The Pontifical Mission Societies
Message Of His Holiness Pope Francis For World Mission Day 2023
Hearts on fire, feet on the move (cf. Lk 24:13-35)
Dear brothers and sisters!
For this year’s World Mission Sunday, I have chosen a theme inspired by the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13-35): “Hearts on fire, feet on the move”. Those two disciples were confused and dismayed, but their encounter with Christ in the word and in the breaking of the bread sparked in them the enthusiastic desire to set out again towards Jerusalem and proclaim that the Lord had truly risen. In the Gospel account, we perceive this change in the disciples through a few revealing images: their hearts burned within them as they heard the Scriptures explained by Jesus, their eyes were opened as they recognized him and, ultimately, their feet set out on the way. By meditating on these three images, which reflect the journey of all missionary disciples, we can renew our zeal for evangelization in today’s world.
1. Our hearts burned within us “when he explained the Scriptures to us”. In missionary activity, the word of God illumines and transforms hearts.
On the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, the hearts of the two disciples were downcast, as shown by their dejected faces, because of the death of Jesus, in whom they had believed (cf. v. 17). Faced with the failure of the crucified Master, their hopes that he was the Messiah collapsed (cf. v. 21).
Then, “as they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them” (v. 15). As when he first called the disciples, so now, amid their bewilderment, the Lord takes the initiative; he approaches them and walks alongside them. So too, in his great mercy, he never tires of being with us, despite all our failings, doubts, weaknesses, and the dismay and pessimism that make us become “foolish and slow of heart” (v. 25), men and women of little faith.
Pope Francis’ Monthly Prayer Intentions
Each year, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention each month. You are invited to answer the Holy Father’s request and to join with many people worldwide in praying for this intention each month. From time to time, the Holy Father may add a second prayer intention related to current events or urgent needs, like disaster relief. The second prayer request will help mobilize prayer and action related to the urgent situation.
The Holy Father has entrusted these intentions in a particular way to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, an organization that works to encourage Christians to respond to the Pope’s appeal and to deepen their daily prayer. You can find more information about the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network on their website. (The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network will also publish any urgent prayer intentions of the Holy Father as soon as they are received from the Holy See.)
PRAYER INTENTIONS
We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of synodality.
Letter to Faithful From Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone
World Mission Sunday 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On October 22, as we observe World Mission Sunday, we stand in solidarity with the Missions of the Church in this annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration.
Pope Francis chose “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” as this year’s theme. The Holy Father invites us to kindle the fire of Christ’s love in our hearts and to actively share this warmth with the world around us. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we go forth and bring the Good News to all corners of the world.
World Mission Sunday 2023
This Year’s Theme: “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move”
What is World Mission Sunday?
World Mission Sunday is an annual global celebration within the Catholic Church, observed on the second to last Sunday of October. This special day is dedicated to the support of the missionary work of the Church through prayer and sacrifices.
World Mission Sunday, our annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration for the Missions and missionaries of the world, will be celebrated on October 22 this year. This collection on the second-to-last Sunday in October is a unique, global effort for the entire Church to provide for the building up of over one thousand local churches in Asia and Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe. Through the work of these churches, and their witness to Christ, the poor receive practical help and experience God’s love and mercy, His hope and peace.
Pope Francis invites us to set our hearts ablaze with faith and put our faith into action, serving God’s mission with joy, enthusiasm, and tireless dedication.
“Hearts on Fire”
As Christians, we’re called to kindle the fire of Christ’s love in our hearts. Our burning faith fuels our actions, inspiring us to serve others in our daily lives.
“Feet on the Move”
Pope Francis encourages us to not only feel the faith but to act on it. It’sour mission to move, serve, and spread the Good News, bringing God’slove and peace to all His children.
ONE SUNDAY FOR
THE WHOLE WORLD
World Mission Sunday is the Holy Father’s annual appeal for spiritual and financial support so that the life-giving work of overseas mission and missionaries can continue. It always falls on the second last Sunday in October, meaning this year it will be celebrated over the weekend of Sunday 22nd October.
The theme for this year’s celebration of Mission Sunday is: “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move” (Luke 24: 13-35).
