Are Still Here Global Mission

September 15, 2020 by admin123 in Home Page Post

Dear Friends in Christ,

Pope Francis early this year highlighted his passion for the Pontifical Mission Societies, known in Canada (English Sector) as Pontifical Mission Societies(PMS), saying “mission is at the heart and identity of the Church,” and the worldwide network reflects the rich variety of “people with a thousand faces”. Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) are part of that global network. We are with the Universal Church Communities around the world.

These faces are featured in an inspirational video that connects more than 30 missionaries based in over 25 different countries speaking a variety of languages. Produced by a collaboration of directorates from 10 countries that covered missionaries across the globe.

World Mission Month or Mission Sunday is a time when Catholics around the world join to support and celebrate global missionary work.

The donations to world Mission Sunday are vital to the daily work of the missionary Church. Your financial assistance provides places of prayer and worship, improved health care, and education for the poor and disadvantaged brothers and sisters and the needs of our missionaries. Your donations will also go to the training of thousands of catechists who share the Gospel message of love, thus, evangelizing the communities.

Bishop Enrique “Kike” Figaredo Alvargonzalez, a familiar face to supporters of Mission programs, and a tireless advocate for people with disability in the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, Cambodia, also features in the video.

Inspired by the words of the Holy Father, the global awareness campaign, launched as part of World Mission Month, invites you into the family of missionaries around the world who say: “we are still here.”

Fr. Alex Osei, C.S.Sp.

National Director

Pontifical Mission Societies

English Sector, Canada

Please click to view the video below.

The contribution of the PMS to the universal mission of the Church is precious to the Pope

August 3, 2017 by admin123 in Home Page Post / Latest News

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “The heart of the Pontifical Mission Societies beats where the heart of the Church beats”: with this expression Archbishop Giampietro Dal Toso, President of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, comment the message that Pope Francis wanted to deliver to the Pontifical Mission Societies (see Fides 22/5/2020), in an interview with Agenzia Fides. The message was received by the PMS “with amazement and gratitude”, as an appeal that “wants to help the Societies to renew themselves, rediscovering the original lifeblood”. “The Pope invites the PMS to live the originality of their charism, for a truly missionary Church “, observes Mgsr. Dal Toso.

Here is the full text of the interview to Fides:

How did the PMS welcome the Pope’s message?

With amazement and gratitude. I was happy when I learned of the Pope’s intention to send a message to the Pontifical Mission Societies. Moreover, as he himself wrote, his desire was to visit us during our General Assembly, which was to be held in these days, but unfortunately, it was suspended due to the pandemic in progress. I read all of this first of all as a sign of special attention to this institution which has nearly 200 years of history and which has done so much good to the Church: without the PMS the evangelizing mission of the Church, especially in the last hundred years, would not have brought the fruits that we now see. For me, therefore, the Pope’s Message is a reason for gratitude and, at the same time, for reflection on the challenges that we face and that the Pope has appropriately indicated. Let’s not forget that the PMS is a universal network, with approx. 120 national directions and those in charge in each diocese.

The Message touches the identity and nature of the Societies: how can it help to renew the mission?

Pope Francis often says that without roots there are no fruits. The purpose of the Message is exactly to help the Societies to renew themselves, rediscovering the original lifeblood. In his speeches to the PMS in 2017 and 2018, the Pope spoke of the need for this renewal. Why? Because the world and the Church of today are no longer those of 50 years ago and therefore this also poses us in front of the question: how to speak to the Christian of today and how to decline the mission in today’s world? We all know that the missionary paradigm is no longer necessary that from north to south, but rather that of a Church communion that mutually supports itself in the mission, sharing what we have. The problem is not – and the Pope says it precisely in reference to the charism – that of changing identity, but rather of responding, with the charism, to the needs of the Church and of today’s world. I have repeatedly said in my meetings that, if Pope Francis asks for a missionary Church, then we too must ask ourselves how our charism, which is a missionary charism, can help the Church in missionary conversion.

In your opinion, what are the qualifying points of the text?

