catholic volunteer mission trips

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Catholic Mission Trips, Inc is a non-profit 501(c)3 equipping Catholics in the call to be missionary disciples. We offer short term foreign and domestic mission trips, for youth groups, and college students to serve the poor & rebuild communities in need.

We’ve got dozens of National and International Trips for you to participate in!

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Unforgettable Catholic Mission Trips

Inspiring Discipleship Through Service

LOVE. SERVE. CONNECT.

Discover a community where faith comes alive through service. Catholic Heart Workcamp invites you to be part of something greater through love, service, and connection. Through meaningful service projects, spiritual growth, and lifelong friendships, our Catholic mission trips equip youth to impact their world and deepen their relationship with God.

Catholic Youth: Eager to Make a Difference

In a world seeking purpose and connection, many Catholic youth are eager to make a meaningful impact while deepening their faith. They seek transformative opportunities that empower them to love as Jesus did, serve others with compassion, and form genuine connections rooted in their Catholic identity.

EXPERIENCE THE HEART OF SERVICE WITH CATHOLIC HEART WORKCAMP

We provide youth groups with safe and enjoyable Catholic mission trips where they can grow spiritually, serve the community, meet other members of the Catholic Church, and renew their faith in God’s love. Our campers play hard and work harder while transforming themselves and the world around them.

Living Faith: Embracing the Sacraments

We’re more than just a service camp; we’re a community of believers who also come together to learn and grow in our faith. Reconciliation, Adoration, and Daily Mass are central to our programming. With this focus, we create opportunities for participants to encounter Jesus, receive divine grace, and engage in God’s redemptive love.

Exploring Our Trip Options

At Catholic HEART Workcamp, all camps share foundational elements such as service projects, rosary, Mass, live music, Adoration, 4 Corners, talks, interactive games, and programming. Elevate camps differentiate themselves with a keynote speaker and multiple musicians or a band. International camps offer a unique dimension to the CHWC experience, allowing participants to engage in different cultural settings while enjoying the familiar core elements.

(Entering 8th & Up)

Open to those entering the 8th grade in the fall of 2024 and older

$450 per person

(Entering 9th & Up)

Open to those entering the 9th grade in the fall of 2024 and older

$495 per Person

International

(Entering 10th & Up)

Open to those entering the 10th grade in the fall of 2024 and older

Starting at $ 795.00

One Mission. Many Communities.

Explore different communities, join forces with other youth, and find a mission trip that fits your schedule and reflects your group’s spirit.

Trusted for Over 30 Years

With a legacy rooted in service and a devotion to the Catholic faith, CHWC has established itself as a trusted organization for over three decades. Our ongoing commitment remains to embody the teachings of Christ, nurture spiritual development, and create a meaningful impact through service.

Real Stories, Real Joy

Tens of thousands have participated in our transformative Catholic mission trips. Gain insights from previous participants and see the positive moments they enjoyed.

I think you all do a terrific job! I love the ability to take teens somewhere to get them thinking internally about their faith and their relationships to others without the everyday outside influences.

Wish we would have come with our kids from year one. Thank you for your ministry.

Well done! Thank you for such a quality program that allows each camper to grow.

All the staff did a fantastic job and you could definitely tell the amount of time they put in to make it the best it could be for the campers. The staff cared about all there campers! Great job CHWC!

Highlight of my summer!

I’m so grateful I stumbled across your camps when I was looking for mission trips for the youth group.

For all of us, it was our first time at CHWC. We have jokingly said that our only concern would be returning… because could it ever live up to these wonderful standards again? What a tremendous experience!

Join the Catholic Heart Workcamp Family: Love. Serve. Connect.

Be a part of Catholic Heart Workcamp and embrace the call to love selflessly, serve with purpose, and connect deeply with God and others.

Location of Catholic Mission Trips

Join us on a Catholic mission trip and explore the beauty of service. With numerous mission trips for Catholics to choose from, you can engage in meaningful projects, build connections, and create lasting memories. Come be a part of our community and make a difference in multiple places.

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International Catholic Volunteer Opportunities

Global catholic volunteer opportunities at cmmb.

We love what we do, but we can’t do it alone. Our volunteers are the hands, hearts, and feet on the ground, delivering healthier lives to the most vulnerable women and children in the around the world. They are the best of CMMB. Wherever they land, they bring healing and hope, and they too are changed forever.

One of the most beautiful compensations in life is that no person can help another without helping themselves. – Ralph Emerson

Since its inception in 1912, CMMB has been placing Catholic volunteers around the world. Our founder, Dr. Paulel Flagg’s first mission trip was to Haiti where he served those suffering from leprosy. Seeing the extreme need, he recruited others to join. We have been sending volunteers ever since.

CMMB’s founder Dr. Paluel Joseph Flagg (middle)

At CMMB, our international Catholic volunteer program employs the help of several organizations, universities, and health systems to help recruit highly qualified healthcare professionals to volunteer in the US and around the world. We are proud to partner with the  Catholic Volunteer Network , a leading advocate for faith-based service who support and enhance our recruitment efforts.

CMMB also partners with Catholic Health Association (CHA).  CHA is a ministry of the Catholic Church committed to continuing Jesus’ mission of love and healing in the world today. It is made up of over 600 hospitals and 1,600 long-term care and other health facilities in all 50 states. It is the largest group of non-profit healthcare providers in the United States. CHA’s research with members helps to evaluate the structure of programs and identify best practices. This provides us with a wealth of information and resources that inform CMMB’s program development training and deployment efforts with volunteers.

Partnering with Universities

CMMB is fortunate to partner with several universities including Fordham , Fairfield ,  Notre Dame , Columbia ,  St. Catherine’s , and Regis University . The core of our relationships with universities is around capacity building for program development and implementation. As students and faculty contribute valuable knowledge and skills in research and training for CMMB and our programs, they gain authentic, often tangible, international experience and have a very real and direct impact on the work that we do . These partnerships are a key components of our volunteer program.

Fairfield University

Fairfield University was established in 1942 and is a Jesuit Catholic university. One of university’s main objectives is to promote a sense of social responsibility, while ensuring all its students embrace and develop their full creative, intellectual potential.

We are fortunate to partner with both the faculty and staff at Fairfield as they support CMMB’s Children and Mothers Partnerships (CHAMPS) programming through class projects and operations research. We also benefit from their presence and support at our New York City headquarters, where several students complete internships.  The internships provide students with opportunities for professional development, to build networks and relationships with experts in the field, and to get authentic work experience.

We are working with Fairfield to link their state-of-the-art nursing school with current and future nursing education programs in some of our country offices. The first is is the newly launched nursing school in Mutomo, Kenya . A press release about launch of the nursing school highlights the hopes and objectives of the school:

“The school envisions being a Center of Excellence in the training of nurses for the health sector. Its mission is to develop a nursing workforce that will provide holistic, accessible, and sustainable quality healthcare. Students are actively engaged in meaningful learning experiences so that they can gain a wealth of skills, vast amounts of knowledge, and a genuine love for learning.

The learning center, library, and lab skills room at the new nursing school in Mutomo.

Aware that infrastructure alone cannot infuse the vision and passion that guides the school’s development, the school promotes the human spirit and interaction between teachers and students. It is this interaction that will make the difference and ensure that the buildings and the environment support higher levels of learning. The school is committed to ensuring that students receive not only the appropriate skills in their field but most importantly, formation in their physical, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects. This is with the sole objective towards their personal growth and integration. Character formation must be the driving force behind all the instruction and interactions.”

CMMB has partnered with Our Lady of Lourdes Mutomo Mission Hospital in Kenya for years – it is the hub of our Children and Mothers Partnership (CHAMPS) program. CMMB is now looking for nurse educators to serve at Mutomo Mission’s new nursing school. Learn more .

Our partnership with Fairfield University is always evolving and growing and we are always looking for new ways to engage our partners. For example, during our winter 2018 international volunteer orientation , Dr. Terry-Ann Jones, Director of International Studies and Associate Professor of Sociology at Fairfield University presented a session about cultural humility and cross-cultural communications. Dr. Jones highlighted concepts including culture and biases, and the talked about the challenges of serving abroad. She encouraged us to examine our own culture and to understand that what we bring with us impacts our ability to develop relationships and serve effectively. Dr. Jones reminded us to observe and listen closely and remember we don’t have all the answers.

Here is an example of the a collaborative project between Fairfield and CMMB. It was written by Anna-Maria Aksan, the Associate Professor of Economics at Fairfield University.

Fairfield University: Helping Us WASH-Up

Fairfield University’s Economic Development class has been scouring the academic and policy literature to provide supporting evidence on best practices in implementing WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) initiatives in CMMB’s CHAMPS sites around the world. After studying each CHAMPS site, the students conducted literature reviews on initiatives to improve water access, storage and treatment, hand washing, latrines, and waste disposal as well as to provide dignity kits to adolescent girls.

This project brought me a sense of fulfillment beyond simply completing an assignment for a grade. I am excited that our work will be shared with CMMB and will possibly be able to contribute to some of their various initiatives throughout the world. – Chase Crean, student researcher at Fairfield University

The semester-long research project concluded with an individualized report on each CHAMPS site, recommending best practices for CMMB’s proposed initiatives. The students range in academic interests and include economics, finance, international studies, international business, and politics majors. Student research was monitored throughout the semester by Fairfield University professors.

Only by working together can we address this public health issue, strengthen health systems  and make the delivery of health care safe for every patient in Africa, every time. —Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny Assistant Director-General, Health Systems and Innovation WHO

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame partnered with CMMB in 2015. This particular partnership provides opportunities for research and capacity building in Peru, where we have a country office .

Notre Dame students link their thesis and capstone projects to our CMMB programs in communities. Paulina Luna, a master of science in Global Health at University of Notre Dame and MD candidate at Yale School of Medicine shares her experience collaborating with CMMB in Trujillo, Peru:

A Picture Truly Worth A Thousand Words

Since 2015, the University of Notre Dame and CMMB have collaborated to improve the health of vulnerable populations. In 2016, we teamed up to evaluate CMMB’s Rehabilitation with Hope , a community-based program that assists children with disabilities by providing access to quality therapy. There was already clear evidence of the benefits for children enrolled in the program, but we wanted to find out how the program affected the jparents.

We used Photovoice, a community-based participatory research methodology, to invite parents to describe and explain their experiences through photography. We learned that parents perceived feelings of disdain towards their children and judgment and blame for their children’s disabilities by others, leading to isolation.

It was incredible to witness how the parents in our study displayed leadership in presenting their photos to their communities. As they shared their powerful stories, they advocated for their children’s rights and educated others with the hopes of creating a more welcoming community.

Our results were be presented at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health in March 2018, to ensure that the parents’ stories continue to be shared and to help advocate for the rights of children with disabilities and their families worldwide.

Fordham University

Fordham university: preparing for careers in global health.

Our partnership with Fordham University started in 2014 and it provides students and alumni with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and meaningful professional development through placements at CMMB’s New York City office.

They support all departments as well as our five country offices while building skills and experience for careers in global health and development.

