About 1,100 dioceses around the world are supported by the organization, the Pontifical Mission Societies. Across Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, missionaries serve in areas where the Catholic Church is poor, persecuted or young.
FR. KIERAN HARRINGTON
National Director, Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.
And there's an important challenge to going away from that place where I'm comfortable to serve those whom I don't know in a disinterested way. This is at the heart of a service which is a disinterested service, purely of love and giving of myself to others and that's why it's important to value the work of the missionaries.
Each third Sunday in October, Catholic churches around the world collect a special offering to support these Christian communities and missionaries. And Fr. Harrington says that while the organization's goal is not solely the collection, each little donation counts.
FR. KIERAN HARRINGTON
National Director, Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.
Every year, every diocese, which is a mission diocese, receives what's called an ordinary subsidy—about $30,000. And let me just tell you, people in the United States would think: well what does $30,000 really do? I just came back from Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, with $10,000, $10,000, we are able to pay the salaries of priests in two dioceses for 4 months.
This is just simply the Mass stipends that are coming from the United States. So $30,000 is critical to the running of a diocese.
But gathering funds to support missionaries in these dioceses in every corner of the world isn't always easy.
FR. KIERAN HARRINGTON
National Director, Pontifical Mission Societies in the U.S.
In the United States, [the] collection 30 years ago was the equivalent of 88 million dollars and last year, it was 23 million. That drop off has a significant effect in the mission territories. 30 years ago, the United States was not as rich as it is now. Most people are not as well off 30 years ago as they are today. And yet the collection has really fallen off tramatically.
Yet Fr. Harrington says he hopes that by inspiring a greater love for the missions, the organization can raise the necessary funds to serve the thousands of people in mission dioceses.
KG
