The true story of a miracle: Mayline Tran and Pauline Jaricot
On May 22, 2022, the Venerable Servant of God, Pauline Jaricot will be raised to the full honors of the altar in Lyon, (France) on the bicentenary of the foundation of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith (POPF), during the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. On May 26, 2020, Pope Francis authorized the publication of the decree recognizing the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable. It is possible to read and deepen the story of this miracle on our site, that is, of the miraculous healing of three-year-old Mayline Tran who lost consciousness due to suffocation caused by food which caused multiple cardiorespiratory arrests and further complications that left her no hope of survival. Thanks to the intercession of Pauline Jaricot, doctors confirmed that the little girl had completely recovered in May 2014, after a complex and long period of rehabilitation.
Our national director has the pleasure of meeting Mayline and her family during his recent trip to witness the beatification of Blessed Pauline Jaricot. Please see below for recent pictures of Mayline
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Worldwide Drawing Competition for Holy Childhood Association
What does to call oneself “Pontifical” mean? What are the elements that distinguish it? These are the questions that the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood asks all children and adolescents who will have to provide their answer, not in words but with a picture, combining artistic ability with a good dose of imagination, creativity, and experience of the Society.
On the occasion of the centenary of the denomination of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood, the International Secretariat announces a “Competition” which will end on May 19, 2023, on the 180th anniversary of the foundation of the Society itself.
Children and adolescents are therefore invited to participate by answering the question “What does Missionary Childhood and Adolescence mean for me in terms of being a Society of the Pope?” with a picture accompanied by a brief descriptive caption of one’s work and the meaning of Pontifical.
Each National Director will select the winning picture at a national level and will send it, together with the description made by the author of the picture, to the International Secretariat of the Holy Childhood by March 31, 2023. The pictures received will be collected and published.
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Pontifical Mission Societies celebrates 200th anniversary
The Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which falls under the auspices of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, marks the 200th anniversary of its foundation on Tuesday.
By Paul Samasumo
Tuesday, 3 May, also marks the 100th anniversary of Pontifical Mission Society’s Pontifical status, conferred by Pope Pius XI in his Motu Proprio Romanorum Pontificum. The Motu Proprio confirmed the missionary spirit of the Society and its essential service to the universal Church.
By the same Motu Proprio, the Holy Father also conferred pontifical status on the Society of the Holy Childhood and the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.
Solidarity with missions around the world
Archbishop Giampietro Dal Toso, president of the Pontifical Mission Societies and adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, told Vatican News that the involvement of the Catholic faithful in the life and missionary work of the Church is viewed by the Church’s leadership as essential.
“It is important; indeed, it is a modern idea if we think about it,” he said. “Think, for example, how often Pope Francis speaks about this. It is also the orientation of our work as a dicastery: For every baptized person to participate in the missionary work of the Church around the world. Through the Pontifical Missionary Societies, the faithful can participate by praying, giving offerings, donations or by just showing interest in the missionary activities of the Church.”
Archbishop Dal Toso added: “Through these missionary engagements and by participating in the work of the Church, we as Christians, live our faith concretely with our brothers and sisters around the world.”
Prayer, animation, and funding
200 years after its founding, on 3 May, the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith supports many missionary-related projects with prayer, animation, and finances, especially in Africa, Asia, and the pacific.
Perhaps the most amazing story of the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith is that it was founded and inspired by a very young French laywoman, Pauline Jaricot. She will be beatified this month, on 22 May, in Lyons, France.
Pauline Jaricot established a network of ten persons who offered prayers and small weekly donations for the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.
Pauline-Marie Jaricot – the life and times
Pauline-Marie Jaricot lived between 1799 and 1862. She is the founder of the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
Pauline was declared Venerable on 25 February 1963 by Pope Saint John XXIII. On 26 May 2020, Pope Francis authorized the publication of the decree recognizing the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable.
Born into a wealthy family in Lyon, after 15 years of a comfortable life, Pauline experienced physical and spiritual suffering. Forgiveness and profound prayer led her to overcome serious trauma, and her existence changed radically from that moment.
She consecrated herself to God with a solemn vow in the chapel of the Virgin of Fourvière in Lyon and was devoted to serving God in the poor and the sick.
