Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Pontifical Mission Societies General at their annual general assembly held in Rome 19 to 21 May, as is the custom, assigned subsides in answer to requests for assistance.
The Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith
Every year the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith receives an average 6,000 requests for assistance from the missionary world. These demands are mainly to help form and pay catechists, repair churches, chapels or convents, or build new ones, diocesan activities, assistance to religious congregations for pastoral activities …This year the following amounts were assigned :
AFRICA - ordinary subsidies $17,109,000; catechists $7,575,433; media (SIGNIS) $1,035,500; special subsidies $25,439,800; $local offerings 1,776; early ordinary subsidies $666,636,
AMERICA - ordinary subsidies $2,214,600; catechists $684,300; media (SIGNIS) $181,000; special subsidies $1,859,000; local offerings $272,563; early ordinary subsidies $32,785,
ASIA - ordinary subsidies $10,752,500; catechists $4,271,359; mass media (SIGNIS) $910,600; special subsidies $13,445,000; early ordinary subsidies $449,184
EUROPE - ordinary subsidies 1,215,500 $; catechists $27,800; special subsidies $774,000; early ordinary subsidies $1,680.
OCEANIA - ordinary subsidies 1,458,000 $; catechists $461,380; mass media (SIGNIS) 464,500 $; special subsidies 991,500 $; early ordinary subsidies $25,161,
The Pontifical Society St Peter the Apostle
The Pontifical Society St Peter the Apostle supported 925 seminaries, dependent and non dependent on the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: 495 minor seminaries and 430 major seminaries. In 2007 the Society supported 80,139 seminarians as follows: 49,768 minor seminarians and 30,371 major seminarians. A reported number of 9,403 students were admitted to major seminaries. The reported number of ordinations of priests in 2007 was 2,397: Africa 1,237, Asia 859, America 253, Europe 24, Oceania 24.
The general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies after examining the requests and according to the available monies assigned the followed amounts: minor seminaries: ordinary subsidies 6,396,200 $; major seminaries: ordinary subsidies $16,074,370 $; male novitiates: $848,400; female novitiates: $1,474,800.
The Pontifical Society Holy Childhood, or Missionary Childhood
The Pontifical Society Holy Childhood, or Missionary Childhood focuses on the needs of children and the part they can play in the task of announcing the Kingdom of God. The Society receives requests for various kinds of help: religious education programmes, feeding programmes, medical care, supplies of children's clothing and school materials: furniture for catechism classes and kindergartens, help to purchase medicines … This year the Assembly assigned to these needs a total $22,662,720: Africa $13,763,220; America $ 964,900; Asia $7,305,800; Europe $ 215,200; Oceania $413,600. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 27/6/2008)
