How Missio helps

Since 1922, Missio has been the Catholic Church’s official support organisation for overseas mission, especially in countries where the Church is new, young or poor.  It cares for and supports the younger churches until they are able to be self-sufficient.

Missio raises awareness and fosters prayer and cooperation in the whole Church. With 120 offices worldwide, it is the only organisation which supports every one of the 1,069 mission dioceses of the world. It plays a crucial role in combating poverty, disease, and exploitation.

Missio has four branches, each with its own unique focus:

• The Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF) helps every one of the Catholic Church's 1,069 mission dioceses and territories to provide pastoral care and preach the Gospel effectively
• The Society of St Peter the Apostle (SPA) is the Church's official fundraising body for the training of clergy and religious in mission territories
• Mission Together – Originally called Holy Childhood, Mission Together has been active in Catholic schools for over a hundred and sixty years. The society encourages children worldwide to pray and share, and become missionaries themselves
• The Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) promotes an awareness of mission and a spirit of unity, prayer and generous sacrifice among priests, religious and laity

The funds collected in each diocese of England and Wales are sent directly to local bishops in the mission territories. In 2009 Catholics in England and Wales contributed £2,978,792 to dioceses and projects in Africa and Asia as follows:

• APF: £2,450,184, distributed between 41 dioceses in Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India and Pakistan
• SPA: £471,661, distributed between 12 seminaries in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, India and Thailand
• MT: £56,947, distributed between children’s projects in 7 dioceses in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Indonesia