On World Mission Sunday, we join our Holy Father in supporting his missions. As we pray and respond here at home, we share in those celebrations taking place in every parish and school throughout the world. Together, through our prayers and financial support, we bring the Lord’s mercy and concrete help to the most vulnerable communities in the Pope’s missions.
In a world where so much divides us, World Mission Sunday rejoices in our unity as missionaries by our Baptism, as it offers each one of us an opportunity to support the life-giving presence of the Church among the poor and marginalized in more than 1,100 mission dioceses.
WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS FOR YOUR MISSION SOLIDARITY!
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith a Pontifical Mission Society in the Archdiocese of San Francisco
PARISH RESOURCES
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
MASS ANNOUNCEMENTS
World Mission Sunday 2023
Poster
Prayer and Scripture
A homily helps, which provides connections with the mission and to feed a missionary heart, reflecting on missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, feasts and holy days.
Homily Helps for World Mission Sunday 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
About World Mission Sunday…
In 1926, Pope Pius XI established an annual collection for the missionary work of the Church worldwide called “World Mission Sunday.” World Mission Sunday, organized by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice.
As described by Pope John Paul II, World Mission Sunday is “an important day in the life of the Church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration and for all the missions of the world” (Redemptoris Missio 81). The Society for the Propagation of the Faith is entrusted with the promotion of World Mission Sunday, collection of the proceeds, and distribution of the proceeds.
As a representative of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Mission Office in San Francisco sends the proceeds to the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. Offerings from Catholics in the United States, on World Mission Sunday and throughout the year, are combined with offerings to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith worldwide.
Mission dioceses – about 1,100 at this time – receive regular annual assistance from the funds collected. These mission dioceses submit requests to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and Pontifical Mission Societies for assistance for needs such as catechetical programs, seminaries, the work of religious communities, communication and transportation needs, and the building of chapels, churches, orphanages, and schools. These needs are matched with the funds gathered in each year. The world’s national directors of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith vote on these requests, matching the funds available with the greatest needs. These funds are then distributed in their entirety to mission dioceses throughout the world.
Every year, the needs of the Catholic Church in the missions grow – as new dioceses are formed, as new seminaries are opened because of the growing number of young men hearing Christ’s call to follow Him as priests, as areas devastated by war or natural disaster are rebuilt, and as other long-suppressed areas are opening up to hear the message of Christ and His Church. That is why the involvement and commitment of Catholics from around the world is so urgently needed.
The Church’s Official Organization for Mission Aid
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith: Helping the World’s Missions.
This Society has become the Church’s official organization for mission aid. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith continues to seek prayer and sacrifice for the world’s missions. Help is offered for pastoral and evangelizing programs, for catechists and catechetical work, for the building of churches and chapels, for the work of religious communities in health care and education, and for communication and transportation needs. The financial contributions in our own Archdiocese of San Francisco largely come from the World Mission Sunday collection each October. Funds are also received from faithful monthly donors, from wills, bequests, and legacies, and through outright gifts made by the faithful of the diocese
TO SUPPORT THE SOCIETY, CLICK HERE.
Children Helping Children Around the World
The Missionary Childhood Association: Promoting Mission and Global Awareness Among School-Age Children.
In the 1840s, the founders of the new mission societies appealed to the children of Europe to help their sisters and brothers in the missions in China, and so began of what was then called the Holy Childhood Association in which young people can take part in service to mission youth around the world. Now named the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA ), this society is established in mission lands in more than 60 nations. MCA promotes mission and global awareness among school-age children. For more information: MCA, A History of Helping. MCA is unique among organizations for children in that its primary aim is to encourage children to share their Catholic faith with children in the developing world through their prayers, personal sacrifices, and financial offerings. Children also have a missionary calling: By our Baptism we become members of a family—the family of the Church. Family members have responsibilities, and our responsibility is to share our faith. Some people fulfill this responsibility by actually going to mission countries to bring the Good News of Jesus to our brothers and sisters who are in need. Most of us are missionaries by prayer and sacrifice. MCA engages children positively in the Church’s mission and provides resources and programs to increase their understanding and knowledge of the faith and the larger world.