I believe the question of faith is central: I am very heartened and encouraged by the fact that the Pope has placed the charism in the context of the mission, and the mission in its reference to Christ, and therefore to faith. Mission exists because of faith as personal adherence to Christ, both of the missionary and of the person who receives the proclamation of faith. In this sense, the institution makes sense in favoring this fundamental movement from Christ to man and vice versa. The Pope starts from this consideration and therefore I consider this the fulcrum of the Message. Then of course there are many other aspects of inspiration for us: the action of the Holy Spirit, the rediscovery of the original charism with an emphasis on prayer and charity; support for the local Church; the characteristic of this charism of being lived by the simple faithful and therefore the participation of the baptized in the mission of the Church; the specific link with the Petrine ministry, of which we are an instrument.

How do you think the “pitfalls” mentioned can be avoided?

There will always be pitfalls and the Pope encourages us to face them, like any good father with a son. Unfortunately, I must also recognize that the PMS is only often considered for its financial aspect. But the Pope recalls that the charism and the institution belong to each other mutually, and there is always a need to resume the freshness of the charism for the institution to maintain its fundamental function of protecting it and making its missionary fruitfulness permanent. The ongoing renewal, for which Pope Francis gives us valuable advice, expresses exactly our desire not to lose the originality of the charism itself and to live it today. To be more concrete, the PMS has been going through a reflection at different levels, international, national, and diocesan, for a year now, just to understand where to place the renewal and how to apply it. I believe that the path indicated by Pope Francis, that is, on the one hand, attention to pitfalls, and on the other, the advice for the journey, are the paths on which renewal can proceed safely.

What path will the PMS follow in the future?

The aim of the PMS has always been to help everyone live a missionary and universal faith. In 2022 we will be 200 years old and these days we have received the good news that the miracle of the foundress of the first Society, Pauline Jaricot, has been recognized, which has given a founding structure to all our activity. So there is already a path outlined. Let us just think about what the celebration of World Mission Day means, which, since 1926, wants to involve all the parishes in the world in missionary animation. I think of the many sick people who offer their suffering for the mission in those countries where the PMS works with the sick. Let’s think about the financial help that we continue to offer, thanks to the sharing of many, and for which I give some examples referring to 2019: for each of the almost 25,000 major seminarians of mission countries (Asia, Africa, Oceania and, in part, Latin America) we make a contribution of 450 US dollars, which in some countries covers almost the entire annual cost of formation; each ecclesiastical district of the mission Countries receive a contribution for ordinary expenses for a total amount of more than 27 million US dollars; we funded school education projects for about 7 million US dollars. I also think about the fact that every year we contribute with more than 11 million dollars to the formation and sustenance of lay catechists, who in mission territories are fundamental animators of the Christian communities. At the moment we are helping many dioceses left without support because of Covid-19. This commitment, material and spiritual, must continue, also because it is the local Churches who ask us, but in that spirit that the Pope has emphasized: the heart of the mission is to awaken faith in the communion of charity. And I would like to add that this cannot be an effort carried out by the PMS alone. This is a criterion on which we are called to measure all our ecclesial action. And the heart of the PMS beats where the heart of the Church beats.(Agenzia Fides, 28/5/2020)

Pope Francis recognizes miracle attributed to Pauline Jaricot Posted On at 09:20

August 3, 2017 by admin123 in Home Page Post / Latest News

On May 26, 2020. Pope Francis received in audience the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, and authorized the same Congregation to enact Decrees concerning the recognition of miracles, martyrdom and heroic virtues.

On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Archbishop Giampietro Dal Toso, President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, sent a statement announcing the recognition of the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Pauline Maria Jaricot, founder of the works of Propagation of the Faith.

Even though we do not yet have a date for a possible Beatification, all of us, Pontifical Mission Societies, are happy, because in this way we also recognize the charism of prayer and charity that has guided all our activity. Pauline Maria Jaricot was born on July 22, 1799 in Lyon and died on January 9, 1862.

She marks the beginning of that great missionary cooperation movement which was to gradually involve the whole Church. Passionate for the spread of the kingdom of God, she was firmly convinced that missionary work did not derive its effectiveness from human resources, but exclusively from God. In 1826, she founded the movement of the Living Rosary. She was declared Venerable by Pope John XXIII on February 25, 1963.