The longer you spend at CMMB the better it gets. This is not your typical intern position. I’ve worked in other offices before, but this is the first time I’ve felt like a part of a team that values my input and wants to include me in the process. Because of this, I’ve learned more than I ever expected and I feel like I am ready to transition into employment. – Greta Schneider, former NY volunteer and Fordham class of 2017

Regis University

Providing therapy, dignity, and hope in peru.

Regis University’s partnership with CMMB began with the efforts of one long-term field volunteer, Amber Walker. In 2011, while in Peru, she noticed that one segment of the community was stigmatized and ignored: children with disabilities. Amber took action. She decided to engage and mobilize her Regis University colleagues to become a force for change in Trujillo.

With a team of professionals in tow, Amber returned to Peru to train and assist caregivers and physical therapists to work with children who needed rehabilitative services. Regis University faculty and students have been going back every year since. CMMB is committed to developing academic partnerships that increase our capacity and ability to serve communities, while offering universities meaningful, skills-based international service opportunities for their students, faculty and alumni

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in the global health program at Regis, to learn from the people of Peru, to challenge myself to practice with cultural sensitivity, and to gain a better understanding of a culture different from my own. – Abby Burger, Regis class of 2017

The partnership between CMMB and Regis University’s Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions (RHCHP) focuses on the following three components:

• Building a community of practice linking CMMB technical staff to RHCHP Faculty
• Increasing the flow of students doing clinical rotations at CMMB volunteer placement sites.
• Creating new academic programs in Global Health which would include a service learning component, linked to CMMB sites

This partnership provides RHCHP access to ongoing, sustainable and high-quality programs in the developing world.  This access increases the University’s visibility within the global health sector, enhance opportunities for students and staff to be more involved in long term projects, and create new funding opportunities (including both private and government funds).

All of these benefits will increase the caliber of students and staff that are attracted to the University, which will support the growth of the University into the future.  For CMMB, the benefits from this partnership include:  1) Increasing access to technical support though faculty communities of practice; 2) enhancing the pool of volunteer candidates who have the specific skills needed for its programs; 3) creating new funding opportunities through linkages with the University (including both government funds as well as private revenue).

St. Catherine University

St. Catherine University’s mission is to educate women to lead and influence. At all degree levels, St. Catherine integrates liberal arts and professional education within the Catholic tradition, emphasizing intellectual inquiry and social teaching, and challenging students to transformational leadership. Committed to excellence and opportunity, The aim to develop ethical, reflective, and socially responsible leaders.

CMMB is proud to partner with St. Catherine University. Together, they share a joint grant with Zambia GHR Foundation.

The GHR Foundation was founded in 1965 by the Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst and is pioneering design-build philanthropy to create change with its partners around the world in the areas of global development, education and health. GHR started its partnership with CMMB in 2014, funding and supporting the Kusumala Child Protection Project, a long-term project to build system capacity and provide stable, protective, nurturing family environments for children.

The project aims to increase

• Capacity of existing formal government structures and staff specifically, and ensure a coordinated and integrated response that promote pro-family alliance systems and policies that promote stable family environments and reduce institutionalization of children.
• Capacity of the health sector to prevent and respond to family separation cases, by strengthening their ability to identify assess and refer vulnerable children and families.
• Awareness of the need to prevent harmful cultural practice for children and families and promote knowledge of hold positive attitude toward practice that contribute to strong family, prevent separation and reunite children.
• Knowledge, skills and positive practices of communities, families and children that promote stable, protective, nurturing family environments for children of all ages

CMMB and St. Kate’s: Kusamala+

In 2014, with the support of GHR, we started the Kusamala Child Protection Project. This project provides at-risk children with a continuum of care and a variety of interventions to support them either in their home environments or in community-based alternatives. The project

• Strengthens the capacity of existing formal government structures and staff specifically, and ensure a coordinated and integrated response that promote pro-family alliance systems and policies that promote stable family environments and reduce institutionalization of children.
• Increase the capacity of the health sector to prevent and respond to family separation cases, by strengthening their ability to identify assess and refer vulnerable children and families.
• Increase awareness of the need to prevent harmful cultural practice for children and families and promote knowledge of hold positive attitude toward practice that contribute to strong family, prevent separation and reunite children.
• Increase knowledge, skills and positive practices of communities, families and children that promote stable, protective, nurturing family environments for children of all ages

In 2017, CMMB joined forces with St. Catherine’s University to launch the pilot Kusamala+. The purpose of this two-year pilot was to test an intervention designed to mitigate stigma and limited resources of children with disabilities and their families through family and community engagement, advocacy and skill building, and systems linkages.

The first phase of the intervention included a survey to estimate the prevalence of children with disabilities and the environmental conditions. It also included baseline measures for assessing change in knowledge, attitudes, and skills. The second phase of the intervention involves St. Catherine faculty developing the curriculum and implementing the training of trainers. The training will be done with health professionals from the Kanyama clinic and include dialogue and education around disability, skill-building, and ways to enhance local resources, including a referral system.

The curriculum will be evaluated by CMMB and the trainers will then train community outreach workers to engage with the residents in the Kanyama community and support families through education, support groups, skill development, and sensitization. This is now a placement site for global health MPH practicum students.

Key Partners

Our partnerships with universities are also key for our recruitment efforts for both field and NYC volunteers. We also collaborate with NYU, NYITT, Rutgers, Upsala, Liberty, Benedictine, and AIC and are always looking for new partners. Interested in partnering with us? Look no further .

Medical Residency Program

Authority health and cmmb: launching a global health residency program.

Forging Partnerships to Improve Human Resources for Health

The CMMB volunteer team is engaging in partnerships to create innovative programs to address global health challenges. Our newest model, a global health residency program for medical residents was co-created with Authority Health, an industry leader in community-based medical residency training focused on serving the most vulnerable around the world.

What I am hoping to achieve as a doctor is to simply do my part in helping more people live in the best way that they can. – Earl Carlos, medical resident at Authority Health. Served at Mutomo Mission Hospital in Kenya in July 2017

In July 2017, the first group of medical residents travelled to eastern Kenya to begin an eight-week placement. During this time, they served at the Mutomo Mission Hospital, as well as at rural health centers and in the community; learning alongside local practitioners, while contributing valuable skills and helping build capacity. Following this first rotation in Kenya, the goal is to expand to Peru and open to new partners and locations.

Chris Allen, Executive Director and CEO Authority Health

It has been a pleasure partnering with CMMB and providing Authority Health medical residents with a real opportunity to serve people living in low-resource settings globally. I am honored to have Michigan State University and the University of Michigan as our academic partners and am hopeful that other universities and residency programs will join to help expand this life changing program.- Chris Allen, Executive Director and CEO, Authority Health and former CMMB Board Member

Corporate Volunteers and Employee Engagement Opportunities

In 2014, Rose Hanley of Merck & Co. Pharmaceutical Company (MSD), joined CMMB as a corporate volunteer. Merck & Co. is committed to discovering, developing, and providing innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world. They have been working in partnership with CMMB for decades delivering healthier lives worldwide.

Rose served with CMMB for three months and her contributions continue to have an impact today. She describes her experience, “My assignment at CMMB, along with another fellow, was to develop operating strategies for CMMB’s country offices in alignment with their then new, global strategy. The work entailed developing strategy maps, initiatives and metrics for each country office, and it leveraged the skills, experiences and methodologies that I have been fortunate to acquire in my 20+ year career.”

Part of Rose’s experience was traveling to Peru to visit our programs in action.

Rose speaks about this part of her experience: “Working with CMMB’s team in Peru was one of the highlights of my experience. I met the team in the central highlands city of Huancayo, and we worked together to develop their country strategy. But the most significant impact came when the CMMB team took me to see their programs in action in the field; programs focused on the health of women and children.

I met families living in such extreme poverty; in houses that they themselves had built, using whatever materials they could find around them. They had no access to water or sewers. In this part of Peru, the most common health issues result from a lack of access to clean water, sanitary living conditions and proper nutrition. CMMB works hard to educate women about ways they can address these issues and create healthier homes for their families.”

Employee Engagement 

Employees Producing to Donate: Now That’s In-Teligent : Getting Much Needed Medicine Where it’s Needed Most

Over the past three years, the employees from the pharmaceutical manufacturer, Teligent, join together on Martin Luther King Day for their annual day of service. Over the course of the day, the team produce and package product for CMMB’s medical donation program, Medical Donations Program. Nearly all of Teligent’s committed employees donate a day of service.

In 2017, this collaborative effort resulted in the delivery of over $100K worth of medical products to be distributed at no charge to patients served by CMMB in the developing world. The 10,752 units of topical pain medication (Trimacinolene) was delivered to CMMB’s newly-opened hospital, the Bishop Joseph Sullivan Center for Health in Côtes-de-Fer, Haiti in March – arriving in time for the hospital’s official dedication.

If you are interested in employee engagement opportunities, please contact us !

More Than A Catholic Missionary Organization

In Matthew, 19: 16-26, Jesus is asked by a young man, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” After being reminded about the commandments, the young man asked, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?”

Jesus responded, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven.”  The young man went away and grieved; for he was one who owned much property.”

As Catholics – inspired by the example of Jesus – we are called on to serve the weakest and most vulnerable among us. For Catholic Missionaries, this work has often happened outside the geographically defined parishes and dioceses and often involved people with material resources to spare.

CMMB has been supporting medical missions and sending missionaries and volunteers to where they are needed most for more than 100 years. In 1934, our CMMB executive director,  Father Edward F. Garesche wrote :

“The medical side of the missions should especially appeal to those who have devoted their lives to medical ministrations. The fruitful field offered by medical work in the missions is inconceivably great. Many of our missionaries live and work at distances of hundreds of miles from any hospital, doctor, nurse, or even drug store. They are besieged by crowds of sorely afflicted people, suffering from almost every ill that human flesh is heir to.”

Inspired by the Impact of the Second Vatican Council

Pope John XXIII announced the creation of the Second Vatican Council in January 1959. In the aftermath of World War II, cultural shifts emphasized the need for the church to reconsider its practices. Nearly 2,500 bishops and thousands of observers, auditors, sisters, and laypeople were called to attend sessions at St. Peter’s Basilica over the course of three years, between 1962 and 1965. The biggest change – the church’s willingness to operate in the contemporary realm.

The Second Vatican Council had an immense global impact on Catholic missions. With the theme of reconciliation, Catholics were encouraged to pray with other Christian denominations, and to forge friendships with other non-Christian faiths. It also opened the door for languages besides Latin to be used during Mass, and impacted new positions concerning education, the media, and divine revelation. Today, the council is credited with essentially shaping the modern Catholic Church.

Peter A. Huff, from Xavier University said, that “Pope John XXIII wanted to reinforce the missionary mandate, but he also wanted to create an environment of dialogue, where the church would engage in all the forces of the modern world.”

Famous Missionaries Throughout History

Throughout history, Christian missionaries have had a profound impact on the communities where they have served. Spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ around the world, bringing education to underserved communities, providing healthcare to the poor, building orphanages, amongst many other noble endeavors, these Catholic missionaries were change-makers, set on making the world a better place.

