Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
Encyclopedia
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is a missionary
congregation in the Latin Church
,one of the 23 sui iuris
churches which make up the Catholic Church led by the Bishop of Rome. It was founded in 1854 by Father Jules Chevalier
at Issoudun
, France
, in the Diocese of Bourges and is a member of the Chevalier Family
.
Jules Chevalier had a vision of a new world emerging and he wanted to make known the Gospel
message of God's love and care for all men and women and to evoke a response in every human heart. He especially valued love, concern, compassion, understanding, respect and acceptance of every individual. His vision was based on the words of Jesus:
The motto of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is: May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere!The priests
, deacon
s and brothers
of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are known as MSCs (from the Latin
, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis). As with most religious congregations in the Catholic Church there is significant involvement on the part of the laity
, who may also serve on the missions. The international headquarters is in Rome
with numerous communities throughout the world.
of the B. V. M. The means to lay their foundation being the outcome of special prayers addressed to the Mother of God during the nine days preceding event of 8 Dec., 1854. The founder had pledged himself to honour the Blessed Virgin in a special manner. Chevalier fulfilled his promise the following year by erecting a shrine dedicated to the honour of Mary under the title of "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart ".
In 1864 he founded the Archconfraternity
of the Sacred Heart and sought to have it established in every parish as a means to develop devotion to, and appreciation of, the love that Christ bears all people. In 1867, the Congregation opened its first school in
Chezal-Benoît
in the Centre Region of France
.
In September 1881, at the request of Pope Leo XIII the Congregation sent its first missionaries oversees. From Barcelona
three missionaries set out for Papua New Guinea
and founded the first overseas mission in 1882 near Rabaul
on the island of New Britain
.
In 1885, a supply base for the Papua New Guinea mission was founded in Sydney
, Australia
and the Australian Province was established in 1905. The Congregation continued to grow and established provinces in the Netherlands
(1894), the United States
(1939), Spain
(1946), Ireland
(1952), Indonesia
(1971) and the Dominican Republic
(1986).
, taking the three traditional religious vows
of poverty, chastity and obedience. Poverty means that all possessions are held in common and that no member may accumulate wealth. Chastity means more than abstaining from sexual activity and its purpose is to make the religious totally available for service; it is also a sign that only God
can completely fill the human heart. For a member of a religious congregation, obedience is not slavishly doing what one is told by the superior but being attentive to God’s will by prayerfully listening to the voice of the person in charge. Ultimately, these vows are lived out within a community and bolstered by a relationship with God. Consequently:
The actual process of discernment and formation differs slightly with each province, but the overall scheme is the same.
, religious brother or sister. The young people are also strongly encouraged to attend Mass
as often as possible and to regularly spend time in prayer
in order to better discern their vocation.
Whilst on these live-in experiences, young people have the opportunity to live in community, to share their faith more deeply and to share with those who are missionaries, both lay
and ordained
In other provinces, this experience is full time e.g. in the United Kingdom
where during this stage a candidate may take classes in philosophy
or theology
.This is especially so if the person does not possess a university degree. In the Philippines
Province, candidates (called ‘Formands’) who have graduated from high school go to live the MSA Formation Centre in Cebu
from where they take university classes, a process which lasts some five years. The Filipinos refer to this as the Collegiate.
as a future member of the Congregation. In provinces with few postulant
s the aspirant will normally live in one of the various communities. In the Philippines there are enough postulants to have a designated house, situated in Valenzuela
.
preparing himself to take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The novitiate year is crucial, for it is then “…that the novices better understand their divine vocation, and indeed one which is proper to the institute, experience the manner of living of the institute, and form their mind and heart in its spirit, and so that their intention and suitability are tested.” Thus, the novices are given the opportunity for longer periods of prayer
and spiritual reading as well as silence in order to reflect on the vocation God
is offering and nature of their response. The spiritual development of the novice is of particular focus, especially through spiritual direction
. During the novitiate the history and Constitutions of the Congregation are studied in depth.
A simple profession is made at the end of the novitiate and the person officially becomes a member of the Congregation for “By religious profession, members assume the observance of the three evangelical counsels by public vow, are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church, and are incorporated into the institute with the rights and duties defined by law.”
and decides whether or not to make a lifelong commitment to vowed life. During this period it is normal to pursue a degree in theology; in the US this would be done at the Catholic Theological Union
, in the Philippines at the MSC’s own theologate in Quezon City
, Manila
and in the UK
at Heythrop College
. At the end of this period of formation, which, according to Canon Law, may last no more than six years perpetual profession (final vows) is made and ordination to the diaconate and presbyterate follows for those called to Holy Orders
.