Supporting Religious Vocations Around the Globe
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle: Educating New Priests and Religious in Developing Countries.
More than 140 years ago, a French missionary bishop in Japan asked for help from French Catholics to support the training of Japanese men for the priesthood. The Bigards, mohter and daugher, started a small group for this purpose in Caen, France. From these humble beginnings emerged the Society of St. Peter Apostle. Within five years of sending their first donation to Japan, the Bigards, and those whom they enlisted to help, were sending funds to seminaries in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Korea and China. The goal of the Society of St. Peter Apostle, then and now, has been to invite individuals to support the education of candidates for the Catholic priesthood in the developing world and to support the formation of men and women candidates for the Religious life in the missions. Today, some 30,000 major seminarians, mostly in Africa and Asia, receive important subsidies to meet the costs of their studies and formation.
A Spiritual Apostolate in Support of Missions and Missonaries
The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious: Lay People in Common Cause with Religious and Pastoral Leaders.
Founded in 1906, the Missionary Union is a spiritual apostolate. Unlike the other three Pontifical Mission Societies, this mission society does not collect or distribute funds. Its purpose is to educate and inspire priests, men and women religious, pastoral leaders, and those responsible for catechesis and religious education so that they may better animate others to share their faith and to be missionaries themselves, supporting also the missionary work of the Church worldwide.
I would like to serve as a lay missionary: What should I do?
There are a number of local and national organizations that help connect lay Catholics to mission opportunities in the United States and abroad. Contact the Catholic Volunteer Network, a national membership organization of Christian volunteer and mission programs that fosters and promotes full-time national and international service opportunities for people of all backgrounds, ages, and skills: www.catholicvolunteernetwork.org. Member programs have volunteer positions available in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and in over 100 countries across the world, ranging from a week to a summer to a several-year commitment and everything in between.
A beautiful way to remember, honor or thank a loved one, while supporting missionary work, is to have a Mass celebrated for them by a missionary priest. Through the Mass offering, you and your loved one will be united in the love of Christ with your brothers and sisters in another part of the world.
Help support a missionary priest by having Masses said for Loved Ones
Celebrating 180 Years
of the Missionary Childhood Association
One day in 1843, now Bishop Charles De Forbin-Janson had a talk with Pauline Jaricot about his long time dream. In the course of the conversation, she suggested that he ap-peal to the children of France to help children around the world. As a consequence of this meeting, the Mis-sionary Childhood Association (MCA) was born. Today MCA continues to follow the vision of Bishop Forbin-Janson—”Children Helping Children” as children pray and sacrifice for their brothers and sisters around the world.
Missionary Childhood Association (MCA)
“Children Helping Children” around the World
The Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) is a Pontifical Mission Society – and the Holy See’s official agency for mission for children — whose motto is “Children Helping Children.” Young people are invited to pray, do good works, and to offer financial help so that children in the Missions today may know Christ and experience His love and care. If you think you can’t “go on mission,” think again: Some give to the missions by going; some go to the missions by giving.
MCA gives our students the opportunity to be co-missionaries as they support missionaries around the world who bring the Good News of Jesus, especially to children. Though not directly (at least not yet – fingers crossed), our students get to share their faith with their peers in mission lands.
Opportunities for Growth. To help our children grow in the faith, as well as learn about other cultures, monthly educational and spiritual resources are available from the Mission Office of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. You can receive these by e-mail; just give us your current e-mail address. Or download the monthly resource files in PDF format on this page. Encourage children to pray The World Rosary. And all are welcome to join in the annual Christmas Artwork Contest.
MCA Christmas Artwork Contest 2023 Winners
This year we would like to congratulate Abigail Prion from St. Catherine of Siena School. She was selected as one of this year’snational finalists for the MCA Artwork Contest. Abigail’s artworkwill be on display along with all the other national winners at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. during the 2023 Advent Season.
Our office selected local finalists from all the entries we received. We would like to recognize their artwork.
We thank you all for participating in your program and hope that you will continue to do so, as we would also like to encourage more schools and parish religious education programs to participate. This is one way to stay connected to missions: by having our students share their faith in works of art. We encourage all students to participate in the contest this school year. In the links below you can find the registration form.