William Carey

William Carey (1761-1834) is considered by many to be the father of modern missions. Born in England in the mid 18 th century, Carey grew up in the Church of England. Carey went to Calcutta, India in 1793 to spread the gospel. He was not able to evangelize as he wished in Calcutta due to the hostility of the East India Company towards missionaries at the time. Unwilling to give up on his own mission, Carey joined Baptist missionaries in Serampore, India.

In Serampore, Carey’s work really began. As a skilled linguist and translator, Carey converted the Bible into Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Oriya, Assamese, and Marathi—making the gospel significantly more accessible to the people of India. He also translated the Hindu classic text, the Ramayana into English—giving the West a window into understanding Hinduism in more depth.

Carey also founded the Serampore College and the Serampore University. The Serampore University  was the first university in India to award degrees. Carey believed in the transformative power of education and believed firmly that people should be able to access education to better their lives. He started schools for impoverished children where they learned not only about Christianity but also how to read, write, and do simple math.

Carey was in many ways a renaissance man committed to social justice, education, and Christianity. He was also considered “India’s first cultural anthropologist.” Carey also worked to establish the Baptist Missionary Society, which works today in forty countries around the world on projects related to disaster relief, development, education, health, and advocacy.

Carey’s influence has helped shape the course of Christianity in India and he remains a role model to modern Christian missionaries seeking to bring education to underserved communities.

Saint Patrick

St. Patrick , the patron saint of Ireland was one of the most famous Catholic missionaries of all time. Born in Britain in the late 300s AD, St. Patrick was taken from his home village as a teenager by pirates who brought him to Ireland. While enslaved by his captors, St. Patrick became deeply devoted to Christianity and believed his captivity was a test of his faith in God.

After six years in captivity, St. Patrick had a dream in which a voice told him that if he attempted to escape, he would return home. Following that dream, St. Patrick began a long voyage and eventually returned home to his family. The experience profoundly affected him for the rest of his life and confirmed his commitment to his faith.

St. Patrick studied and became ordained in France in the early 400s. However, he always knew that he wanted to return to Ireland and bring the gospel to the Irish. By 432 AD, Pope Celestine I sent St. Patrick to Ireland to fulfill his mission.

Upon his initial arrival, St. Patrick faced resistance from the local people. They were not initially open to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the church. However, over time St. Patrick had incredible success spreading the gospel all over Ireland. St. Patrick utilized many different mediums to convert local communities to Christianity. He preached to large groups, wrote extensively and performed innumerable baptisms. He also recognized the people’s attachment to their traditional spiritual practices and incorporated them into the church.

St. Patrick is a celebrated Christian missionary whose work shaped the course of Irish history and continues to influence Irish identity today.

Daniele Comboni

Daniele Comboni was born in Italy in 1831. He was a Roman Catholic bishop who worked in Africa and founded the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus and the Comboni Missionary Sisters. His missionary work brought light to the suffering of people living in extreme poverty in Africa.

Born into a poor family in rural Italy, Comboni was one of eight children. All his siblings died before reaching adulthood. He was an incredible student and finished a degree in medicine as well as becoming fluent in French, English, and Arabic. He became ordained in 1854 and left to do missionary work in Africa a few years later. He felt called to do missionary work in Africa.

Comboni first arrived in Khartoum, Sudan in 1858 where he was met with some extreme difficulties. Despite the harsh climate, sickness, and the deaths of many of his fellow missionaries, Comboni continued his mission work in Sudan. Despite his resolve, Comboni was forced to return to Italy the following year with a terrible case of malaria.

For a couple of years in the 1860s, Comboni worked out a plan to return to Africa and expand the missionary work done on the continent. Comboni dedicated the next few years to fundraise for more missions in Africa and raise awareness about the African continent. He travelled around Europe seeking funding for his missions and created the slogan, “Save Africa Through Africa.”

With the funding, Comboni opened two different missionary institutes in Verona, Italy, the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus and the Comboni Missionary Sisters, one for men and one from women, respectively. He then opened new missions in Sudan and Egypt and worked to spread the gospel in eastern and central Africa while living there.

Today, the Comboni Sisters are one of our amazing partners in the field in South Sudan. They run Nzara Hospital in Nzara, South Sudan. The mission of the Comboni Sisters is to “serve the world’s forgotten.”

Daniele Comboni’s influence is alive and well today. The missionary groups he established remain influential in east Africa in spreading the gospel and providing services to the region’s most vulnerable.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born, Anjezë (or Agnes) Bojaxhiu, to Albanian parents in Skopje, Macedonia on August 26 th , 1910. When she was just eight years old, her father passed away. In order to support their family, her mother opened a small embroidery shop. Though they never had a lot, her mother always invited people who were hungry to eat with them.

Mother Teresa was always involved in her local church but decided to join the Loreto Convent in 1928 in Ireland. It was while she was there that she received the name Teresa, after St. Therese of Lisieux, patron saint of missionaries. Mother Teresa first took her religious vows in 1929 and then later took her solemn vows in 1937 in India.

Mother Teresa experienced what she famously described as “the call within the call” which jump started her commitment to live amongst the poor and serve their needs. It took some time before she was allowed to leave the convent to live among the poor and serve. In the meantime she became an Indian citizen and received some medical training so she could better help those in need.

In 1950, Mother Teresa started the Missionaries of Charity. By the 2000s the Missionaries of Charity existed in over 100 countries and had more than 4,500 religious sisters in the congregation. Chastity, poverty, and obedience are of course three of the vows of this religious order but the fourth one is unique. Sisters are to “give wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.”

In 1979, Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize. She also won many more prizes throughout her lifetime for her humanitarian and missionary work. Once when asked “what can we do to promote world peace?” She very famously responded, “Go home and love your family.” She believed very strongly that love starts in the home and in creating a home for the poor.

CMMB had a special relationship with Mother Teresa. CMMB sent about $5,000 worth of medicine to Mother Teresa and her mission in India for patients suffering from leprosy.

One of our staff members at our distribution center in Queens wrote:

“Generally, Mother Therea’s appearances are totally unexpected. The receptionist will inform us that Mother Teresa is at the front door requesting a few minutes of our time. That sets the office staff into great excitement because Mother, though her visit is always a short one, always has time to visit all of the staff and express her thanks for their share in her shipments.”

Mother Teresa’s mission to “serve the poorest of the poor and to live among them” is one that strikes at the core of who we are at CMMB. We strive to work in solidarity with her mission, and seek to serve the most vulnerable women and children around the world.

“ He’s Jesus Christ “

Dr. Tom Catena  is the only full-time, permanent doctor serving the people in the war-torn Nuba Mountains of Sudan. The Nuban people live in fear, with ground fighting, aerial bombardment, and starvation warfare as regular occurrences in their lives.

Children of the Nuba Mountains in Sudan

The Nuba Mountains and Mother of Mercy Hospital are now home to this American-born medical missionary . Over two decades ago, Dr. Catena – the New York native – left the United States to answer a call to serve the marginalized and forgotten, and he has been serving ever since.  He is the medical director of the Mother of Mercy Hospital, a mission hospital located in a region under rebel control.

Dr. Tom Catena’s History with CMMB

Dr. Catena was still a medical resident when he first came to CMMB in the late nineties. “I was looking for organizations that would sponsor doctors, and that’s when I came across the Catholic Medical Mission Board .” He started by joining short-term, volunteer mission trips, serving the most marginalized in Guyana and Honduras. While completing his navy commitment and his postgraduate residency, Dr. Catena remembers always feeling the call to return to missionary work.

When he completed his residency in 1999, Dr. Catena came back to CMMB.  He was placed at the  Mutomo Mission Hospital  in  Kenya  where he served for two years. While there, Dr. Catena worked with Anita McTernan, who remembers him with admiration and fondness,

“I remember working with Dr. Tom when he started as a volunteer. He was such a role model for people who are here to make a difference. Tom didn’t have any schedule as such. He worked all day, every day. He even worked all night if a patient needed him. I was a volunteer at that time as well, so I was very impressed by Dr. Tom and CMMB. I will always remember him as a very hard worker. He is a man who is really dedicated to helping people.”

When his two-years of service at the Mutomo Mission Hospital came to an end, Dr. Catena decided to extend his missionary work. He moved to Nairobi and volunteered at St. Mary’s Hospital, where he served for the next six years. In 2008, Dr. Catena’s commitment to providing medical care to the most marginalized brought him to southern Sudan where, together with the Diocese of El Obeid, he helped establish the Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Nuba Mountains. Today he is the medical director and surgeon.

“Dr. Tom is the gynecologist, the physician, the surgeon…he’s everything.” – Nurse and Women Religious at Mother of Mercy Hospital

As a medical volunteer in Sudan, Dr. Catena and his team encounter endless challenges – limited access to electricity, running water, and essential medical equipment. They also have deadly threats of violence. Despite these challenges, Dr. Catena remains in Sudan. When asked why a doctor educated in one of the top medical schools in the United States chooses to live under these challenging circumstances  Tom responds:

My decision to stay here was a simple one. As the only doctor at the only major hospital in the Nuba Mountains, I could not leave in good conscience. Also, as a lay missionary, I felt it was very important to show the presence of the Church in this time of need – that the Church does not abandon her people when a crisis arises.

Who is Dr. Tom Catena? 

Dr. Catena is a native of Amsterdam, New York. He grew up as part of a large, Italian-American family, with six brothers and sisters.

“ My parents were not overly strict but instilled a set of values that has stuck with me to this day .”

Tom studied at Brown University where he earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. While at Brown, he played college football and was an all-America, along with his long-time friend Ken Carlson (pictured below). Following his time at Brown, Dr. Catena worked toward his medical doctorate at Duke University on a U.S. Navy scholarship.

Dr. Catena inspires many people, but who inspires him? We had the chance to ask him, and this was his reply:

“ Saint Francis of Assisi has been my personal, favorite saint for many years, as he is for half the world, Christians and non-Christians alike. Growing up when I did, in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a huge inspiration to my entire generation. When we were growing up, we always had this idea that saints were people who lived 500 years ago, they were out of touch, and that they were people who were above everybody else. But here was somebody, a sort of very quiet, humble person, who was living in our day and age. She was doing very simple things, but at the same time, very incredible things, and she was a tremendous inspiration for me, as she was for so many other people. I think it was so important to have somebody, a contemporary person, a Catholic person, in modern day, who was living the Gospel life that we could relate to very well.”

Tom Catena and his former Brown University football teammate, Ken Carlson (Photo: NCAA)

The Heart of Nuba

When Dr. Tom Catena and his former Brown University football teammate, Ken Carlson (pictured above) reconnected in 2013 to discuss Catena’s journey

He must become greater; I must become less.

In a speech addressing the 2015 graduating class at Brown University, Tom’s challenge to them highlighted how one can live this mantra:

Everyone is in search of happiness. Everybody is in search of fulfillment. I think if you really want fulfillment in this life, what I would suggest to you is go and get rid of everything you have.  Sell everything you have.  Get rid of all of your baggage and go live a life of full and total service to other people. I think if you do that, you will find that the rewards are incredible.  You will find that you have fulfillment more than you could ever have imagined.  So I throw that challenge out to you.

Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity

In honor of his unrelenting dedication and commitment to serving the most vulnerable, his willingness to place the lives of others before his own, and his rekindling of faith in humanity, Dr. Catena – esteemed Catholic missionary – was awarded the $1 million Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.

Tom Catena Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity Laureate 2017

The Aurora Prize is granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative in honor and memory of those whose lives were lost in the Armenian Genocide, on behalf of the survivors, and in gratitude to their saviors. The initiative aims to empower modern-day saviors who offer hope to those in desperate need, and therefore continuing the cycle of generosity and giving.

It’s time we shake off victimization and embrace our common humanity and tolerance. As we leave here, let us take this spirit of shared humanity and do a little of the courageous work we have witnessed here tonight. – David  Ignatius, Journalist and Novelist

Are You Ready?

We change their lives, they change ours

CMMB believes in a world in which every human life is valued, and health and human dignity are shared by all. Sadly, this is not the world we live in – yet. Volunteers can help us get closer! We are always looking for qualified and committed individuals to join us as we work to deliver healthier lives worldwide. We are looking for medical and programmatic volunteers

Who is most needed in the field

Medical and surgical specialties most needed: 

• General practitioners
• Specialists
• Physician assistants
• Family medicine
• General surgery
• Internal medicine
• Emergency medicine
• Pharmacists
• Dentists and dental surgeons
• Anesthesiologist
• Opthomologist
• Orthopedist

Nursing specialties most needed: 

• Midwives/labor and delivery
• Pediatric and neonatal
• Primary care and family practice
• MCH and OB/GYN
• Community health
• Nurse educators
• Emergency/trauma
• Nurse Anesthetist

Public health professionals most needed: 

• Public health generalists
• MNCH, WASH, HIV, e Health, and  malaria experts
• Nutritionists
• Health administrators

Allied health professionals most needed: 

• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Speech & language therapists
• Clinical lab specialists and medical technologists
• Radiologists
• Ultrasound and X-ray techs
• Dental hygienists and assistants
• Health educators
• Health information technologists
• Biomedical equipment technician

What to expect in your role:

Volunteers in clinical roles work directly with hospital leadership and clinical staff on health service delivery, capacity building, and various outreach projects within the community setting to reach those who lack access to healthcare.

Volunteers in programmatic roles serve in CMMB offices and CHAMPS sites, providing support to CMMB’s diverse programs. They receive exposure to a broad base of global health and community development initiatives and are able to use their knowledge and skills to help improve the lives of vulnerable women, children, and communities.

How to become a volunteer 

Our volunteer opportunities are skills based and demand driven. We conduct a needs assessment in the countries where we work to identify the human resource skills required on the ground. Once these needs are identified, we begin recruiting and screening possible candidates.

Find a need and fill it.

If you (or someone you know) has the qualifications, skills, and inclination to fill a need in one of our country offices , please start by completing or sharing the online application . CMMB staff reviews all applications and if if your background and skill are a good fit, they will schedule a personal interview.

If accepted, all international volunteers also participate in a 3-day pre-departure orientation in New York City.

Benefits of Volunteering

Each international volunteer who serves six months or longer in the field receives a round-trip ticket to their placement site, housing, a monthly stipend, insurance coverage, storytelling and fundraising training, and the opportunity to contribute to vital community development initiatives for under-served populations while building a longstanding legacy for the community.

Financial Contribution

All volunteers are required to fundraise to help offset the cost of their experience, and cover travel costs to and from the pre-departure orientation in NYC.

The fundraising target is $5,000 and volunteers are required to raise a minimum of $3,500 prior to departure. Fundraising tools and training are provided by CMMB.

I want to help!

Domestic volunteers

Domestic (e.g. New York City internships) volunteers do not have to meet the international age, licensure, or financial contribution requirements, and do not receive program benefits outlined above.  We encourage New York based undergraduate and graduate students to apply for these domestic opportunities.

Other Catholic Volunteer Opportunities

We are seeking doctors, surgeons, dentists, specialists, and physician assistants,  21 years of age and over, who can serve for a minimum of six months.

Here is a list of the medical and surgical specialties most needed: 

You will work directly with hospital leadership and clinical staff on health service delivery, capacity building, and various outreach projects within the community setting.

Public Health Professionals 

We are looking for public health professionals who are 21 years and older and can serve for a minimum of six months in the following public health volunteer positions:

• Public health generalists will serve in one of CMMB country offices (Haiti, Kenya, Peru, South Sudan, or Zambia) and CHAMPs sites to provide support to our country directors and programs team through a range of programmatic support activities. They will receive exposure to a broad base of global health and community development programs and put their knowledge and skills to work in a field office setting.
• Specialists in maternal, neo-natal, and child health (MNCH), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), safety and health, HIV, eHealth, and malaria contribute their expertise to support CMMB’s exisiting programs around the world. They will be involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating diverse initiatives in collaboration with CMMB’s Country Directors, partners and National Ministries of Health.
• Nutritionists are needed in Peru and Zambia to support ongoing programs related to child development and health education.
• Health Administrators provide critical support as we engage with clinical partners to improve human resources for health and facility operations. This is particularly important in Haiti where CMMB opened the Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Center for Health .

Kirollos Fares, Public Health Generalist in CMMB Kenya.

One of the greatest challenges in delivering quality healthcare is the chronic shortage of health workers, and this is where I hope I can positively contribute. – Kirollos Fares, Public Health Generalist

Apply to become an international Catholic volunteer today . 

Are You Ready to Join a Catholic Volunteer Mission Team?

We are committed to supporting medical mission trips to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to under-served communities. CMMB works hard to find highly qualified healthcare professionals, and to match their skills with the needs of our partner health facilities to help maximize their impact.

For example, in September 2017, three doctors traveled to Mwandi, Zambia as part of an eight-day medical mission trip committed to:

• Strengthening the health systems serving communities in Mwandi.
• Building capacity by mentoring and training healthcare professionals in Mwandi.
• Providing recommendations to improve patient care, quality of services, and hospital development based on observations at the site.

One of the members of the medical mission team was Dr. Helene Calvet. Dr. Helene Calvet, an experienced physician, specialized in infectious diseases, is our first clinical mentor. She visited Mwandi Mission Hospital for a second time in March 2018 and will continue serving both remotely and on annual or biannual visits.

It was an invaluable experience; a chance to meet wonderful people and see the impact of CMMB’s work. I’ve decided to leave my current job to focus on global health, volunteering with CMMB and other organizations who work with impoverished communities around the world. I look forward to continuing the relationships established during this first trip, and to contribute, however I can, to healthier lives worldwide.- Dr. Helene Calvet, Infectious disease specialist

Clinical Mentors

Clinical mentors are healthcare professionals who can commit to repeat visits to the same healthcare facility over. These volunteers will forge unique partnerships with specific facilities, to offer ongoing support, in person and remotely. Clinical mentors build long-term relationships with local health professionals to increase technical capacity and ensure sustainable impact.

Dr. Helene Calvet is a clinical mentor who is supporting Mwandi Mission Hospital and the health professionals and volunteers in the communities in Mwandi, Zambia.

Read about our some of our other medical mission trips:

Mercy Health Medical Mission Team: March 2017

Medical Mission Trip to Mwandi, Zambia: October 2017

Mercy Health Medical Mission Team: February 2018

Medical Mission Trip to Mwandi Zambia: March 2018

Interested in being part of a medical mission team or becoming a clinical mentor? Learn more .

Why It Matters?

Our volunteers are some of our most valuable resources. They are our hands, feet, and hearts on the ground. In their work and their attitudes, they truly reflect the life and wisdom of Mother Teresa, who said: “Your true character is most accurately  measured by how you treat those who can do ‘nothing’ for you.”

As Mother Teresa knew well, in service we also receive. Our volunteers change lives, in profound ways – they help provide better health care, they help build the capacity of people and institutions, and they foster new hopes and dreams among those they serve. But, in their service our volunteers are also changed.

Stories of Impact

In addition to the regular stories shared by our volunteers straight from the field , we send out a biannual publication that highlights the amazing work of interns, field, and corporate volunteers.

Healthier Lives, Together #1

Healthier Lives, Together #2

Testimonies from People Impacted by International Volunteers 

About Laura Kyriss – Labour and Delivery Nurse

Jesse Kihuha, our  CHAMPS coordinator in Mutomo , recalls Laura Kyriss with fondness,

“Laura was a blessing to the mission of CMMB, to Mutomo Mission Hospital, and to Kenya. We hope she will come back one day.”

These sentiments were shared by all those, both staff and patients alike, who were lucky enough to meet Laura. In fact, one young mother named her daughter “Laura” in honor of the care and compassion she received from this amazing nurse. We are proud to say that Laura received a special honor at the UN on Friday 11th May, 2018 during National Nurses Week.

About Brynn Macaulay

“It’s so great that dear Brynn is coming back to Peru to accompany us on our journey to improve the health of women and children. Her work is very valuable to us and everyone in our community. We can’t wait to have you back, Brynn!” – Nancy Castillo, Project Coordinator-CMMB Peru talks about how Registered Nurse, Brynn Macaulay who served in Peru in 2010 and returned in 2018

Measuing children’s height. Brynn Registered nurse and volunteer.

About Rachael Consoli – OBGYN in South Sudan

In 2016, Peter David was a nurse in training at Nzara Mission Hospital in South Sudan when he first met CMMB volunteer alumnae and OBGYN, Dr. Rachael Consoli . Peter explained that Dr. Consoli provided whatever care was needed, when it was needed. He said she was very open with patients, offering them counselling to help them come to terms with whatever diagnosis they were given. She provided similar care to all the doctors and nurses on staff. He praised Consoli for her role in building capacity in the local staff. She was constantly providing commentary as she treated patients, first making sure that they understood the illness before teaching them the necessary treatment.

“I feel so lucky that she came to Nzara. I am so inspired by the work she did here. She is my role model. I want to study medicine because I want to become like Dr. Consoli. She inspired a lot of people here and we learned a lot from her. I want to be just like her.”

The reach of a dedicated volunteer cannot be predicted, nor ever accurately measured. Their legacy lives on long after they leave. For the volunteers themselves, life is forever changed.

My year of volunteering gave me this answer. I needed the chance to grow my skills in different areas and help others. What I didn’t realize was that my time in Mwandi would reveal my purpose in life. If I really think about it, it just confirmed what I always knew it was. – Janet Choongo, Volunteered in Zambia for one year

Apply to be a volunteer today:  

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Mission Trips | General Information

Discover your mission.

Join our full-time missionaries in living out the mission of the Church — proclaiming Christ to all people, starting with the poorest of the poor.

Because our full-time missionaries live at the posts, you will be able to step into their daily lives, serving alongside them in their ministries, continuing their work, and stepping into the relationships they have formed. No “parachute missions” here: our full-time missionaries stay behind to continue the work and ministries you participate in.

Make friends.

Whether it’s FMC’s own missionaries who hail from all over the world, your fellow mission trippers, or the poor you serve, your mission trip with FMC offers you an opportunity to develop lasting relationships with fascinating people.

