Missio founder on road to sainthood

Pauline Jaricot

Missio has announced the upcoming beatification of one of their founders, Venerable Pauline Jaricot, on 22 May 2022 in Lyon, France. This will be a day of prayer and celebration for the global Missio family, and the whole Church.

Born in 1799, Pauline Jaricot was a remarkable young lay woman with formidable faith. Through her resolution and strong beliefs, she founded Missio's Association for the Propagation of the Faith (APF) aged just 23 years, which makes her one of Missio's founders.

The England and Wales branch of the APF was formed in 1825 and Pauline's legacy continues here today through the Red Box scheme, which is a partnership between Missio and the Mill Hill Missionaries.

Pauline Jaricot had a passion for helping to support missionaries around the world. She believed that if we all give a little and pray a little, we can share God's love throughout the world. You can find more details of Pauline's life, and download resources to celebrate this wonderful occasion with your parish, school or community at: www.missio.org.uk/pauline

Pauline Jaricot was recognised as Venerable, meaning that it was recognised that she lived a virtuous life, in 1963 by Pope John XXIII. It is an important initial step towards being recognised as a Saint in the Catholic Church.

Beatification is the second major stage. For this step, a miracle through the candidate's intercession must be recognised.

In Pauline's case this happened in May 2012. A three-and-a-half-year-old girl named Mayline, from Lyon, choked on food and suffocated. Unable to resuscitate her, doctors explained that she was 'brain dead' and that she would die in the next few weeks.

Upon hearing the news, pupils and parents of Mayline's school decided to ask for Pauline Jaricot's intercession by praying a novena for Mayline's recovery. At the same time, as Mayline lay in a coma hooked up to a feeding tube and respiratory machines her parents had begun looking for a child-sized coffin.

Soon afterwards the doctors were surprised to confirm that Mayline's condition had changed - indeed, she was coming back to life. Mayline was released from the hospital in December, fully healed.

Doctors have been unable to explain the change in her health. Mayline's parents are convinced of the intervention of Pauline Jaricot. A diocesan enquiry occurred in 2019, where a medical board validated the miracle of healing, and the theological commission certified the intervention of Pauline Jaricot in the full recovery of little Mayline.

Mayline's miracle has led to Pauline Jaricot's Beatification. For the final step, Canonisation, a second miracle will need to be recognised.

Because Pauline Jaricot is such an important figure in the global Missio family, celebrations, masses and events will be happening around the world to mark her beatification, which coincides with the 200th anniversary of the APF.

In England and Wales, Missio will be holding special Masses throughout the year across the dioceses. You can find details of these at https://missio.org.uk/mission-masses-and-events/

Missio is filled with joy at this special event, which recognises a woman who has shown us that small and simple initiatives, which bring people together in prayer and faith, really can change the world.

As the Pope's official charity for world mission, Missio enables Catholics in England and Wales to live out the call received at Baptism: to share God's love across the world.