Since 1922, the first three of these societies have been designated as pontifical, underscoring their official role as instruments of the Pope and the universal Catholic Church. In most countries, a National Director oversees the four societies and manages the World Mission Sunday Collection, taken up in every Catholic parish worldwide on the second to last Sunday of October.
TPMS was founded by two women, a bishop, and a priest—each responding to the needs of the Church in their time:
Blessed Pauline Marie Jaricot
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith
Jeanne Bigard
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle
Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson
The Missionary Childhood Association
Blessed Fr. Paolo Manna
The Missionary Union
The Pontifical Mission Societies provide vital support to mission territories where the Church is too young, too poor, or too persecuted to sustain itself. TPMS enables the Church's presence in these areas through:
Proclaiming the Gospel and evangelizing communities that have never encountered Christ.
Building churches and chapels as gathering places of faith and worship.
Supporting mission priests, religious Sisters and Brothers, and lay leaders who minister to the faithful.
Providing humanitarian aid, including food, education, and medical care to the most vulnerable.
The Pontifical Mission Societies USA is guided by a National Director and a Board of episcopal and lay Catholic leaders. The Board advises on strategy, vision, and governance, ensuring the financial sustainability of the mission. Each member serves as an ambassador of TPMS in their dioceses and communities.
Appointed as National Director in September 2024 and officially assuming the role in January 2025, Monsignor Roger J. Landry brings a wealth of experience in evangelization, missionary outreach, and pastoral care.
Monsignor Roger J. Landry
National Director
A priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, Monsignor Landry has served in various capacities, including:
Catholic Chaplain at Columbia University,
Attaché to the Holy See's Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations,
Pastor and executive editor of a diocesan newspaper,
Missionary of Mercy, appointed by Pope Francis during the 2015 Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
In 2024, he undertook a 65-day Eucharistic pilgrimage across the United States as part of the Eucharistic Revival and the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, reinforcing his commitment to fostering missionary discipleship.
His Eminence Timothy
Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
His Eminence Seán Cardinal
O'Malley
OFM Cap. Archbishop Emeritus
of Boston
His Eminence Christophe
Cardinal Pierre (Ex officio)
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
The Most Reverend Gregory
M. Aymond
Archbishop of New Orleans
Deacon Frank L. Kurre
Managing Director, Protiviti, Inc.
New York, NY
Barry Jackson
Strategic Advisor
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
The Most Reverend Bernard A. Hebda
Archbishop of St. Paul
and Minneapolis
The Most Reverend
Shelton J. Fabre
Archbishop of Louisville
John O. McManus
Founding Principal
McManus & Associates
The Most Reverend
Mitchell T. Rozanski
Archbishop of Saint Louis
The Most Reverend
James S. Wall
Bishop of Gallup
The Most Reverend
Thomas G. Wenski
Archbishop of Miami
The Most Reverend
Kevin W. Vann
Bishop of Orange
Stephen Auth
Executive Vice President and
Chief Investment Officer
Global Equities, Federated Hermes Inc.
Josephine Everly
Vice President for Advancement
[email protected]
Melanie McManus
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]
Ines San Martin
Vice President of Marketing and
Communications
[email protected]
Keith Oltmans
Vice President of Information Technology
[email protected]
Mark J. Poletunow
Vice President of Regions
[email protected]
Alixandra Holden, Director
Missionary Childhood Association
[email protected]
Cindy Reyes
Executive Assistant
[email protected]
As the official missionary arm of the Catholic Church charged with the work of evangelization, the Pontifical Mission Societies USA seek prayer and sacrifice to support more than 1,100 territories throughout the world where the Catholic Church is too young, too poor, or is actively persecuted and cannot thus be self-sufficient.
To form and develop in every baptized person a missionary spirit – rooted in prayer, sacrifice, and charity – at the service of the Pope in his ministry of proclaiming the Gospel to those who do not know Christ.
Help develop a missionary spirit in every Catholic community in the United States, rooted in the life of the parish, but in communion with the local bishop, Pope Francis, the Church's top missionary, and mindful of the challenges of the universal Church.
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