Commemorating the eightieth anniversary of the PMS in the Philippines (1932-2012), the CBCP has declared 2012 as “Year of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS)”

In a pastoral exhortation, Archbishop Jose Palma, CBCP President, said: “It is to be a grace-filled year, marked by renewed enthusiasm for dedicated service as Christ’s evangelizing disciples.”

Read more: Launching of the ‘Year of the Pontifical Mission Societies’ on Jan. 14

Every second to the last Sunday of October the Church celebrates World Mission Day. So this year World Mission Day will be celerated on October 23 with the  theme. "As the Father has sent me so I send you" (Jn 20:21). In his message Pope Benedict reminds us: "World Mission Day itself is not an isolated moment in the course of the year, but rather a valuable opportunity to pause and reflect on whether and how we respond to our missionary vocation."

Read more: The Church Celebrates World Mission Sunday

Next year, 2012, the Pontifical Mission Societies or PMS will be celebrating its eightieth year of missionary presence in the Philippines. As such, it will be an opportune time to thank the good Lord for the years that PMS has closely collaborated with the Philippine Church, particularly in mission animation and cooperation.

But we cannot rest on our laurels, so to speak, for mission is dynamic and on- going and so also with the work of missionary animation and cooperation. In fact, in hindsight, we can still say that there is much to be done, specifically in promoting mission awareness among the People of God. It is for this reason that we are requesting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines to declare 2012 as the “Year of the Pontifical Mission Societies.” We hope that whatever gains we have achieved through the years will be sustained so as to make PMS truly an integral part of the life of the Church in the Philippines.

Read more: Pontifical Mission Societies Publishes Homily Guide for Mission Month

It was already a long desire of  Fr. Mark Vilos, mission director of the Diocese of  Dumaguete,  to invite the PMS national director to come to his diocese and give a talk to the clergy and religious about the works of the Pontifical Mission Societies. As the diocesan mission director he thought that the presence of the national director would definitely have an impact in terms of interest and support from the clergy and religious and help as well boost the morale of his mission team especially in light of his plan to organize a Diocesan Mission Congress in 2012 as a diocesan celebration of the PMS’ 80th anniversary in the Philippines.

Read more: PMS National Director visits the Diocese of Dumaguete