08/25/2026
Not so long ago, the Catholic Church in the United States was considered mission territory, relying on foreign missionaries to spread the faith across America.
It wasn’t until 1908 that Pope Pius X officially removed the USA’s designation as a “mission territory.” Within fifty years, largely through Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's visionary leadership of The Pontifical Mission Societies, the Church had matured to missionary status. And American Catholics, the recent recipients of missionary aid, would embrace a new calling as partners in the Church's global missionary work.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the United States would become a prominent sponsor of the missions around the world. American Catholics did this through their prayer, generosity, and witness.
As The Pontifical Mission Societies' national director, Fulton Sheen played a pivotal role in that cultural and historical shift. Sheen’s legacy and upcoming beatification remind us that the mission continues today—and each of us has a role to play.