See the world.

From the jungles of Peru to the islands of the Philippines, come with us and see something new. Step outside of your routine and encounter Christ in the peripheries.

Where do you want to go?

Abbeville, LA

General Cepeda, Mexico

Summer School of Missionary Evangelization

Medical Missions

What people are saying about FMC mission trips:

“It really changes the ways you see things and helps to help you get a new perspective. To be able to just give a full week to others, but also be poured into so deeply by those around you is so much more rewarding and life-changing than I expected.” – Abigail

“I was going through a very difficult time prior to participating in mission. Throughout the trip, my heart was opened to receive the Lord’s love like I once had, and I felt known cherished by Him.  My mission trip with FMC opened my heart to giving and receiving authentic, divine love in a way I have never experienced before.” – Anna

More questions? Email [email protected]

Family missions company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization., fmcmissions.

Missionaries compelled by Jesus' Great Commission proclaiming Jesus Christ and His #Gospel to the poor! 🌏 #FMCmissions

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Cross Catholic Outreach

Delivering food, shelter, and hope to the poorest of the poor

Mission Trips

Putting faith into action, a unique opportunity.

Mission trips are a unique opportunity for your Catholic community to share Christ’s love with the poor in developing countries.

When you partner with Cross Catholic Outreach, you’re partnering with a Catholic organization that has worked with priests, nuns and Catholic lay missionaries around the world for over 20 years.

Each mission trip experience allows U.S. Catholics to encounter the poor and serve alongside our ministry partners in their work. This service may include building homes or schools, feeding children, digging irrigation ditches, caring for orphans and vulnerable children, or visiting the elderly.

Our mission trips can be tailored to your group’s specific needs and interests, always grounded in our service to the Lord. We will help you plan, organize, and engage your Catholic community for a blessed and enriching experience.

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. 1 John 3:18

Encountering Christ through Mission Trips in Belize and Guatemala

Read how u.s. catholics are encountering christ through cross catholic outreach mission trips..

Idaho Parish is a Model for Catholic Evangelization

Nestled deep in the heart of Idaho, Holy Apostles Catholic Church participates in Cross Catholic’s Box of Joy program, which brings Christ’s love and joy during the Christmas season. In addition to its commitment to the good works, the parish also sponsors a mission trip with parishioners to visit Cross Catholic Outreach missions in Belize.

Donors Share Inspirational Visit to Santa Rosa, Guatemala

When Terry and Cindi Ruder visited the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima last year, they saw poverty – as well as incredible signs of hope. This was a “vision” trip provided to major supporters. Even in one of the most destitute areas of Guatemala, the Ruders saw the fruits of their generosity and the restoration of dignity among the poor.

The cost of each mission trip varies by destination,group size, length of stay and type of service project.

All food, lodging, materials for service, travel health insurance and devotional journals.

Airfare, trip insurance, travel visas, immunizations, and your personal essentials like clothing and toiletries.

Trips average seven days, but can be customized up to 12 days to fit each group’s needs.

At Cross Catholic Outreach, your safety is a high priority. We work closely with our ministry partners in each country to ensure your safety at all times. During your trip, you will stay at a secure compound, mission house or hotel. We register all groups with the U.S. Department of State.

Participants must be at least 13, and those who are 13-17 must be accompanied by an adult.

You will need to contact your cell phone carrier for international data packages available in the specific country you plan to visit.

When your group arrives in-country, a Cross Catholic Outreach team member will be there to meet you at the airport. Our team will be with you for your entire experience and see you off at the airport.

Yes. A detailed itinerary will be provided to you prior to your scheduled departure date.

It’s important that visitors respect local cultures and norms, so participants must adhere to a modest dress code. For work times, men and women should wear pants or modest shorts, and T-shirts. For church, men should wear khakis or slacks and a clean shirt; women should wear skirts or dresses (knee length or longer). For leisure time, men should wear swim trunks; women should wear one-piece bathing suits. Bikini-style or tight bottoms or sleeveless shirts are not allowed.

A Cross Catholic Outreach team member will contact you with a packing list before your trip.

Depending on the country you go to, projects range from clean water wells, feeding, construction, and helping at orphanages or nursing homes.

No. interpreters will be provided.

Yes — a valid U.S. Passport is required.

There will be morning and evening devotions, prayer, and worship. Our goal is that your relationship with the Lord grows stronger!

At this time, we do not host trips for individuals to join.

Important Information Regarding COVID-19

Personal safety is Cross Catholic Outreach’s top priority. Whether it’s you, your group, our ministry partners, or those they serve, service to the poor must be done in a safe and controlled manner.

Cross Catholic Outreach has established thorough mission trip protocols to protect against COVID-19. This includes requirements for pre-travel, travel, in-country service and stay, and return travel back to the U.S.

Start Planning Your Group’s Mission Trip

If you’re interested in learning how your Catholic group can put faith into action through a mission trip, complete and submit the form below. Our team will help you plan, organize, and engage your Catholic community for a blessed and enriching experience. Note, at this time, we do not offer mission trips for individuals to join — only trips planned as a group.

Our mission is to mobilize the global Catholic Church to transform the poor and their communities materially and spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ . Your gift empowers us to serve the poorest of the poor by channeling life-changing aid through an international network of dioceses, parishes and Catholic missionaries. This cost-effective approach helps break the cycle of poverty and advance Catholic evangelization.

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Catholic Missionary Trips

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Make a Difference with Catholic Missionary Trips!

Glenmary’s Group Volunteer Missionary Work Program is back in action with safe social distancing guidelines. CLICK HERE for details.

Volunteer for a Week, a Month or a Year!

Glenmary offers many opportunities for volunteers interested in serving the home missions. Learn More.

Glenmary’s Catholic missionary trips are  designed to give participants a firsthand experience of missionary service. Each week-long session is a retreat-like mission immersion blending the values of service, culture, prayer, reflection and sharing in an environment of simple living. The Glenmary Group Volunteer Program site is located in Grainger County, Tenn.

Check out our volunteer options

Sacred encounter, learn, serve, love, mountain managers.

This is an opportunity for adult Catholics to assist a resident director in the supervision of high-school and college volunteer groups at Toppa Joppa Mountain in eastern Tennessee for one year. Persons selected provide leadership for short-term missionary immersion experiences.

What is Glenmary?

Glenmary is a Catholic society of priests, brothers and lay missioners who serve primarily in Appalachia and the deep South. Glenmary was founded in 1939 by Father William Howard Bishop, who had a dream that the Catholic Church would be present everywhere in the United States.

Glenmary has served mission churches in 14 states with the goal to return developed parishes to the care of the local diocese. We can then move on to new mission territory.

Glenmary is proud that more than 120 parishes are former Glenmary missions. Our missions are in counties where less than 1% of the population is Catholic, as high as 75% claim no faith affiliation at all. Poverty averages 20%, almost two times the national average.

Every day I realize how blessed and privileged I am to be a Glenmary Home Missioner. I get to enter sacred spaces with my encounters and interactions with the people of God.

- Brother Jason Muhlenkamp, Glenmarian

Taking a trip to the missions taught me that I can’t take my faith and the ability to practice that faith for granted.

- Rita M., Glenmary supporter.

The amazing thing about being a Glenmary volunteer is that the Glenmary spirit of ecumenism and charity is everywhere.

- Alyson M., mountain manager at Toppa Joppa, Grainger County, Tenn.

Many times, the faith and dedication of the people of the missions humbled me and challenged me to rededicate myself to our missionary work.

- Father Aaron Wessman, Glenmarian

Support the Mission Fund with the amount of:

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Today we encounter a wide variety of questions related to sexuality and gender. As followers of Christ, we want to navigate LGBT+ questions in a way that is compassionate to people and faithful to scripture.

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Mission Trips: 1-12 Weeks

How might God use you if you took a step of faith to engage with His mission somewhere in the world? Cru offers many kinds of mission trips for college and high school students, working adults and families. Get out to the world! You can help make a huge impact in the lives of a person close to home or far away in a completely different culture or among people who still haven't heard the name of Jesus.

Summer Missions

Do something extraordinary this summer: Impact a community, a workplace or the world!

Jesus Film Missions

Using the power of media in ministry, you can help reach every tribe and touchscreen.  

Study Abroad

Make the most of your college education by carrying the gospel to the nations while you study abroad.  

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Interested in working with younger people and impacting local schools?

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Take a break before going to college and make an impact around the world.

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Choose a mission trip focused on introducing athletes to the gospel.

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Do you want to deepen your relationship with God as you have an impact on one of our great cities?  

Humanitarian Trips

Unto® humanitarian trips express the kindness of Jesus to people living in the toughest places on earth.

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Choose where you want to serve. Find mission opportunities for individuals and families, or focus on your area of expertise.

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Catholic Work in the United States

In the United States there is a great struggle with both physical poverty and spiritual poverty. About 46 million Americans live in physical poverty, and many more live in spiritual poverty. In both cases we need to alleviate their suffering and help them meet Christ.

“the future starts today, not tomorrow.” ― pope john paul ii.

Explore the tabs below to learn about the many ways our donors’ dollars are at work in the United States .

Feeding the Hungry

Fulfill the Spiritual and Corporal Works

Feeding the Children of Georgia

Sharing Love, Sharing Lunch

Forming Leaders in the Faith

Bring Souls to God

Parish Evangelization

50.1 Million Americans Struggle to Put Food on the Table

50.1 million Americans struggle to put food on the table. In the US, hunger isn’t caused by a lack of food, but rather the continued prevalence of poverty. In the United States, we struggle to realize the amount of hunger that is all around us. In every twenty people, there is a family of three that cannot put food on the table and goes hungry every day. We know proper nutrition is vital to a child’s growth. That is why Catholic World Mission has partnered with St. Peters Food Pantry in Yonkers, New York. Together with our donors, we have reconstructed the pantry to keep out the cold and provide food throughout the year.

Fr. José Félix, LC runs St. Peter’s Catholic Parish located in a very low income area bordering the Bronx in Yonkers, NY. As part of their way to help the community they operate a food pantry which distributes bags of food to 300 needy families every week.

The Food pantry serves over 300 families regularly and over 1000 families over the holidays when children are home and not getting their meals at school. Ending food poverty in the United States is critical for the future of our children.

Christmas Blessings from South Carolina!

January 2023.

This Christmas, YOU helped St. Anthony’s Mission Catholic Church and St. Andrew’s Kitchen in Hardeeville, South Carolina provide Christmas meals and care packages! The volunteers delivered these meals and packages to 200 homeless in the area. Elizabeth Redway, a coordinator for the project, only had high praise and left the service opportunity with a grateful heart.

“We met some beautiful souls, knocked on many doors, and gave out hugs to those who needed them. The smiles on the faces of those in need when we handed them a hot meal and a bag filled with essentials warmed my heart and made me realize that we are blessed to be a blessing to others.”

