The Pontifical Mission Societies

Catholic Diocese of Youngstown

"The Pontifical Mission Societies serve the Church's universality as a global network of support for the Pope in his missionary commitment by prayer, the soul of mission, and charitable offerings from Christians throughout the world." -POPE FRANCIS

The Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS) are a worldwide network at the service of the Pope that supports the missions and the Young Churches with prayer and charity. These include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious.

The four societies have been defined as "pontifical" since 1922, thus indicating their status as official instruments of the Pope and of the universal Catholic Church.

The Pope specifically asks The Pontifical Mission Societies to help bring the message of Christ to the world, especially in countries where Christianity is too young, or too poor to sustain itself, and in those places where He has been denied, forgotten, persecuted, or shunned.

The societies care for and support the younger churches until they can be self-sufficient. This was the case, for instance, when it comes to the Church in the United States: considered mission territory until 1908, many of the churches in this country were built thanks to the support of The Pontifical Mission Societies.

For more information about support within the Diocese of Youngstown, contact Very Rev. Msgr. Robert Siffrin, Vicar of Special Projects and External Affairs, at rsiffrin@youngstowndiocese.org or 330-744-8451 x230.