Director: Rev. Fr. Maina

Pontifical Mission Societies sprung up from charismatic initiatives begun by lay people and priests, with the intent of supporting the activity of missionaries, animating and directly involving priests, consecrated persons and lay people in prayer, offering sacrifice and promoting vocations, in charitable and concrete ways. While it should be underlined that the PMS are of charismatic origin, it is also necessary to point out that the church has guaranteed their authenticity, recognized them and adopted them as her own, through the direct intervention of the Petrine Office.

There are four Pontifical Mission Societies.

These are:

(i) The Society of the Holy Childhood (PMC).

Founded on 9th May 1843 by Bishop Charles Marie de Forbin Janson, Bishop of Nancy, and placed under the patronage of the Child Jesus. PMC aims at progressively awakening missionary awareness among children; encouraging children to share their faith and material goods with children of the more needy regions and churches; and fostering missionary vocation from an early age. The Day of Holy Childhood is celebrated on Epiphany Sunday.

  (ii) The Society for the Propagation of Faith (POF)

POF was founded by a young French lady from Lyons called Pauline Marie Jaricot in 1819. It offers all the baptized an opportunity to fulfill their obligation of spreading the faith through prayers and financial contributions to the universal fund that caters for missionary activity of the church with special emphasis on missionary formation of the youth; formation of church leaders and construction of churches, schools and hospitals. The universal church celebrates the Day of POF on World Mission Sunday which falls on the penultimate Sunday of October.

  (iii) The Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA)

This society was founded in 1878 by a young French girl, Jeanne Bigard assisted by her mother Stephanie. The spirit of SPA is to encourage prayers for vocations to the consecrated life and to offer financial support for those in formation houses. The universal church makes the Day of SPA on the 4th Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday) every year.

  (iv) Society for Missionary Union (PMU)

PMU was founded by an Italian priest, Fr. Paolo Manna in 1916. The principle aims of this society are:

  • To re-awaken apostolic zeal among its members and through them, among all the people of God.
  • Too encourage missionary vocations and apostolic spirit
  • To join priests, religious, and the laity in prayer for the missionary work of the church.
  • Inviting the sick to offer their sufferings for the missions.

The Day of PMU is marked on the 11th of February every year which coincides with the World Day for the Sick.