This included a family Elizabeth and other volunteers ran into which showed them the true reason for the season:

“We met a family that did not want to take the meals at first because they said there were others that were in a worse situation than they were…Once we assured them that we had plenty to go around, they cried and said that we were truly a blessing. They could not stop hugging us. The dad was especially appreciative of the meal. He said that they did not always live on the street but that they had fallen on hard times and that this meal meant more to them than we would ever realize.”

The team is already eager to help again for the next Christmas season as they saw how many lives were touched firsthand by their servant’s hearts. We thank YOU and your generosity in feeding and providing for Hardeeville, South Carolina!

The Entire City of Hardeeville Benefit from this Local Food Pantry

Christmas 2019.

Thanks to a very generous supporter, this past Christmas – 2019 – we partnered with St. Anthony Mission in South Carolina with the feeding of over 100 people at their Christmas Eve Dinner Event.

St. Anthony Mission in Hardeeville, SC, is a mission parish of St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Bluffton, SC. St. Anthony Mission is a small diversified parish supporting a food pantry, The Mercy Mission.

The local parish and school, John Paul II Catholic School, hosted a Christmas Eve dinner event for local homeless in their area. The parish provided a hot meal for over 100 people along with gift bags stuffed by the local students from John Paul II Catholic School with personal hygiene items and a gift card to Wendy’s for another hot meal over the holidays.

The entire city of Hardeeville benefit from this local food pantry, which through its services create community and assist those in dire need of help.

Building a Better Pantry

November 2018.

St. Peter’s food pantry has operated the last few years out of an old garage. The roof was caving in, and holes in the siding let in more than the weather. St. Peter’s came to us to ask for help rebuilding their food pantry to serve the immediate needs of their community. We were able to help transform St. Peter’s food pantry from a dilapidated garage, to an insulated and safe structure to work and store food in.

The Diocese of Gallup in the Pandemic

The Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico, is harshly affected by the pandemic. As the poorest diocese in the United States, it serves seven Native American Nations including the Diné (Navajo), Hopi, Zuni, White Mountain Apache, Jicarilla Apache, Laguna, and Acoma nations. It spans over two state boundaries to completely encompass the boundaries of these distinct Native American Reservations and Sovereign Nations.

Resources like running water and electricity are scarce on the Reservations, creating a perfect storm for COVID-19 to run rampant. Without electricity or running water, how are people supposed to wash their hands–one of the simplest defenses against the virus?

You can help today.

“We are, and have always been, ‘a poor Church serving the poor’, as Pope Francis desires.” – The Diocese of Gallup

Unlike the majority of Catholic World Mission’s past projects, The Diocese of Gallup has a combination of 20 parishes/schools, each with their own unique needs due to COVID-19 . Because they are a mission-based diocese, they are heavily reliant on the generosity of others to sustain the ministry.

The spiritual works.

•  To Admonish the Sinner – Some parish confessionals need to be rebuilt to comply with the social distancing regulations. This will provide a safe space for reconciliation.
• To Instruct the Ignorant –  Some parish catechism and RCIA programs, as well as schools, will need to reformat classrooms for social distancing and are in dire need of extra cleaning supplies.
• To Counsel the Doubtful and to Comfort the Sorrowful – In order to continue safe pastoral outreach and visitation, pastors, religious sisters, and lay ministers are in need of protective personal equipment.
• To Bear Wrongs Patiently and to Forgive All Injuries –  Postage funds are needed for parishes to mail uplifting prayers to those who are at risk or suffering, without access to online masses and homilies.
• To Pray for the Living and the Dead –  Additional bulletin funds are needed to announce mass intentions and parish news, as many bulletin advertisers are no longer sustaining ads in parish bulletins. Bulletins will be mailed to parishioners without the internet in remote regions.

The Corporal Works

• To Feed the Hungry –  Some parishes host food banks. Due to a greater need for food because of pandemic-related job losses, parishes will be distributing supermarket gift cards to those in need.
• To Give Drink to the Thirsty – Because many of the Native Americans don’t have running water at home, the parishes allow parishioners to use the church’s water supplies. To provide safe and reliable water, many hoses and equipment must be replaced.
• To Clothe the Naked – Some parishes provide thrift shops, which will be hosted more frequently due to the increased need. More personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies are needed, as well.
• To Visit the Imprisoned – Pastors, religious sisters, and lay ministers are in need of protective personal equipment to continue safe pastoral outreach and visitation.
• To Shelter the Homeless – Some parishes use “rectory annexes” to house the homeless overnight. To provide a safe space, parishes are increasing their regular cleaning schedules and are in need of additional supplies.
• To Visit the Sick – In order to continue safe pastoral outreach and visitation, pastors, religious sisters, and lay ministers are in need of protective personal equipment.
• To Bury the Dead – Additional personal protective equipment is needed for pastoral visitations and funerals.

Getting Help to Those Who Need it Most

You helped 11 churches and 9 schools hit hard by the pandemic, who struggle during normal times. These churches and schools decided how best to serve their community getting help to those who need it most. Like St. Paul’s Catholic Church, a small predominately Navajo parish in Crown Point, New Mexico. Without running water or electricity this rural parish depends on wood as a fuel source. The elderly use wood for cooking their meals and to provide warmth. Your donation helped supply wood and impacted the community in two ways; the person providing the wood earned money for their work and the recipients benefited. One elderly women exclaimed, “I’m so glad you came. I don’t have any more wood and no money to buy any.”

Your generosity also provided hand sanitizing stations for their church, food and other supplies. Sanitizer stations eliminate the need to handle bottles-further preventing the spread of germs and keeping the elderly and handicapped safe.

You helped Sacred Heart Cathedral provide 7 families with $100 each when they needed it most and meals to many who come to the church for help during these unprecedented times. You provided urgently needed water, sanitizer, food boxes and food coupons to provide for families’ nutrition in Christ the King, St. Jude, and Our Lady of Fatima parishes. In doing so, you helped others to share in the collection, distribution, and sharing of these gifts. You facilitated a culture of empowering the poor and sharing the Gospel through acts of works of mercy. Thank you!

In the schools, you stocked food pantries and helped food insecure children receive the weekend bag program where meals are prepared and distributed to children so they have food for the weekend. The daily lunches and to go bags helped my family tremendously! I don’t have to worry whether they have brain food or not. I am super grateful our school is able to help families like mine.” Again, by your grace, you helped others to reach out and help their neighbors. Many of the children picking up meals were local school kids who needed help. You ministered to them through their neighbors. Thank you!

You also provided volunteer teachers who give their time with stipends and PPE equipment like masks, gloves and cleaning supplies – all needed to resume learning activities. Each school community within the larger community choosing where and how to help each other. Because of you so many lives were impacted. “We extend our gratitude and that of our people to Catholic World Missions and their donors for blessing us with their care and generosity.”

Mercy Missions Atlanta

Mercy Missions Atlanta is a faith-based, youth organization that is committed to serving the local community, forming disciples, and evangelizing the Gospel.

On a monthly basis, Mercy Missions Atlanta purposefully hosts mission opportunities for young adults and high-school teens. Through their missions, teens and young adults gather in community to share testimonies and become empowered to encounter strangers with the same compassion that Christ has for each of us.

For example, some missions include distributing “hygiene kits” to the homeless that contain an assortment of socks, soap, toothbrushes, food, water, and more.

In order to further extend their helping hands, Mercy Missions Atlanta partners with other local nonprofits in hopes of serving even more brothers and sisters in need.

Providing Meals to Young Students in Georgia

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, it has become especially important to stay healthy, safe, and well-nourished. Unfortunately, many families were unprepared to stay home for an extended period of time and are currently struggling to put food on the table.

This Summer, in partnership with Smart Lunch Smart Kid (SLSK), Mercy Missions Atlanta is taking action by  providing meals to children who rely on the government and school systems for food during the school year. Since the pandemic, regular in-person school years were cut short, extending the need for those dependent on the school system for food.

With your help, Mercy Missions Atlanta and Smart Lunch Smart Kid can provide 1,200 children with meal-boxes that provide nourishment for an entire day. Each meal-box contains prayer cards and 3 nutritious meals, for a total of 3,600 meals! This mission will directly serve school-aged children across the state of Georgia including the cities of Smyrna, Atlanta, Roswell, etc. Furthermore, the project will teach young missionaries to serve through teamwork and hands-on activities.

COVID-19 has made it difficult for many organizations to reach the same volume that they would under normal circumstances. To combat this limitation, all meals will be collected and packed by Mercy Missions Atlanta’s young adults to then be distributed by Smart Lunch Smart Kids at designated “drop sites”.

At Catholic World Mission, we support the initiative of Mercy Missions Atlanta and Smart Lunch Smart Kids (SLSK) to alleviate the hunger of young children around Georgia.  Click on the green button on this page to donate.

At Catholic World Mission, we support the initiative of Mercy Missions Atlanta and Smart Lunch Smart Kids (SLSK) to alleviate the hunger of young children around Georgia.

Thanks to your generosity, the 2020 Meal-Boxing Mission was a wonderful success! As seen in the “Thank You” video, 15 young adults safely participated in the mission and packaged over 1100 meal boxes. Your support was instrumental in providing nourishing meals to young students throughout the state of Georgia.

Serving the Homeless During the Coronavirus Outbreak

We are all being hit hard in different ways due to the spread of the Coronavirus, but one group being hit in a drastic way is the homeless. Many food banks and charitable organizations are no longer able to provide support to the homeless. The homeless are therefore without basic necessities such as food, water, and hygiene products.

Thanks to the generosity and quick response of three sisters and their family in Atlanta, GA, the local homeless are being taken care of!

The three sisters are: Natalie , a medical student from the Medical College of Georgia; Sophie , a college student from the University of SC graduating this year with a Psychology Degree; and Taylor a high schooler from St. Francis High School.

Each week Sharing Love, Sharing Lunch prepares 80-100 packages, which include a sandwich, cereal, snacks, hygiene products, and an encouraging message each week. These packages get delivered to the homeless around Atlanta every Thursday.

“The kind deed that one person in a desperate situation does for another – if we can’t get to someone in a wheel chair or unable to walk (we don’t leave the Jeep) someone always offers to help.”

“One child that had the biggest smile and started dancing around because he was given a bag of food.  His mother and his baby brother were happy, but he was over the moon with excitement!”

“Serving the homeless during the Coronavirus outbreak has been quite a unique experience due to all the precautions that need to be taken to ensure the safety of the team and those being served. Normally, when we work with the homeless, we spend most of our time trying to encourage and embrace them (often literally) and when possible share the Good News; providing a meal is almost secondary. With the Coronavirus outbreak many services for the homeless have been reduced or stopped altogether so we find ourselves in a situation where the primary need today is to provide a meal in a safe manner.”

Local parishioners of the Catholic Church of St. Ann in Marietta, GA band together each week (observing the social distancing directive) to pack and provide over 200 sandwiches and over 400 bags of cereal to be passed out to the local homeless in Atlanta every Thursday.

*Please note: all COVID-19 protective measure guidelines are being followed during the execution of this project. We at CWM support and honor the CDC guidelines and local shelter-in-place orders issued by the government.

