Council for Missions of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference
This Council comes under the Episcopal Commission for Social Issues and International Affairs
Contact details
Ms Julieann Moran,
Executive Secretary
Email: julieann@wmi.ie
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Members
Ms Julieann Moran, Executive Secretary
Episcopal membership:
Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly (Chair)
About
The Episcopal Conference established the council to ‘foster evangelisation ad gentes, missionary animation and cooperation in their various forms, and to maintain relations with the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and with the Episcopal Conference, in order to guarantee unity of action’ (CM 10). For greater unity and working efficiency in animation and cooperation and to avoid competition and repetition, Conference makes use of the National Mission Council. (CM 12).
Conference established the council in response to the Apostolic Letter of Paul VI, Ecclesiae Sanctae, 6 August 1966 in line with Ad Gentes (AG) 38 of Vatican Council II.
Work
- To develop missionary awareness in local dioceses
- To promote the Pontifical Mission Societies in every diocese and safeguard the universal and missionary character of the Pontifical Mission Societies
- To ensure a fair distribution of aid to the Young Churches
- To see that all initiatives of missionary cooperation are promoted and harmoniously integrated
- To support mission institutions in their proposing to young people a missionary vocation ad vitam
- To direct the work of the National Mission Council on behalf of the episcopal conference
National Mission Council (NMC)
The National Mission Council plans, directs and reviews the main activities of missionary cooperation at the national level. It falls to the Council to put these same matters to the Conference, so that appropriate decisions may be taken (CM 12).
World Missions Ireland www.wmi.ie
World Missions Ireland, the new official working title for the Pontifical Mission Societies, rightly has the first place in missionary cooperation and should be recognised as the official organ for missionary cooperation of all the Churches and all Christians (AG 38). Promoted by bishops at diocesan and national level, the Pontifical Mission Societies depends on them within the limits of the Pontifical Mission Societies Statute. The Pontifical Mission Societies are the official Church institution to promote mission awareness and assist the missionary activity of the Church by prayer, offering of suffering and financial help. They seek to assist all the missions of the world, especially those in greatest need. Their main objective is the support of evangelisation in the strict sense. In Ireland, the Pontifical Mission Societies are administered from a national office in Dublin. The Pontifical Mission Societies team is led by National Director, Fr Maurice Hogan, SSC. The Office is located at 64 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6; email: director@wmi.ie.
Irish Missionary Union www.imu.ie
The Irish Missionary Union (IMU) was founded in 1970, incorporating the members of the former Missionary Service Centre. The organisation was founded to promote cooperation between missionary, mission-sending and mission-aid organisations, thereby helping them to make better and most efficient use of their personnel and other resources. The IMU works in close collaboration with the Bishops in the task of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It acts as liaison between missionary bodies and national or international organisations involved in evangelisation and development. Its core work includes: highlighting issues of injustice in the developing world; assisting returned missionaries reintegrate into Ireland; highlighting the Mission Month of October as well as promoting Mission awareness throughout Ireland. It also runs a training programme to form future religious leaders from the developing world as well as offering a 3/6 month course of renewal for missionaries. The Irish Missionary Union office is located at 29 Westland Square, Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
