Throughout the year, our Mission Family has the opportunity to give thanks for many blessings. We are grateful to serve the people of God both here in the Archdiocese of Boston and throughout the mission world. Mostly, we are prayerfully indebted to you, our donors. Without the sacrifices and prayers made by the members of the Pontifical Mission Societies, our ministry would not be possible.

As winter turns to spring, we reflect on the following graces:

Some of the first donations to The Society for the Propagation of the Faith were sent to one of the greatest mission lands of the time -- the United States of America. Sent to help build our churches and schools and to train our priests, these monies were concrete evidence of the belief of nineteenth century European Catholics that we deserved a chance to know the Catholic faith. Here in the United States, we continued to receive support from The Society for the Propagation of the Faith until 1908. We now contribute just over forty percent of all funds sent to our General Fund at the Vatican, which are distributed amongst the 1,123 mission territories who journey on the same road to faith that was once afforded to us. In other words, our donors support the work of over one third of all dioceses in the world!

Each week, we gather for Mass in our home parishes; our children receive their sacraments regularly and there is clergy present to offer prayers over the graves of our loved ones. Our access to regular Mass and sacraments is a privilege still not shared by all Catholics and one that The Society of St. Peter the Apostle seeks to correct by helping to educate a local clergy in the missions. Thanks to your gifts, seminaries and houses of religious formation for men and women are built. Annual scholarships are given to worthy candidates.

Children are often referred to as the future of the world and our Church. We believe that they have a faith job -- a mission -- now. As members of The Missionary Childhood Association, children are learning that their brothers and sisters in Christ need their prayers and sacrifices in order to share the blessings common here. They include clean water, education, and most importantly, the knowledge that Jesus loves them.

Young and old, clergy and laity, spiritual and material support: for all these things, we are grateful. They make us One Family in Mission. Join us at propfaithboston.org



- Maureen Crowley Heil is Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Boston.