Supply Physical and Spiritual Nutrition to the Less Fortunate

Sharing Love, Sharing Lunch has partnered with Lady T’s Homeless Ministry to ensure Atlanta’s homeless population still receives meals and encouragement during this tough time.

Teresa “Lady T” Hamilton was greatly moved by the homelessness she encountered while visiting Nigeria. Her heart was so moved that she knew she had to help the homeless in her local community of Atlanta, GA. When she returned home to the United States she left DeKalb Medical to start her own catering business. Every catering contract indicates that all leftovers will be donated to feed homeless people, and “Lady T’s Homeless Ministry” was started. She has been feeding the homeless for over 20 years.

“The mission of Lady T’s Homeless Ministry is to supply physical and spiritual nutrition to the less fortunate individuals who live on the streets, in the parks, behind alleys, in the woods and those that have found a place in the battered women, children and men shelters. Our objective is to give them the basic necessities of life to lift them up and encourage them.”

Through Lady T Ministry, over 300 homeless people are served a hearty meal every week. She serves homeless living on the streets and homeless families living in extended stay low income hotels, which includes over 100 children.

In addition to a weekly meal, she provides clothing, blankets, toiletries, stuffed animals to children, cereal snacks, crayons and coloring kits. Each homeless person she serves is given two pairs of socks and a daily devotional.

See pictures from this wonderful program below, and our very own Senior Manager of Operations, Roxanne Haslach, and her daughter, Sophia, assisting in packing lunches.

70% of Catholics Will Leave the Church

Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we are responding to the many prayers requests we receive every day for your daughter, son, niece, nephew, granddaughter, grandson, neighbor’s child, etc. who have left the faith once they entered college.

70% of Catholics will leave the church after high school and will never return. We must help build the bridge that has seemed to collapse carrying faithful Catholics through young adulthood. This is the least served group within the Church, but the group that can make the most difference.

By partnering with Catholic Campus Ministry programs we will help bridge the gap in hopes of forming future leaders in our faith. We don’t want lack of finances to prevent students from participating in the many faith formation opportunities helping them foster a stronger relationship with Christ.

Read more in the tabs to see how we are beginning to answer this call by partnering with the Catholic Student Union at Florida State University. Together we can help young people find their community, their purpose, their faith and their mission.

“With Christ as the center of your life, you will never be disappointed” – Pope Francis

Catholic center program at florida state university.

We are partnering with the Catholic Student Union (CSU) at Florida State University in forming future leaders in our Catholic faith. CSU has been meeting college students where they are at and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus Christ since 1947. CSU is run by the Brotherhood of Hope, a community of religious brothers, and staff.

The CSU is a college campus ministry that reaches out to thousands of students each year from The Florida State University (FSU) and the Tallahassee Community College (TCC). CSU provides several opportunities for students to experience an encounter with Jesus Christ. CSU does this by hosting and facilitating various events throughout the semester, incorporating St. John Paul ll’s vision for the “New Evangelization”, relational evangelization and discipleship formation and preparing them for the next steps after graduation.

CSU offers many opportunities for the students  who are “poor in spirit” to become immersed in their faith. The projects are designed for students to encounter Christ through “relational formation” and eventually “discipleship formation”. As they deepen their own relationship with Christ they become disciples for Christ. Fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commandment: “You shall love…God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31).

CSU provides many programs for students including:

• A Spirit Nite (Faith Formation/Hot Topics discussion) every Wednesday when schools is in session
• Men’s and women’s small groups – weekly meetings
• Bible study
• Two annual retreats
• Men’s and women’s retreats
• International and national mission trips
• Attend March for Life
• Volunteer in the local area to serve the poor and homeless
• Invite students to participate in a conference entitled  School of the New Evangelization  (SNE) every August
• Social Events: Halloween Party, Christmas Party, Sports events

Each of these different forms of “relational formation” and “discipleship formation” are designed to assist the student to continue to grow in their faith, gain leadership skills and continue in deepening their faith in Christ.  So as they graduate from college they are able to go out and change the world through the new found calling to holiness and in particular to marriage, to priesthood or religious life. 

The formation begins when they encounter Christ through our campus ministers and student leaders. One of the major avenues they experience this encounter is at the CSU bi-annual retreat. CSU has on average 200 students who attend a given retreat. The students are provided with opportunities to share their faith by listening to talks given by CSU Staff/other guest speakers and student leaders, praise and worship, small groups and fellowship. It helps them to get connected with their peers who are growing in their faith to become selfless in love, to have a personal prayer life and evangelistic outreach. They experience this love for Christ also in our Men’s and Women’s retreats and small groups. With this deepening personal relationship with Christ, the Light of the world, they will be able to bear His Light into a world darkened by sin.

As the students grow in their faith they want to act on it. CSU provides the students multiple opportunities to serve. CSU provides this growth through our service projects and mission trips. They offer every year, three different mission trips that we hold during FSU’s spring break. This year, they had 16 men head to New York to serve the poor and homeless. They had 16 women who served the poor and homeless in Alabama. The international trip went to Haiti where 12 men and women served with the Missionaries of Charity. Each trip provides the student to grow in appreciation, understanding and of giving oneself to Christ. A big part of the students growing in their understanding of true selfless love is by serving the homeless and the poor.

CSU also provides student leaders the opportunity to experience and deepen their faith and grow in their understanding of their baptismal call to discipleship by attending the School of the New Evangelization (SNE) conference in St. Paul, MN hosted by St. Paul’s Outreach. It is a one week conference that is held at the beginning of August right before a new college school year begins. The conference gives the students the opportunity to deepen their faith through orthodox teaching, prayer and community living with over 200 other teachers and college students across the country. The response from the students who want to attend the conference has been overwhelming.

“I arrived in Tallahassee in 1999 to begin my studies at Florida State University. Initially, I visited numerous churches around the area and was seeking a place to call home. My roommate, who was my good friend from high school, began attending the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More and got involved with the Catholic Student Union. Eventually, he attended their Fall Retreat that semester, and I saw the incredible impact it had on him when he returned. As he shared about it and I observed the change in his life, it stirred my heart to want to attend a retreat myself in the Spring… I continued to be very involved with the Catholic Student Union as a student leader until I graduated in 2004, and it was during a Spring Break Mission Trip to serve the materially and spiritually poor in Boston, MA, where I realized that I really loved sharing my faith — I experienced such great joy when doing this sort of work! This realization on that unique mission helped me discern a call to the priesthood by steering me in the right direction. I eventually entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on June 4th, 2011 for the mission Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.”

READ FULL STORY +

“ Spring Break Mission Trip to New Orleans; Women’s Spring Break Mission Trip to Ohio; Break Mission Trip to Haiti  – Through these experiences and many more with the Catholic Student Union, I have been formed and shaped in countless ways… I knew what the life of a disciple looked like, in following Jesus, but my heart has been changed to longing not only to be a disciple, but to become an apostle, to be able to share this love with others and to make my life truly focused on working for Christ… I have recently accepted an offer to do a year of medical mission work in the South Sudan and the Dominican Republic of Congo. Going into college, I never thought this would be a part of my life, but I have learned so much about what it means to serve.”  

“After graduating high school in 2012, I decided to attend Florida State University… Over the course of my first year and a half of college, I was confronted with the reality that the current college culture is often directly opposed to a life of faith. As a result, my unpreparedness led me to a time of desolation and spiritual poverty… I heard an announcement that the Catholic Student Union (CSU) of FSU was going on a weeklong Spring Break Mission Trip to Haiti… Through this, God revealed to me my own spiritual poverty, and I realized God was reaching out to me — and always had been… Experiencing God radically change my life through CSU has strengthened my faith beyond what I ever thought it could be. I am so thankful for the Catholic Student Union, and I pray for other students to experience God as I have through this wonderful ministry.”

Brother Clinton

“I wasn’t raised Catholic: my dad was a non-practicing Catholic and my mom a non-practicing Protestant through most of my childhood, but God’s grace slowly began to capture my heart… It wasn’t until college that I encountered God’s love for me… As I continued to grow in my relationship with Jesus, it became clear that He had been preparing me to consecrate the entirety of my life to Him as a religious Brother in the Brotherhood of Hope – to live a life with God First and God Alone… Currently, I am the director of the Catholic Student Union at Florida State University, and  it’s impossible for me to tell you of the countless lives changed by God’s grace here…  but it’s happening! College students are entering into a vibrant, life-giving relationship with the Lord and His Church.” Click here to read Brother Clinton’s journey and the impact CSU is making

“As I entered college, surrounding myself with people of faith wasn’t a priority of mine. I began to develop friendships with some good people, but as with many college students, they were atheists who didn’t have a positive view of religion or the Catholic Church… my parents forced me to go to the Catholic Student Union’s (CSU’s) Spring Retreat… My mentality upon arriving at the retreat was one of survival — making it through the weekend, tell my parents I had a miserable time, and then never have to face another boring, ignorance-filled camping trip… Well, I survived retreat (if that isn’t already obvious). Life continued, and retreat was quickly forgotten… but not for long. The Brother that I had conversed with at the Spring Retreat contacted me some weeks later and invited me to chat again. I could not pass up an opportunity to debate, so I got together with him and had another fantastic conversation… With continued guidance and support from the community, I was able to grow in conviction for my newly acquired faith, and I am proud to say that it has only grown stronger since.” Click here to read Monique’s full story

By God’s Grace, CSU has Produced Abundant Fruit

There have been hundreds of beautiful marriages and many who have responded to His invitation to the priesthood and to religious life. Specifically, CSU has helped form approximately 30 men who have entered the seminary with nine having already been ordained priests within the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and with men in seminary formation for another five dioceses; eight women have entered vowed religious life; four women are currently at the novitiate or postulant level; five religious men (two of which are priests as well) have entered religious communities; and one man is a religious novice. These men and women serve all over the world. All of these inspiring vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and marriage have had a major impact in diocesan offices, public and private schools (education), the business and medical fields, parishes, family life, and more. We also have men and women who currently are part of missions to the poor in Haiti, Honduras, Peru, and the United States.

Across the country, we have alumni who are serving their parishes in different capacities, including youth ministries, liturgical ministry, marriage preparation, elderly care, and ongoing men’s and women’s groups to carry on the relational evangelization and discipleship formation that they received here in the CSU outreach.