Thank you again!
Genevieve Elizondo, Archdiocesan Mission Director
Robert O’Connor, Administrative Assistant
Little Way Giving Dress Down Day
GIVE $2 TO DRESS DOWN AND SUPPORT THE MISSIONS
On October 1st, we celebrate the feast of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Even though she never left the convent, she is the patroness of the Missions. We too, can support the Missions from wherever we are in the world.
You are cordially invited to participate in a National effort to support the Missions through the Missionary Childhood Association in honor of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
On Friday, September 29th, children from across the country will give $2 to the Missions and dress down for the day. Students are encouraged to wear the colors of the World Mission Rosary. Contributions can be sent to your local diocesan Mission office.
Please include the following inspirational quotes from Saint Thérèse in your morning announcements leading up to this special day:
Monday: BE KIND
“Kindness is my only guiding star. In its light, I sail a straight route.”
Tuesday: BE CARING
“A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a hopeless soul.”
Wednesday: BE HONEST
“I can nourish myself on nothing but truth.”
Thursday: BE HOPEFUL
“In spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”
Friday: BE FAITHFUL
“Let us not grow tired of prayer: faith works miracles.”
Donations can be sent to:
Missionary Childhood Association (MCA)
Archdiocese of San Francisco
1 Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco, CA 94109
The Missionary Cooperation Plan – MCP
Devoted to solidarity and understanding
The Missionary Cooperation Plan of the U.S. Catholic Church, referred to as MCP, was started in the late 1930’s and is conducted in Dioceses across the United States. It is a way of centralizing the efforts of missionary organizations from around the world who wish to appeal to Catholics in the United States. The purpose of MCP is two-fold. First, the many mission dioceses/religious congregations/lay organizations get a change to personally appeal for prayer and financial support from Catholics of the United States. Secondly, we Catholics get the opportunity to be educated about what is happening in the mission field today.
Below you will find complete information about MCP; the MCP Application Form for the Archdiocese of San Francisco; and a sheet of MCP Requirements and Guidelines for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Thank you for your interest in MCP.
MISSIONARY COOPERATION PLAN – WHAT IS MCP?
The Missionary Cooperation Plan of the U.S. Catholic Church, referred to as MCP, was started in the late 1930’s and is conducted in Dioceses across the United States. It is a way of centralizing the efforts of missionary organizations from around the world who wish to appeal to Catholics in the United States.
The purpose of the MCP is two-fold. First, the many missions dioceses/religious congregations/lay organizations get a change to personally appeal for prayer and financial support from Catholics of the United States. Secondly, we Catholics get the opportunity to be educated about what is happening in the mission field today. There are many new strides in mission. We emphasize solidarity and understanding of situations that make life so difficult for so many people. The US Catholic Bishops describe solidarity, in their statement, “Called to
Global Solidarity: International Challenges for U.S. Parishes, as: “action on behalf of the one human family, calling us to help overcome the divisions in our world. Solidarity binds the rich to the poor. It makes a free zealous for the rights of the oppressed. It drives the comfortable and secure to take risks for the victims of tyranny and war…”
It is the responsibility of the Mission Office, under the direction of the Archbishop, to choose who is invited to come to the Archdiocese. Each parish in the Archdiocese of San Francisco is annually assigned a missionary group. Appeals are made anytime from March through the end of August.
The Mission Office believes that it is important for Catholics in the Archdiocese to understand why missionaries come to your parishes each year. The plan gives parishioners an opportunity to learn about missions at home and abroad and an opportunity to financially assist the mission organizations in their efforts to spread the Gospel. Please extend a warm welcome to the missionaries as they share their faith stories in your parish. Thank you for the support and solidarity you have given in the past and will continue to give in the future.
Fill out this form completely and submit it to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Fillng out this form does not guarantee an assignment. The information will be used in considering your application for the Missionary Cooperative Plan or to update our files. Thank you for your help
Thank you for your interest in applying to the Missionary Cooperation Plan in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Please know we consider our speakers to be partners in our efforts to animate and educate the Catholics of the Archdiocese of San Francisco concerning the mission endeavors of our Universal Church.
To be considered for the Missionary Cooperation Plan, this form must be filled out completely.
