Key anniversaries will be celebrated in 2022 by global mission agency, Catholic Mission, including the Bicentenary of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith, and the beatification of its founder, Pauline Jaricot who, as a young, faith-filled woman that desired to support missionaries around the world, founded the Society in 1822.
“We owe our beginnings as the Catholic Church in WA to Pauline Jaricot’s vision and the missionary society she established,” Catholic Mission WA’s Director Francis Leong said.
“For this reason alone, the 200th anniversary of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and the beatification of its founder, Pauline Jaricot, should be an important occasion for the West Australian Catholic community to commemorate.”
Catholic Mission, as the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith in Australia, has been operating in the Perth Archdiocese since January 1935.
Mr Leong says that after 20 years in the role, he remains “humbled by the missionary zeal of my predecessors, who all went on to make significant and historic contributions to the development of the Catholic Church in WA, inspired by the spirit of Pauline Jaricot.”
To celebrate the Bicentenary, Catholic Mission, in collaboration with various local partners, will host a Women in Mission weekend retreat from May 21 to 22 at Manjimup Parish, St Joseph’s Church, combining the anniversary of Sr Irene McCormack’s martyrdom 31 years ago on the Saturday and the Beatification of Pauline Jaricot on the Sunday.
The Sunday Mass, as a special celebration of the Beatification (which will also be taking place in Lyon, France, later that day), will be livestreamed, along with all the key-note presentations for the weekend retreat.
The Beatification is a key milestone on Pauline Jaricot’s journey towards being recognised as a saint.
“The first Pontifical Mission Society is a cornerstone for our work here at Catholic Mission, which focuses on supporting communities in need around the world,” Catholic Mission National Director, Fr Brian Lucas explained. “We continue to be guided by her great love of prayer and charity in all our mission activities.”
Catholic Mission has also launched a new monthly newsletter in 2022, Mission Today Digital, with the aim of nurturing the missionary spirit by sharing a unique insight into what Catholic Mission, and its generous supporters, are doing to change the lives of those most in need.
“It’s your window into mission,” Fr Brian said.
“We invite you to walk with us on this missionary journey. Each month we’ll take you behind the scenes of Catholic Mission as we share the work we are doing around the world and meet some of the people who are making this happen.”
“Supporters can sign up to receive the January edition of Mission Today Digital on our website.”
The celebration of the beatification of Pauline Jaricot, and her founding of the Propagation of the Faith, also coincides with a unique series of significant anniversaries for the agencies of mission that have been at the service of global mission.
“The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, The Society of Missionary Childhood and the Society of St Peter Apostle received their pontifical and universal status as the Pope’s Missionary Societies one hundred years ago, in 1922,” Fr Brian said.
“This year we also recognise missionary cooperation throughout the world with the founding, 400 years ago in 1622, of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, once known as Propaganda Fide.”
Subscribe to the monthly newsletter and find out more about the life and legacy of Pauline Jaricot: www.catholicmission.org.au/paulinejaricot
To register for Women in Mission weekend retreat, email Deborah Robertson, Catholic Mission director in Bunbury, at bunbury.director@catholicmission.org.au
Catholic Mission is the Australian agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies – the Catholic Church’s global organisation dedicated to continuing Jesus Christ’s mission in the world: that all may have life to the full. Catholic Mission contributes funding and project support to critical church-run initiatives in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America. These include spiritual formation, pastoral care, education, health, sanitation, and agricultural programs. Here in Australia, we form people to go out and be missionary in their professional and personal lives; to pray, advocate and act for those on the margins. Catholic Mission has offices in 27 Australian dioceses.