PMS is the Pontifical Mission Societies: Propagation of the Faith (SPF), St. Peter Apostle (SPA), Holy Childhood (SHC) and the Missionary Union (PMU). Initially, these societies evolved from personal initiative; they have become the official organizations of universal missionary cooperation. The first three societies engage the people of God in the work of evangelization through spiritual and material means. The fourth concerns deepening of missionary awareness among priests and religious. It serves as the heart and soul of the other three societies. PMS play a central role in missionary cooperation, "because they are a means by which Catholics are imbued from infancy with a truly universal and missionary outlook and also a means for promotion and effective collection of funds for all the missions, according to the needs of each".