Helping the needy was accompanied by a life of intense prayer. She received the Eucharist daily and interceded for the conversion of sinners and the evangelization of the world.
Realizing the economic difficulties of the missions, Pauline promoted initiatives to raise funds: Thus was born what is known today as the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith – officially founded on 3 May 1822.
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Pope Francis recognizes miracle
On May 26, 2020. Pope Francis received in the 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 Marie 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 Marie 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.
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OUR FUTURE ROOTED IN OUR PAST
In 2022, three of the four Pontifical Mission Societies will mark important anniversaries.
It will mark the bicentennial of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, founded by the Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot and
the centennial of Pope Pius XI’s motu proprio Romanorum Pontificum designating three of the four Societies as Pontifical: Propagation of the Faith, Holy Childhood, and St. Peter the Apostle for the formation of indigenous clergy in mission territories.
Pope Francis, in his message, addressed the Pontifical Mission Societies during their General Assembly in 2020, reaffirmed that the Societies “were recognized by the Church of Rome and her Bishops, who in the last century sought to adopt them as a unique expression of their own service to the universal Church.”
In this way, the Societies received the “Pontifical” designation and from that moment on, their fundamental feature was to be an instrument of service in support of particular Churches, in their task of proclaiming the Gospel. The Pontifical Mission Societies continue to offer themselves with docility as an instrument of service to the Church, within the universal ministry carried out by the Pope and by the Church of Rome, which ‘presides in charity”.
The Pontifical Mission Societies are committed to encouraging the participation of all the baptized in their international network of prayer, formation, and charity at the service of the Holy Father in his solicitude for the proclamation of the Gospel and the growth of the Young Churches in mission territories. Indeed, the Holy Father reminds us in the same message that the “Missionary Societies, which in time became a network spread throughout the world, mirror in their own configuration the variety of accents, situations, problems, and gifts that characterize the life of the Church in the various parts of the world. …. In this sense, the PMS reflect the mystery of the universality of the Church, in which the incessant work of the Holy Spirit creates harmony from different voices, even as the Bishop of Rome, in his service of charity, exercised also
through the Pontifical Mission Societies, safeguards unity in faith.
“Two hundred years since its foundation and one hundred years as Pontifical
mean first of all an enormous contribution to
the mission of the Church and to the foundation of new Churches”
(The Most Rev. Giampetro Dal Toso – President of the PMS)
VIDEO OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIES
St. Peter the Apostle Appeal 2022
Dear Friends,
I have been praying that 2022 will be the year that people from all around the world have their lives return to normal. This recent pandemic has gripped the entire globe and has held people, churches, communities, and employers as hostages. The good news is that we have learned to come together to help save lives and to make extraordinary sacrifices to keep family members, friends, and neighbours safe and healthy.
Despite nearly three years of listening to world news focusing on the pandemic, there are other good news stories. I recently read that, in 2019, the world’s population was approximately 7.580 billion and in 2002, it was approximately 6.220 billion. During this period of 17 years, the number of identified Catholics increased from 1.070 billion to approximately 1.344 billion.
I am very pleased to learn that Catholics are dramatically increasing worldwide. This demonstrates that the relentless work of missionary Priests, Religious Sisters, and Brothers, of spreading the gospel of Christ, is reaching millions of people throughout the world.
We must continue to provide our steadfast support for missionaries working in challenging regions and making sacrifices. This shows that one’s Faith and determination can make a difference.
“It was also Peter who, after Pentecost, risked his life to do the Lord’s work, speaking boldly of his faith in Jesus”.
Like St. Peter the Apostle, these faithful and dedicated missionary Priests, Religious Sisters, and Brothers, have been serving the Lord and providing tremendous leadership and commitment that has resulted in this amazing growth in the number of Catholics worldwide. The Holy Father’s mission of evangelization and spreading the gospel of Jesus is being truly accomplished.
Supporting seminaries demonstrates your Faith!
Investing in seminaries must continue in different parts of the world. As the number of people congregate and come together to learn about Christ, the need to build new churches and train more priests and religious follow. As Christians, we must continue to grow and evangelize all around the world…this is very positive news!
