(New York, January 23, 2025) – His Eminence Seán Patrick Cardinal O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. was honored with the first-ever Blessed Pauline Jaricot Distinguished Catholic Philanthropy Medal at The Pontifical Mission Societies USA's inaugural Heart of the Missions Dinner. The gala event, held at the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York City, celebrated Cardinal O'Malley's lifetime commitment to missionary work and evangelization. The Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, said “I begin by conveying the warm greetings and apostolic blessings of His Holiness Pope Francis. Our Holy Father, who has consistently called the Church to embrace the missionary nature, sees the work of The Pontifical Mission Society as a vital expression of this universal calling. As he reminds us, the church exists to evangelize. And organizations like The Pontifical Mission Societies play an essential role in supporting this fundamental mission.” The Blessed Pauline Jaricot Distinguished Catholic Philanthropy Medal, Cardinal Pierre said, “bears a special meaning, as it connects the innovative spirit of a young laywoman in 19th century France to the urgent missionary needs of our time. Blessed Pauline's genius lay not only on her ability to mobilize material support for the missions, but in her understanding that every Catholic is called to participate in the Church's evangelical mandate.”
"Cardinal Seán's life exemplifies what Pope Francis calls 'missionary discipleship' – whether serving immigrant communities in multiple languages, ministering to those on society's margins, or bringing healing to wounded dioceses."
Monsignor Roger J. Landry, National Director of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA, praised Cardinal O'Malley's enduring missionary spirit: "Throughout his priesthood and episcopacy, Cardinal Seán has demonstrated what it means to bring Christ to all. His mastery of ten languages became a tool for sharing the Gospel to so many diverse groups of people. His desire to be a missionary from the beginning of his religious life impacted how he lived out his vocation as a Capuchin, priest, bishop, and cardinal of the Church.”
“He always made whatever the Church asked of him his own missionary territory where he brought Christ’s healing, truth, and saving love. We are proud to present him this reward and a sign of his extraordinary apostolic zeal, the type of missionary spirit the Pontifical Mission Societies has sought to foster in the Church for 200 years,” Monsignor Landry said.
Upon receiving the award from the hands of Cardinal Pierre, Cardinal O’Malley said: “The work of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, in my way of thinking, is a direct response to Jesus' final two commands in the Gospel—what I like to call Jesus’ marching orders to us. On Holy Thursday, the marching order is: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ This is the new commandment. The great commandment is to love God above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves. But the new commandment is that we, as disciples and members of the household of faith, must love one another as Jesus loves us. His love is the measure. And how does Jesus love us? He loves us to the point of laying down his life for us. And that's the kind of love that we're supposed to have, a love that defines us as disciples.”
“On Ascension Thursday, we are given the Great Commission: ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ We are here today, 2,000 years later, because a group of fishermen, farmers, and tax collectors took that command seriously. They went out to make disciples, most of them giving their lives as martyrs. Now it’s our turn—to show how to love first and to make disciples of all nations,” Cardinal O’Malley said.
The Blessed Pauline Jaricot Distinguished Catholic Philanthropy Medal recognizes extraordinary individuals whose apostolic zeal, philanthropic leadership, and tireless service advance the Church's evangelical mission. The award honors the legacy of Blessed Pauline Jaricot, who at age 23 founded what would become The Society for the Propagation of the Faith through her innovative "penny collection" system.
The Heart of the Missions Dinner brought together friends and benefactors of The Pontifical Mission Societies USA to celebrate the organization's commitment to supporting missionary work worldwide.