For the Congregation the motto ‘May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved’ goes beyond placing statues of the Sacred Heart in churches, First Friday devotions and
novenas, important as they are. It means believing that Christ’s love for His people is empowering, healing, all-embracing, liberating and challenging.In practical terms, this means that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart:
This means that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are engaged in a variety of ministries as they respond to the ‘signs of the times’, ever seeking ways in which to bring people to a deeper appreciation of the love that God has for his children, and to do so in ‘concrete circumstances’.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
congregation in the Latin Church
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
,one of the 23 sui iuris
Sui iuris
Sui iuris, commonly also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means “of one’s own laws”.-Secular law:In civil law the phrase sui juris indicates legal competence, the capacity to manage one’s own affairs...
churches which make up the Catholic Church led by the Bishop of Rome. It was founded in 1854 by Father Jules Chevalier
Jules Chevalier
Jules Chevalier , was a French Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic orders, and the inspiration for the members of the Chevalier Family.Born in Richelieu, France, he was initially apprenticed as a shoemaker...
at Issoudun
Issoudun
Issoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in the Diocese of Bourges and is a member of the Chevalier Family
Chevalier Family
The Chevalier Family is an informal group of Roman Catholic religious congregations founded or inspired by Jules Chevalier.The group consists of three congregations:* The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart...
.
Jules Chevalier had a vision of a new world emerging and he wanted to make known the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
message of God's love and care for all men and women and to evoke a response in every human heart. He especially valued love, concern, compassion, understanding, respect and acceptance of every individual. His vision was based on the words of Jesus:
"I give you a new commandment, love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples." [John 13:34 ff]
The motto of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is: May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere!The priests
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
, deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s and brothers
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are known as MSCs (from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis). As with most religious congregations in the Catholic Church there is significant involvement on the part of the laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
, who may also serve on the missions. The international headquarters is in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with numerous communities throughout the world.
History
The origin of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is closely connected with the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate ConceptionImmaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
of the B. V. M. The means to lay their foundation being the outcome of special prayers addressed to the Mother of God during the nine days preceding event of 8 Dec., 1854. The founder had pledged himself to honour the Blessed Virgin in a special manner. Chevalier fulfilled his promise the following year by erecting a shrine dedicated to the honour of Mary under the title of "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart ".
In 1864 he founded the Archconfraternity
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
of the Sacred Heart and sought to have it established in every parish as a means to develop devotion to, and appreciation of, the love that Christ bears all people. In 1867, the Congregation opened its first school in
Chezal-Benoît
Chezal-Benoît
Chezal-Benoît is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of lakes and streams, farming and forestry comprising a village and a couple of hamlets situated in the valley of the small river Mouzet, some southwest of Bourges at the junction of the D18 with...
in the Centre Region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In September 1881, at the request of Pope Leo XIII the Congregation sent its first missionaries oversees. From Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
three missionaries set out for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and founded the first overseas mission in 1882 near Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
on the island of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
.
In 1885, a supply base for the Papua New Guinea mission was founded in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the Australian Province was established in 1905. The Congregation continued to grow and established provinces in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(1894), the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1939), Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(1946), Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(1952), Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
(1971) and the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
(1986).
Vows
As members of a religious congregation, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart embrace the evangelical counselsEvangelical counsels
The three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection in Christianity are chastity, poverty , and obedience . As Jesus of Nazareth stated in the Canonical gospels , they are counsels for those who desire to become "perfect"...
, taking the three traditional religious vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
of poverty, chastity and obedience. Poverty means that all possessions are held in common and that no member may accumulate wealth. Chastity means more than abstaining from sexual activity and its purpose is to make the religious totally available for service; it is also a sign that only God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
can completely fill the human heart. For a member of a religious congregation, obedience is not slavishly doing what one is told by the superior but being attentive to God’s will by prayerfully listening to the voice of the person in charge. Ultimately, these vows are lived out within a community and bolstered by a relationship with God. Consequently:
Becoming a Missionary of the Sacred Heart doesn’t happen over night. Plenty of time and help is given to preparing us for a way of life that is certainly not ordinary!
People interested in exploring if this way is for them usually journey with us for a time of Accompaniment. This is an opportunity to carefully and prayerfully get more of a sense of what we are about and come to know yourself better.
If a person decides to join us he is helped along the many steps of prayer, study, reflection, living and working in our pastoral and missionary settings and sharing our way of life to try it out for size. All this happens before any commitment is made.
The actual process of discernment and formation differs slightly with each province, but the overall scheme is the same.
Discernment
Young adults aged 18 and over, meet regularly to share their experiences of God and what He may be calling them to become. During this time the members of the Congregation share what it is like to be a priestPresbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
, religious brother or sister. The young people are also strongly encouraged to attend Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
as often as possible and to regularly spend time in prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
in order to better discern their vocation.
Live in experience
In the U.S. this is normally a series of weekends or whole week experiences, designed to help young men who are interested in religious life.Whilst on these live-in experiences, young people have the opportunity to live in community, to share their faith more deeply and to share with those who are missionaries, both lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
and ordained
In other provinces, this experience is full time e.g. in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where during this stage a candidate may take classes in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
or theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.This is especially so if the person does not possess a university degree. In the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Province, candidates (called ‘Formands’) who have graduated from high school go to live the MSA Formation Centre in Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
from where they take university classes, a process which lasts some five years. The Filipinos refer to this as the Collegiate.
