The Newsletter of the Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Transmissions
SPRING 2022
? www.catholicaoc.org/offices/mission-and-pontificial-mission-societies > Dr. Mike Gable at mgable@catholicaoc.org The Pontificial Mission Societies: The Society for the Propagation of the Faith The Missionary Childhood Associations • The Society of St. Peter the Apostle • The Pontifical Missionary Union
Pauline Jericot Beatification May 22, 2022 By Dr. Mike Gable, Mission Office Director The archdiocese of Cincinnati celebrated its 200th anniversary last year, during which time we thanked God for those in the past who brought us to this point today. One key person who should also be noted is Pauline Jericot who, in 1822, was inspired by letters from her brother to support mission efforts in Asia.
(MCA) which now supports more than 2 million children who are enrolled in catechesis and Christian formation programs, nursery through secondary school, health care, and advocate for street children, child soldiers, human trafficking, and so on.
While working at local at a local silk factory in Lyons, France, Pauline began to invite her fellow employees to give small weekly donations to support those missions. Within a year, she had 500 workers in groups praying daily and offering financial sacrifices each week. It wasn’t long before the pope himself took Pauline’s efforts under his own wing, and thus the Society for the Propagation of the Faith was born as the first of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
Later in 1889, the Society of St. Peter Apostle was founded to support mission vocations, both priestly and Religious. 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.
In the first 100 years of its existence, The Society for the Propagation of the Faith sent $7 million to help what was then the young church in the United States. In late 1823 to early 1824 our first bishop, Edward Fenwick, traveled to Europe seeking support and was given funds from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. These and other donations would allow Bishop Fenwick to build churches, to dedicate the first cathedral in Cincinnati in 1826, to establish the first diocesan seminary in 1829, to set up Catholic Telegraph in 1831, and more.
These four societies each received the official title of "Pontifical" in 1922, and their central administration was transferred to Rome to assist the Pope in his outreach to the Missions.
It was in 1843, that Pauline met French Bishop Forbin-Janson to organize another pontifical mission society to invite the children of France to aid children around the world. Today it is known as the Missionary Childhood Association
Missionary Union of Priests and Religious was begun in 1916 to support those engaged in catechesis and religious education to help Catholics better understand their baptismal responsibility for the Church’s missionary work.
Today, the Propagation of the Faith continues to seek prayer and sacrifices for 1,100 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and remote regions of Latin America. Your donations support pastoral and evangelizing programs, catechists, and catechetical work, building new churches, health care, education, communication, and transportation needs. On 26 May 2020, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to Jaricot's intercession. Her beatification is set for May 22, 2022 in Lyon, France with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presiding on the Pope's behalf.
During this Lenten/Easter season help us celebrate the inspirational work of Pauline Jericot by supporting the Societies of the Propagation of the Faith at: www.givecentral.org/pontificalmissionsocieties or use our new QR code. Or write a check to “Mission Office” c/o Mission Office, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Add us to your will!