One Family in Mission

The St. Cloud Mission Office's legal name is "Society for the Propegation of the Faith." It is our job to promote the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), and the evangelization and pastoral needs of our brothers and sisters in faith around the globe.

What are the Pontifical Mission Societies?

The Pontifical Mission Societies are the organizations, under the direction of the Holy Father and national and diocesan directors in every country and diocese of the Catholic Church around the world, who work for the promotion of mission spirit and mission work amoung our brothers and sisters across the globe. We are all One Family in Mission, and PMS calls us to recognize our baptismal call as part of this mission family and to act upon this call. The Pontifical Mission Societies include the following:

• Society for the Propagation of the Faith (SPOF): The propagation of the Faith seeks prayer, sacrifice and financial support for the Church's missionary work, and provides ongoing help for the pastoral and evangelizing programs in Africa, Asia, the islands of the Pacific, and remote regions of Latin America. This includes aid for the education and support of seminarians, Religious novices and lay catechists; for the work of Religious Communities in education, health care and social services; for communication and transportation needs, and for emergency and disaster relief, when necessary. Supporting the church's needs around the world!

• Society of St. Peter Apostle (SPA): The Society of St. Peter Apostle encourages prayer and financial help for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in areas around the world unable to provide formation without assistance for the many feeling called to vocations. Building up leaders for the global church!

• Holy Childhood Association (HCA) (also known in most other countries as the Missionary Childhood): HCA helps to animate children in kindergarten through eighth grade to a universal missionary spirit and to gather funds from these young people for the support of mission efforts that serve the poorest of the world's children. Kids helping kids!

• Missionary Union of Priests and Religious: The Missionary Union is a spiritual apostolate that informs and forms priests, Religious men and women, pastoral leaders and those responsible for catechesis and religious education so that they may better animate others in the missionary spirit. Supporting others on the mission journey!

View a very brief video on YouTube from the Pontifical Mission Societies.

What does the Mission Office do in conjunction with PMS?

The Mission Office is the PMS office for the Diocese of St. Cloud. All o four work of mission support and promotion stems from our mandate through the Pontifical Mission Societies to enter into the evangelization work of Christ by sharing in the spreading of faith to those all over our world.

Our office does a variety of work for the Pontifical Mission Societies, included but not limited to:

• Passing on funds donated to the various Pontifical Mission Societies
• Promoting the work of the various Pontifical Mission Societies
• Writing and sending appeals for the work of St. Peter the Apostle, as well as our Christmas appeal for the general work of the Pontifical Mission Societies
• Promoting the work of the Holy Childhood Association in the schools and faith formation programs, as well as other mission education encouragement among the young people of our diocese
• Promotion of World Mission Sunday and Mission Month in October each year
• Encouraging the making and praying of World Mission Rosaries, a special global prayer developed by former National PMS director Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
• Encouraging mission vocations, of clergy, religious and laity
• Support of those who have answered the call to a mission vocation
• and more!

Where does PMS's funding come from?

The Pontifical Mission Societies in the US are the pastoral arm of our church; therefore it is up to all of us to support this work - through prayer and through financial support. The majority of PMS's funding comes from donations, including estates, from the Catholic faithful like you and me.

One large sources of these donations is the World Mission Sunday collection. This collection takes place the second-to-last Sunday in October each year. Every Catholic Parish throughout the world should be praying in a special way for our global brothers and sisters on this special day. In addition to the prayer and celebration of our universal faith, a collection is also taken up for the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies. Special envelopes should be in your parish membership contribution packets; if you do not see one, be sure to ask your parish how you can contribute.

Other financial support comes from your answering the call to support a few special appeals each year, primarily the Christmas appeal each December and the St. Peter the Apostle appeal each summer. Without your generous gifts of treasure, the wondeful missionary work of our church world-wide would not be possible.

How can we be more connected with the Pontifical Mission Societies?

To find out more about the Pontifical Mission Societies, and how you can utilize their resources, support their efforts or otherwise be involved in their pastoral work throughout the world, visit the PMS website at www.onefamilyinmission.org.

The Pontifical Mission Societies also have other great links, including:

• Kids pages
• YouTube videos from mission trips and mission-talks
• PMS' Blogspot by National Director Msg. John Kozar
• Interactive World Mission Rosary
• "I am a Missionary" site with downloadable newsletters, audio messages and more.
• Live footage and blogs from the 2009 National Meeting in St. Louis, MO

Check out the Holy Childhood Association's "Issue Alerts" for kids on important global topics of concern and how they affect our young friends:

• AIDS
• Child Labor
• Child Soldiers (coming soon)
• Water (coming soon)