AMERICA/USA - Archbishop Nappa to the representatives of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the USA: May gratitude be the source of your contribution to the mission of the Universal Church

Sunday, 17 November 2024 pontifical mission societies mission evangelization world mission day local churches

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San Juan (Agenzia Fides) - "We must begin by recognizing the extraordinary generosity of the universal Church towards the Church in the United States. Until 1908 the United States was considered a mission territory and the support of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, founded in 1822 by Blessed Pauline Jaricot, helped the faith to take root here", said Archbishop Emilio Nappa, President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, in his address to the more than 120 diocesan directors and collaborators of the Pontifical Mission Societies of the 80 US dioceses, gathered in Puerto Rico, where the VI American Missionary Congress (CAM6) begins on Tuesday, November 19. Before that, the delegates of the American network of the Pontifical Mission Societies took part in the usual training event, which takes place approximately every 18 months, starting on Friday and ending today, Sunday, November 17.

At the beginning of his remarks on Saturday afternoon, November 16, the Archbishop thanked Father Anthony Andreassi for his work as interim director and welcomed the new National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the USA, Father Roger Landry, who will take up his post in January. Archbishop Nappa thanked all the participants in the meeting and recalled their vocation as a network in collaborating according to the principle of subsidiarity.
The President of the Pontifical Mission Societies emphasized that throughout its history the United States has gone from being a recipient of aid to being an important donor to the missionary Church, both financially and spiritually. The Archbishop mentioned some important figures in the history of the American Church, such as Mother Francesca Saveria Cabrini and St. Elizabeth Seton, the first saint born in the United States. He then addressed the central role of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who as National Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith not only transformed the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States but also helped to inspire a whole generation of Catholics to the mission.

"We must ensure," said Archbishop Nappa, "that every Catholic in the United States is informed about and involved in the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies. This requires close cooperation between the National Direction and the Diocesan Mission Offices. The role of the National Director is fundamental to the mission of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States." "We must not forget," continued the President of the Pontifical Mission Societies, "that our priority is to support the universal missionary goals of the Holy Father. The Universal Solidarity Fund is formed by the collection on World Mission Sunday, the intentions of the Mass and other generous donations, which are the main means by which we can offer help to mission territories throughout the world."

In his speech, the President of the Pontifical Mission Societies recalled that the Universal Solidarity Fund supports the mission in more than 1,100 dioceses in mission territories. Last year's figures showed that the Fund had financed 2,700 projects focusing on educational programs and the protection of children. More than 74,080 pupils and students in small schools and seminaries had been supported. In addition, the construction of 751 churches had been supported and 258,540 nuns in the mission territories had been helped. "Just as the universal Church once came to the aid of the Church in the United States in its early years, today I ask you to offer the same support to the mission territories throughout the world," concluded Archbishop Nappa, remembering that "we are also mission territories for the proclamation: the progressive dechristianization leads our society to polarization and psychological and existential loneliness, elements that make society unstable and encourage evil. It is therefore necessary to re-evangelize, and by asking others for support we already have a way of proclaiming the Gospel". (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 17/11/2024)