Aspirancy/Postulancy/Pre-Novitiate
It is normal for a person to have a degree before entering this year long period. In the U.S. the aspirant goes to live full time in an MSC formation house with peers and under the guidance of a formation director. This period devoted to learning more deeply about what it means to follow ChristChrist
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
as a future member of the Congregation. In provinces with few postulant
Postulant
A postulant was originally one who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate. The use of the term is now generally restricted to those asking for admission into a monastery or a convent, both before actual admission and for the length of time preceding their admission into the novitiate...
s the aspirant will normally live in one of the various communities. In the Philippines there are enough postulants to have a designated house, situated in Valenzuela
Valenzuela
Valenzuela may refer to:*Valenzuela, Paraguay*Valenzuela, Philippines*Valenzuela, Spain*Valenzuela, LouisianaValenzuela Spanish surname :* Alfred Valenzuela - Mexican-American United States Army general...
.
Novitiate
Once the candidate knows the MSC way of life, he is admitted into the novitiateNovitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
preparing himself to take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The novitiate year is crucial, for it is then “…that the novices better understand their divine vocation, and indeed one which is proper to the institute, experience the manner of living of the institute, and form their mind and heart in its spirit, and so that their intention and suitability are tested.” Thus, the novices are given the opportunity for longer periods of prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
and spiritual reading as well as silence in order to reflect on the vocation God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
is offering and nature of their response. The spiritual development of the novice is of particular focus, especially through spiritual direction
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
. During the novitiate the history and Constitutions of the Congregation are studied in depth.
A simple profession is made at the end of the novitiate and the person officially becomes a member of the Congregation for “By religious profession, members assume the observance of the three evangelical counsels by public vow, are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church, and are incorporated into the institute with the rights and duties defined by law.”
Post Novitiate
Post novitiate is where the newly-professed religious deepens his commitment as a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred HeartSacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
and decides whether or not to make a lifelong commitment to vowed life. During this period it is normal to pursue a degree in theology; in the US this would be done at the Catholic Theological Union
Catholic Theological Union
The Catholic Theological Union, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, is one of the largest schools of theology in the world and trains men and women for lay and clerical ministry within the Roman Catholic Church...
, in the Philippines at the MSC’s own theologate in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and in the UK
at Heythrop College
Heythrop College
Heythrop College is the specialist philosophy and theology constituent college of the University of London situated in Kensington Square, Kensington, London. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in philosophy, theology and psychology, as well as research in related fields.It was founded...
. At the end of this period of formation, which, according to Canon Law, may last no more than six years perpetual profession (final vows) is made and ordination to the diaconate and presbyterate follows for those called to Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
.
Spirit and charism
The Constitutions of the Congregation state:The spirit of our Congregation is made of love and kindness, humility and simplicity; but above all, it is a spirit of love for justice and concern for the welfare of all, specially the poorest ones.
For the Congregation the motto ‘May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved’ goes beyond placing statues of the Sacred Heart in churches, First Friday devotions and
novenas, important as they are. It means believing that Christ’s love for His people is empowering, healing, all-embracing, liberating and challenging.In practical terms, this means that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart:
- Are committed to spreading the GospelGospelA gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
of ChristChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach... - Respond to the needs of all, particularly those who are poor, isolated or marginalised
- Promote human development and compassion, build and model healthy relationships in the light of Catholic social teachings
- Encourage, foster and sustain lay leadership in the Church and involvement in their missions and spirituality
This means that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart are engaged in a variety of ministries as they respond to the ‘signs of the times’, ever seeking ways in which to bring people to a deeper appreciation of the love that God has for his children, and to do so in ‘concrete circumstances’.
Missions and ministries
- Australia: Education, parishes, chaplaincies, retreats, justice and peace.
- Britain and Ireland: Parishes, schools, retreats, hospital chaplaincyChaplainTraditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, counselling, migrants and refugees. Missionaries have been sent to RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. - Philippines: 24 parishes, schools, indigenous people, justice and peacePontifical Council for Justice and PeaceThe Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is a part of the Roman Curia dedicated to "action-oriented studies" for the international promotion of justice, peace, and human rights from the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church...
, the urban poor, care for the environment and organising small ecclesial communities. Missionaries have been sent to BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the Marshall IslandsMarshall IslandsThe Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
and South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... - South Africa: Parishes, charismatic renewal, healing and deliverance, people with HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and HIV education, human and spiritual growth and retreats. - United States: Parishes, Native AmericansNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, those who have fallen away from the Church as well as justice and peace issues. Missionaries have been sent to ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Papua New GuineaPapua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
.