San Juan, Puerto Rico — From September 15 to 18, representatives from 77 dioceses across the United States convened in San Juan for the annual National Meeting of The Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS). This significant gathering unites over 120 clergy and lay leaders dedicated to fostering the missionary identity of the Church in the United States and advancing the call to proclaim Christ’s message to all nations.
Among those in attendance are Archbishop Emilio Nappa, President of The Pontifical Mission Societies International and Adjunct Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization; Father Roger J. Landry, the incoming National Director of TPMS USA; Father Anthony D. Andreassi, C.O., the interim National Director; and Bishop Vincent F. Mwakhwawa, Auxiliary Bishop of Lilongwe, Malawi, and former National Director of TPMS Malawi.
The gathering precedes the Sixth American Missionary Congress (CAM6), which will take place in Ponce, Puerto Rico, from September 19 to 24.
Archbishop Nappa underscored the global solidarity and shared purpose of The Pontifical Mission Societies, highlighting their work in more than 1,100 mission territories. “We truly are laborers at the service of those who are workers in the missionary fields, sharing Christ’s redeeming message in over 1,100 territories in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and parts of Latin America,” he said. Reflecting on the role of the faithful, he added, “When each of you contributes to the work of TPMS, you are not just sending funds; you are sending hope. You are empowering those on the frontlines of evangelization, ensuring that the light of Christ continues to shine in every corner of the world.”
Father Roger Landry spoke of the missionary call in the United States, tying it to the Missionary Phase of the Eucharistic Revival. “During the Missionary Phase of the Eucharistic Revival, every Catholic in the United States is asked to pray for those we might bring to Christ, to invite, and to walk one-by-one with those willing. My hope is that this phase opens us to our missionary identity, spirituality, and action, helping thousands learn how to walk with Jesus in the pilgrim Church’s journey.”
Father Landry also praised the indispensable work of diocesan directors, stating, “You are the essential link between the global mission of the Church, the 196 dioceses, and the 17,000 parishes in the United States. You are the ones primarily responsible for advancing the holy work of promoting missionary identity, spirit, prayer, and involvement among Catholics in your dioceses.”
Bishop Mwakhwawa expressed his gratitude for the impact of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA in his home country, saying, “My fellow bishops asked me to thank you, on behalf of the Church in Malawi, for your generosity and your faith. The Pontifical Mission Societies USA helps fund more than 70 projects in Malawi. This number grows every year, thanks to the work that you do and the faithful in the United States.”
Dioceses Represented
Altoona-Johnstown, PA; Arlington, VA; Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Bridgeport, CT; Brooklyn, NY; Buffalo, NY; Charleston, SC; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, OH; Corpus Christi, TX; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Dodge City, KS; Ft. Worth, TX; Galveston-Houston, TX; Gary, IN; Gaylord, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; Green Bay, WI; Indianapolis, IN; Jackson, MS; Jefferson City, MO; Kansas City, KS; Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO; La Crosse, WI; Lafayette, IN; Lexington, KY; Los Angeles, CA; Madison, WI; Metuchen, NJ; Milwaukee, WI; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Oakland, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; Omaha, NE; Orange, CA; Paterson, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Rapid City, SD; Richmond, VA; Rochester, NY; Sacramento, CA; Saginaw, MI; San Angelo, TX; San Bernardino, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Scranton, PA; Springfield, IL; Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO; St. Augustine, FL; St. Cloud, MN; St. Louis, MO; St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN; Trenton, NJ; Washington, D.C.; Winona-Rochester, MN; Worcester, MA; Yakima, WA; Youngstown, OH.
As the Church in the Americas prepares for CAM6, the National Meeting of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA reaffirms the Church’s commitment to fostering a culture of mission and solidarity among the faithful in the United States.
About The Pontifical Mission Societies USA
The Pontifical Mission Societies (TPMS) is a worldwide network at the service of the Pope to support the missions and the young Churches with prayer and charity. We help provide the moral support, prayer, and financial contributions that enable churches to be built, priests and nuns to receive formation during the various stages of their religious life, dioceses to be sustained in places where the Church is too young or too poor to be self-sufficient; and that finance schools and other facilities aimed at the catechesis of children.
The four societies are the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA), and the Missionary Union of Priests and Religious.
The Pontifical Mission Societies are, first and foremost, an evangelizing institution. We indeed seek to alleviate suffering, whether following the devastating earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria in February of 2023 or the horror of War in Ukraine. Still, our primary mandate is to preach the word of God and build the universal Church, paying particular attention to those places where the Catholic Church is newly established, lacks resources, or faces persecution.
