With their presence across the globe, the Pontifical Mission Societies – PMS –serve as a worldwide network at the service of the universal Church. PMS is represented in Italy by the Missio Foundation, the pastoral agency of the Italian Episcopal Conference, tasked with missionary animation and formation. Its efforts revolve around three areas of activity based on its recipients.
The Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood (POIM) or Missio Ragazzi, is dedicated to helping children live as true missionaries. How? Through four fundamental commitments – prayer, proclamation, sharing and fraternity – to be implemented in their daily lives. The tools offered include: the annual Formation Itinerary 2020/2021 named Orchestriamo la Fraternità” (“Let’s orchestrate fraternity”), providing opportunities for missionary animation in the most important liturgical times of the pastoral year; a newsletter with a commentary on the Sunday Gospel, from October to June, with a drawing offering insights for children; material for the 2021 Children’s Missions Day; the monthly magazine Il Ponte d’Oro (“The Golden Bridge”).
Missio Giovani is the Pontifical Missionary Societies’ service offered by young people for young people, with a two-year formation program addressed to those who feel drawn to the mission. Each stage of the program is accompanied by animation cards that can be used in various local realities of youth ministry. A highlight among the many activities is the summer experience in a country located in the South of the globe, offering the opportunity to spend a few weeks side by side with Italian missionaries based in the area.
The Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith (POPF), or Missio Adults & Families, focuses on the missionary animation of communities, adults and families. It encourages spiritual solidarity through prayer for missionaries, and material solidarity through the collection of offerings for Churches in mission lands in all churches during World Mission Day, celebrated this year on October 18. It also provides animation and formation material for the Missionary Month of October, to be used locally for faith animation in dioceses.
The Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) or Missio Consecrati proposes to animate and instil missionary zeal in priests, men and women religious, deacons, seminarians. The latter are the focus of specific attention, with an annual conference dedicated to them and with periodical visits by seven missionaries, commissioned by the Society, to the various seminaries in Italy to meet those preparing for ordination, inspiring them to missionary activity. Other tools include university missionary formation through an online Missiology Course for those interested.
Finally, the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle (POSPA) supports the development of recently founded missionary Churches, providing the necessary resources for seminarians.
All the proposals of Missio can be further explored on the website www.missioitalia.it
