The Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) is the catholic mission’s work of mission formation. It was founded in Italy in 1916 by Father Paolo Manna. Father Paolo Manna was a missionary priest in Burma, where he spent 10 years, after which had to return to Italy due to his illness. The aim of the Pontifical Missionary union is to foster missionary zeal among the clergy and the faithful. Paolo Manna ‘s assumption was that a mission-minded clergy would help many catholics missionaries. Fr Manna saw the Missionary Union as a way to raise enthusiasm among priests evangelisation to the world, to promote knowledge of the Missions and to encourage prayer for them. In 1956, Pope Pius XII bestowed the title of “Pontifical”. Today the union has spread throughout the world and its membership includes priests, religious, seminarians and laity.
In Malta, Missio aims to continue this work by organising mission formation activities, seminars and outreach with laypeople, parishes, school student and anyone with a heart for mission to “go to all nations and proclaim the Good News”. Missio Malta also publishes two magazines Malta Missjunarja and Tfal Missjunarja to have greater outreach to a wider range of Maltese audience.