AREMARKABLE increase in contributions to the Pontifical Societies for the missions last year was reported at the meeting of the national directors in Rome, The result has been that over L5,00(1.000 has been allocated to missions by the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith,
But the secretary-general. Archbishop Negris, remarked that missionary needs have increased in even greater proportion than the contributions.
The total contributions in fact amounted to only a third of what was needed to meet 437 requests for aid designated as " urgent."
Countries which increased their contributions by large sums were the United States. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, and Brazil.
Cardinal Fumasoni Biondi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation, calling upon the national directors for increased efforts. pointed out that two-thirds of the world's population "still does not know Christ"