The society for the Propagation of the Faith began in France in the early 19th century. Pauline Jaricot, inspired by letters about the Missions from her brother, starts gathering together small groups — mostly workers in her family’s silk factory. She asked each member of the group to offer daily prayer and a weekly sacrifice of a sous (the equivalent of a penny at that time) for the Church’s worldwide missionary work. Pauline insisted that her efforts be directed to all the Church’s missions, that it be universal.

One of the diocesan efforts to promote mission awareness and spiritual union with mission efforts is the diocesan Missionary Cooperation Plan (MCP). Because of the many needs of new churches in underdeveloped countries, needs that are as urgent today as in any other period in history, each diocese in the United States invites representatives of missionary dioceses, religious congregations, and lay missionary organizations to visit parishes, usually during the summer months.

The Missionary Childhood Association (MCA), formerly known as the Holy Childhood Association is one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies active in some 110 countries throughout the world. Founded in 1843 by Bishop Charles de Forbin-Jason, MCA helps to animate the young faithful to a universal missionary spirit and to gather support for the local churches of Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America for the Church’s service among children.