Thank you for supporting the Missionary group that made a Mission Appeal in your Parish.. It is greatly appreciated.
For a list of the Missionary groups assigned to the MCP 2021, click HERE
FOUNDERS OF THE PONTIFICAL
MISSION SOCIETIES
Our story begins in France in the early 19th century. Pauline Jaricot, inspired by letters about the Missions from her brother, starts gathering together small groups — mostly workers in her family’s silk factory. She asked each member of the group to offer daily prayer and a weekly sacrifice of a sous (the equivalent of a penny at that time) for the Church’s worldwide missionary work. Pauline insisted that her efforts be directed to all the Church’s missions, that it be universal.
From Pauline’s vision came the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The very first collection of the Propagation of the Faith in 1822 supported the vast diocese of Louisiana, which then extended from the Florida Keys to Canada, as well as the Missions of Kentucky and China.
The Propagation of the Faith continues to seek prayer and sacrifice for the world’s Missions, now some 1,100 dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America. Help is offered for pastoral and evangelizing programs, for catechists and catechetical work, to build churches and chapels, for the work of Religious Communities in health care and education, and for communication and transportation needs.
More than a decade before Pauline Jaricot envisioned the idea for the Propagation of the Faith; a young French nobleman — Charles de Forbin-Janson — was ordained a priest.
One day in 1843, now Bishop Forbin-Janson had a talk with Pauline Jaricot about his longtime dream. In the course of the conversation, she suggested that he appeal to the children of France to help children around the world — and the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) was born.
Today, MCA continues to follow the vision of Bishop Forbin-Janson – “children helping children.” After learning about the great needs of the world’s poorest children, young people are invited to pray and to offer financial help so that children in the Missions may know Christ and experience his love and care.
The family of help for the Missions grew again as the 19th century was drawing to close. Jeanne Bigard, and her mother, Stephanie received a letter from a French bishop serving in Japan. He told of more than 50 young men preparing for the priesthood and about the difficulty he was having providing for them and trying to accommodate the growing number of young men applying for admission to the seminary. Stephanie and Jeanne began collecting funds to support those seminarians. In 1889, they established the Society of St. Peter Apostle to support mission vocations, both priestly and Religious.
In the first year of its foundation, the Society of St. Peter Apostle aided some 2,700 seminarians. Today, some 28,000 major seminarians, mostly in Asia and Africa, receive an average annual subsidy of $700 per student; assistance is also provided for men and women Religious novices.
Our story now takes us to Italy and a new century. Father Paolo Manna, a PIME missionary in Myanmar (then Burma) for a decade, begins to focus on just what is needed to be missionary and to encourage others in missionary work. His study leads him to establish, in 1916, the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious.
This spiritual apostolate continues to address itself today to those called to bring Catholics to a better understanding of their baptismal responsibility for the Church’s missionary work — to priests, Religious seminarians, pastoral leaders, those engaged in catechesis and religious education. In fact, the success of the efforts of the other three mission societies is linked to the vitality of the Missionary Union, because it is through this work that the missionary spirit — a spirit of prayer and generous sacrifice — is developed and nurtured.
These four societies each received the official title of “Pontifical” work in 1922, and their central administration was transferred to Rome. National offices exist now in more than 120 countries. Today, this “family” of mission societies in the Church’s primary means to inform Catholics about her worldwide missionary work and encourage their active participation — through prayer and sacrifice — in those efforts. Almost two centuries after our story began, it continues — a story of all of us together — as “one family in mission” — committed to the worldwide mission of Jesus.
Mission Office Staff
MISSION OFFICE ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO
1 Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco, CA 94109
Main Line (415) 614-5670
Fax (415) 614-5671
[email protected]
Genevieve Elizondo
San Francisco, California 94109
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94109
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94109
Robert O’Connor
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94109
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94109
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94109
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Mission Office
Archdiocese of San Francisco
1 Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco CA 94109
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Please send all donations to:
Mission Office
Archdiocese of San Francisco
1 Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco CA 94109
Donate by Mail
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Please send all donations to:
Mission Office
Archdiocese of San Francisco
1 Peter Yorke Way
San Francisco CA 94109