Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

MISSIO is an online crowdfunding platform of the Holy Father's own Pontifical Mission Societies through which users can safely donate to Mission projects overseas, communicate directly with project leaders, and fundraise for projects they choose or create.

Pope Francis launched MISSIO (the mobile app), from the Pontifical Mission Societies in May 2013 to disseminate news of the heroic work of missionaries local clergy and lay people. In 2014, the platform expanded to include the option to donate and communicate directly with project leaders in the Missions.

The Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, a 501(c)(3) corporation which is part of the Roman Catholic Church, created the MISSIO platform

The Pontifical Mission Societies are institutions of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church and of each local church. National offices of the Pontifical Mission Societies exist in more than 120 countries around the world including the United States. Central administrative offices are in Rome, Italy, under the direction of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Holy Father.

MISSIO is a distinctly Catholic platform that provides users with the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others and guarantees that 100% of the money raised or donated goes directly to fund projects in Mission countries. Most importantly, MISSIO offers users an unfiltered experience of communicating and supporting people directly. MISSIO presents all the necessary information about projects, provides access to project leaders, and let’s users decide how to engage.

Yes, it is free to create a fundraiser on MISSIO and share it with everyone you know. And, what's even better is that once you start getting donations, 100% of the money raised will go to your cause.

The people leading MISSIO projects are engaged in a variety of holistic humanitarian activity, either through development projects that go to the heart of people's basic needs – caring for abandoned children in Egypt, teaching a child to read and write in Uganda, and fighting to stop and prevent human trafficking in Thailand, as examples – while in every moment, they offer spiritual comfort and guidance to the suffering and those in need.

MISSIO, powered by The Pontifical Mission Societies, has more than 100 years’ experience helping some of the most vulnerable communities around the world. Most of this funding comes from an annual collection in Catholic parishes on the next-to-last Sunday of October (World Mission Sunday). Despite the generous offerings made Catholics around the world on this one day a year, the needs of the missions far outstrip our ability to help. Through MISSIO, we have expanded the opportunities for all people of good will to support Mission projects. Most importantly, we have opened the entire process to direct participation by project leaders (applicants) and project supporters allowing for direct communication between the two.

People like you from all over the world learn about and support projects through MISSIO. They come from all walks of life, and their common thread is a desire for authentic and sustainable change in our world - and to see that transformation happen with real time feedback.

We wish that we could! We know the quality of the people running the various projects and their commitment to helping those with whom they work. And there will be failures for sure, and things will not work out as planned. But you will see the entire process and have a unique way of participating. You may remain physically far away but you will become very close to the center of action.

How do you judge now? You feel touched and want to reach out and help and you have confidence in a group or because you trust a friend who asks you to help a worthy cause. This is similar, only now you will be able to ask questions, and/or communicate with others who may have more experience in this area. And over time, you will be able to evaluate project leaders through what they might have achieved previously. A record of success is sure to instill confidence that you're having a real impact in some people's lives.

A MISSIO Project is a project located in some of the poorest areas of the world operated mainly by priests and nuns/sisters mostly in Africa, Asia, Oceania and remote regions of Latin America. Users follow the project's progress, offering financial support, insights from their experiences or highlighting the work being done through their own networks.

Your donation to MISSIO is 100% tax-deductible by US citizens and residents to the extent allowed by law. You'll automatically receive an email receipt that meets the IRS requirements for a record of your donation.

Security and privacy are of paramount important to us. MISSIO uses industry-leading Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to keep all personal information secure. We encrypt all credit card information and securely transmit it for processing. We do not retain any of your credit card information after the transaction has been processed, which eliminates any risk of future breaches. Monies raised are securely transferred through the Pope's official representative (the Apostolic Nuncio) for the country in which the project is located.

No. 100% of the donated money is transmitted directly to the project via the Apostolic Nuncio. We will, however, ask for a 5% financing charge to cover expenses related to operating the platform and to support education and training around MISSIO.

We take your privacy seriously. No payment information will ever be shared, and we will not sell our database to third parties. However, your profile information will be viewable by other MISSIO users. You can elect to conceal your activities on the platform e.g. amount donated.

For the full terms and conditions, please see our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Once a project meets its funding goal, we transfer the funds to the recipient in the same safe and secure way we send funding from the Pontifical Mission Societies, through the Apostolic Nuncio (the Pope's representative) in a given country. This is done in a reasonable time frame following appropriate business procedures and verifications. We can get funds just about anywhere in Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America in the local currency. People can donate to a MISSIO project from around the world in their own currency.

MISSIO is a digital donation site. If you do not wish to donate in this manner, payments by check will be deposited to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and directed to the Pope’s missions around the world.