For the first time since 1922, the annual assembly of the Pontifical Mission-Aid Societies is being held in Lyon from 4 to 13 May to inaugurate the house of Pauline Jaricot, a leading lay figure of the Church due to her life-long dedication to social and missionary work. Chaired by the new President of the Pontifical Mission-Aid Societies, Msgr. Henryk Hoser and with the participation of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the congress annually brings together the national directors of the Pontifical Mission-Aid Societies in 130 countries. It is aimed at “examining the requests for aid received from throughout the world” and allocating the available funds among the various projects being realized in 1500 dioceses in five continents, from Africa to Asia and Latin America. Donated by Catholics throughout the world during Mission Sunday in October, the funds are offered to the local Churches to support evangelization projects and the permanent formation of local clergy, and men and women religious. This year the Pontifical Mission-Aid Societies decided to hold their congress in Lyon to participate in the inauguration of a hostel and conference centre in the house where Pauline Marie Jaricot lived from 1832 to her death in 1862. Pauline Jaricot was the founder of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which was destined to become a bulwark of Catholic missions in the world. Entirely restored thanks to the intervention of the archbishop of Lyon, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Pauline’s home which she called “Lorette” was inaugurated in the presence of cardinals and bishops from all over the world on Thursday 5 May. In the evening, 800 youngsters participated in a debate with Cardinal Barbarin on the continuing relevance of Pauline’s message in our time.