St. Augustine’s Millennium Seminary is in Tamale, Ghana. The number of priests graduating from this seminary grows every year, but unfortunately, there is no regular running water. As a result, seminarians make countless trips to fetch water from streams, and this daily routine has been going on for years. The seminary is, therefore, seeking financial help to drill water boreholes.
Fortunately, heavy-duty equipment to drill boreholes in northern Ghana has become more accessible.
Missionaries do not have much and live simple lives, let’s help them have access to fresh water.
Drilling a borehole will provide fresh water to the seminary and also benefit the local villagers. It is an important project that needs your support. Fresh water is the lifeblood in any community. Please donate generously through St. Peter the Apostle Society to provide clean water to St. Augustine’s Millennium Seminary. Thank you, may the good Lord bless and keep you.
Yours in the service of Christ,
Rev. Fr. Alex Osei, C.S.Sp.
National Director
CEP 4th Centenary Anniversary
Pontifical Mission Societies
2022 PMS ANNIVERSARIES AT A GLANCE
400 Years of Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP)
The Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples celebrates the fourth centenary of its foundation. Since 1622, the Church’s missionary work had been organized and coordinated at the world level by the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in collaboration with many religious orders and congregations and with the local Churches. At the Vatican Council, the role of the Congregation was affirmed, and it was renamed the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
200 Years of the Society for the Propagation of Faith
On May 3, 2022, the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of Faith (POPF) will celebrate two major milestones. It will mark the 200th anniversary of its foundation as the Association of the Propagation of Faith and the 100th anniversary of its Pontifical status, conferred by Pope Pius XI in his Motu Proprio Romanorum Pontificum, thus confirming the missionary spirit of the Society and its important service to the universal Church. By the same Motu Proprio, the Holy Father also conferred Pontifical to the Society of the Holy Childhood and the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.
Our foundress, Pauline Jaricot will be beatified on May 22, 2022, in Lyon, France
100 Years of Pontifical Statues Propagation of Faith (POF), Holy Childhood Association (HCA), and St. Peter the Apostle (SPA)
The Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of Faith, the Pontifical Mission Society of Holy Childhood, and the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle were made Pontifical in 1922. These Societies were made Pontifical by Pope Pius XI at the centenary celebration of the Society for the Propagation of Faith.
150th Birthday of Father Paolo Manna, founder of PMU
Rev. Fr. Paolo Manna (16 January 1872 – 15 September 1952) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions as well as the founder of the Pontifical Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. He was passionate about promoting the missions, evangelic, and Apostolic life.
He was Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood
The text “History, Charism, Spirituality of the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood”, by Juan Carlos Carvajal Blanco, priest of the diocese of Madrid and professor of the Faculty of Theology of the Ecclesiastical University of St. Damascus and Mr. Rafael Santos Barba, philologist and editor, director since 2013 of the magazine of missionary pastoral care, Illuminare, of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Spain, is available in five languages on the PPOOMM website.
180 years after its foundation and a century after the conferral of the title of Pontifical, the text allows for an in-depth study on the origins of the Society of the Holy Childhood or Missionary Childhood and Adolescence, on its charisma, gift of the Holy Spirit to Msgr. Charles de Forbin-Janson, and his spirituality in order to better understand the educational content of this Society, its role in the evangelizing mission of the Church, and its relevance.
Sr. Roberta Tremarelli AMSS, Secretary-General of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood explains in the presentation: “This text by Professor Juan Carlos Carvajal and Rafael Santos Barba, rich in historical analysis and pastoral theological reflection, presents the breadth and depth of the Society, as an evangelizing Work, also highlighting its prophetic aspect with reference to the Holy Childhood of Jesus, the Son of God, who became a child. Jesus, the one sent by the Father, is the center of the Work. His smallness is an example to imitate”.
The volume, published by the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood, concludes with an extensive quotation from St. John Paul II visiting the Carmel of Lisieux which well represents the spirit of the text, as the authors explain: “The paragraph at the end of our exposition has an undoubted theological density, but it has the virtue of synthesizing the essential nucleus about everything we exposed. In fact, in the light of the life and work of St. Therese of Lisieux, it relates childhood, spiritual childhood, and participation in the mission, to the Mission of the Most Holy Trinity in favor of humanity”.
Click here if you wish to download the English version of this book.
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