“I started going to daily Mass while I was in college at Florida State University. No one required this of me, and no one had to. It was attractive because CSU made it easy to recognize the friendship and community that was generated by sharing in the Church’s prayer together each day. To pause and listen together to the Word of God and to be fed by Christ’s Body and Blood:  it was the rhythm of this prayer life of the Church that gave a foundation to my closest friendships .”  –  Reverend James Grebe – Alumnus – Class of 2005

“I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Bible Study small groups when I was involved in CSU during undergrad.  It was in these small groups that we were able to really explore how God was calling us to live out our faith through scripture.  We gained insight into the history behind each reading and then discussed how it related to us in our own lives. The Bible study fostered a sense of real community for me; the group both encouraged and challenged me to grow in my faith!” –  Claire Butler – Alumna – Class of 2012

“ My involvement with the Respect Life Committee of the Catholic Student Union laid the foundation necessary for the work God has called me to in the medical profession.   As an Ob/Gyn physician today, my practice motto “Respecting the Dignity of Women and Building a New Culture of Life,” can be traced to my formation and involvement with CSU.” –  Damon Cudihy , MD – Class of 1999

“When I reflect on my experience at CSU, weekly Spirit Nites, retreats, service trips, etc., I am reminded how deeply grateful I am. It has been 1 years since I graduated and there are two main lessons I learned that have helped me immensely in my family and professional life.  At CSU I learned how to pray and I learned how to lead . While I continue to learn lessons in both prayer and leadership, I can definitely say they have their origin in my experience at CSU. As a husband, father of five, and business owner, I can tell you that without the foundation I received at CSU, I would not have been nearly as well prepared for the challenging adventure of life.” –  Justin Biance – Alumnus – Class of 2001

Spring Break Mission to Jamaica

This Spring Break, 16 students from the Florida State University Catholic Student Union spent their time in Jamaica – not relaxing on the beach as one might expect, but giving of themselves wholeheartedly as they worked alongside the Missionaries of the Poor.

These inspirational students devoted themselves to the poorest of the poor, serving in five homes in the community (two for women, two for men, and one for children) for residents with mental and physical disabilities, patients with HIV, and elderly men and women who had been abandoned by their families. In their own words, each day the students, “served at a different center, and the residents of each house welcomed us with enormous hugs, hand-holding, and shouts of joy. Throughout our time of service, we cleaned, prepared meals, helped feed the residents, made up beds, folded laundry, cleaned wounds, and –most of all –spent time with the people we were serving, which was full of prayer, moving conversations, and overflowing love.”

Thanks to your support, these student were able to not only bring the love and light of Christ to those in desperate need, but felt God moving in and around them – filling them with love and enabling them to serve as Christ’s hands and feet. These students have had an encounter with Christ that moved them deeply and will stay with them, deepening their faith, for their whole lives, teaching them to see God in every aspect of life. Through you these Catholic youth feel the call of Christ, not only towards their work in Jamaica but a call they bring home with them to share the Gospel and Christ’s love everywhere!

“We are called to be missionaries and disciples of Jesus wherever we are. We were exhorted to “be the bridge” when we return home. As we sit in the graces of this trip, we are to take the love of Christ that we encountered through this experience and share it with others who have not encountered that love.”

Spring Break Mission Trip to Jamaica

16 students from the Florida State University Catholic Student Union headed down to Jamaica to spend their Spring Break on a mission trip serving the people there. The group served at a preschool, as well as communities of elderly, orphans, and children with disabilities.

Student Kevin McNaughton shares his profound experience, “An experience that significantly impacted me in Jamaica occurred at the final visit we made… One of the elderly residents joined us outside for praise and worship. Although we had brought a guitar to play, the gentleman and his friend picked up the bongo and tambourine and started belting praises to the Lord. [We all] danced with the residents with tears in their eyes. I remember standing behind the man and seeing the strength that he had in the Lord while proclaiming His name. It was at that moment, that I realized the dignity and beauty that every person there possessed. This man wasn’t in full health, nor was he living with his family, yet he still praised God for the life he was given. I realized that in whatever circumstance I find myself, my mouth should always proclaim the graces the Lord has given me and how truly good my heavenly Father is.”

Thanks to your generosity, young people in the United States are experiencing the love of Jesus Christ in new and profound ways. The students from the Catholic Student Union go on mission trips every Spring and Summer break; for many it is where they decide to include Christ in their lives for the rest of their lives. You can continue supporting this mission by visiting our United States donation page.

“The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” – Mother Theresa

Regnum Christi Mission Corps

The RC Mission Corps program is an apostolate of the Regnum Christi Movement which seeks to help young people have an authentic experience of Jesus Christ through active Apostleship in communities, schools and parishes throughout the world.

Since Regnum Christi has the unique purpose to be at the service of the Church and mankind, the RC Mission Corps Program seeks to reawaken others to the mystery of Christ’s love for them and to their commitment of living out their An RC Missionary is a committed apostle of Christ and the Church who through the charism and spirituality of Regnum Christi seeks to bring souls to God by giving one or more years of his/her life in service of God’s people vocation in Christ.

The RC Mission Corps Program seeks to form Missionaries in  Spiritual, Social, Intellectual ,  and  Apostolic  dimensions so that he/she is educated and formed in the teachings of the Catholic Church so as to empower them to go out and “travel on the path of love” which God has called them on.

Working through parishes, schools and service organizations, young missionaries touch up to 4,000 people in their time of service.

The RC Missionaries serve in: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Washigton, and Manila, Philippines

RCMC Alumni ’14

“People everywhere need Christ, the world is starving because we have removed God from the center of society so there is nothing sustaining in it. Your donation is not simply a gift of money, it is a gift of Christ.”

“This program gives you the opportunity to work with all kind of people: young, old, local, and international. Already being here has amazed me how much my friendship with Christ has grown which has led me to discover myself deeper. We live in a world that is screaming for love and hope, this program gives you the tool to go and spread God’s live. So help us to bring that joy!”

“During a retreat we read the passage when Christ gives the keys to the kingdom and the leadership of the Church. This was very powerful to one 8th grader because he realized that Christ did not give the keys to the Kingdom to Peter and then make it impossible to attain heaven. He realized that Christ wants us to join Him in heaven and for the first time he realized he could get to heaven one day if he fought for Christ.”

“People ask me how I can give a whole year of my life but I don’t see it as giving. I feel like I am receiving this year as a gift. I’ve learned to love my faith and share it openly with everyone I encounter. My heart is transformed and I’ve found a joy for serving others. I have two goals: to grow and to give. I hope to grow in my relationship with Christ and to give all I have back to Christ by serving others.”

“I’ve realized that the smallest action can have the greatest impact on somebody. After serving the poor I got the privilege of helping an elderly man get his food to his apartment. It made me want to serve more and have an impact on the community no matter how small.”

23 Young People Dedicated Themselves to Give a Year of Their Life to the Lord

In the Fall of 2016, 23 young people dedicated themselves to give a year of their life to the Lord through Regnum Christi Mission Corps. This program allows young people to experience Christ by serving others. Before the missionaries enter into the program they spend six weeks in training, learning Catholic Skills and ECYD methodology. ECYD methodology is  forming conscious decisions, experiences, and convictions with Christ at the center. Prayer is at the center of their mission, ensuring that they remain close to Christ to live the missionary life fully. Regnum Christi Missionaries have the unique opportunity to go deeper spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally through leadership development, vocational discernment, prayer life, and Catholic formation. This year the missionaries are spreading the Gospel in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and The Philippines.

The team in Houston recently completed their first retreat; Ana Paula Sanchez, an RC Missionary, shared, “We just had our first retreat for 6th & 8th grade, and the theme was “He Looked at Me and He Loved Me”. In the retreat, the girls were able to see how Jesus saw them and how much He loves them. One of the moms told me that her daughter’s favorite part was being able to go to a chapel to pray her morning and night prayers, and she hopes to have a chapel in her house when she grows up so she can pray.”

The missionaries in Philadelphia go door to door in their community to promote the Healing/Adoration Service the team will organize. One of the goals is to revitalize the struggling local Parish. The Regnum Christi Mission Corps program provides young people with the opportunity to be witnesses of Christ to others.

Fr. José Félix, LC runs St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, located in a very low-income area bordering the Bronx in Yonkers, NY, is a vibrant community with average weekend Mass attendance of almost exactly 2,000 people, a religious education program of over 450 students and about 300 kids active in youth groups. Hispanic immigrants make up over 80% of our community.

Last year, in order to empower the faith formation of the community, they created for the first time small groups that meet weekly in houses to pray and receive formation. In October 2013, about 90 small groups were created with about 900 participants in total. Though many of the groups persevered for a couple months, by the end of the year only about 20 groups were still active. The spiritual fruits seen in those groups, however, were astounding.

This drop-off can be attributed to many factors: they’ve learned a lot about the infrastructure necessary for the leadership of the initiative, how to get all parish groups on board, and what forms of follow-up are effective, but most of all what hurt them was the almost complete lack of good  Catholic  material for small group formation.

Three Weeks of Healing

With Fr. Shane Johnson, LC

Adore the Lord Your God, and Only Him

• What area(s) of my life need healing?
• What are the temptations in my life that are leading me to sin?
• Which side (good or evil) am I on when I make decisions?
• How is evil getting into my life? Are there habits, secret habits, sinful habits, that are tearing me apart? Am I a slave to any things that are leading me to sin and that I need to be freed from?
• Read Deuteronomy 5:6-10. Am I fully living out the first commandment? Is God my only God? Do I truly trust God with my whole life? Where do I put my trust?
• If I need to break bonds and chains of evil that I have allowed to enter my life, have I realized how critically important Confession and Communion are for this? Have I asked a priest to bless my house, my car, my children, the sacred objects in our house, etc.? Have I gone to a healing Mass to ask God to cure me, and have I taken other people so that they can be cured?
• Examine my day every evening and recognize the areas of my life that are causing me to sin, the areas that are evil in which I’m a slave to.
• Go to Confession right away to break any bondage in my soul, and receive Communion at Mass.
• Say this prayer as often as needed throughout my day to combat the evil, “I renounce every influence and every way that this spirit of ___________ (jealousy, envy, lust, greed, etc.) has influence over me.” Then invite God into my life and into my heart to fill that hole of whatever was damaging me and my relationship with God.
• Recite the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel daily – every morning when I wake.
• Do 30 minutes of Eucharistic adoration at church.

Jesus Is Alive and Heals Your Heart

• Have I discovered the root of the sin or the trauma that is holding me back in my life?
• Do I feel guilty for the bad decisions I have made? Do I suffer from fear, insecurity, addiction, abuse or violence in my family?
• Why is it hard to forgive from the heart those who have offended me, freeing ourselves from desires of revenge?
• Do I truly and fully believe that Jesus wants to heal me, just as he healed those who came to him in the Bible?
• Do I fully trust in the love and mercy of Jesus to heal my mind, my soul, and my heart? Do I show it by going to Confession and Communion?
• Have I ever asked a priest or a trusted friend to pray over me that the chains I bear be broken? Do I want to attend a healing Mass?
• Pray together in a spontaneous way as a group to ask forgiveness from God for all the offenses we have ever committed.
• Seek to forgive from the heart everyone who has offended you in your life, praying for them and giving all that suffering to God.
• Attend a healing Mass as a group, to ask God’s mercy and healing from any resentment or inner wounds.

Jesus Is Alive and Heals Your Illnesses

• If you have ever received healing at a retreat, a prayer session, or a healing Mass, can you share your story?
• Why do we sometimes believe that God causes our illness or the suffering that we and our families go through? Why is it hard for us to realize how infinite his mercy is, and that he is not a Father who punishes, but who wants us to approach him to be healed?
• Do I truly have faith and trust in the power of Jesus Christ to heal me completely in soul, mind, spirit and body, or do I still doubt him?
•  Do I care for the sick and the elderly, praying for them, visiting them, and helping my own sick and elderly relatives, or do I forget all about them?
•  Have I ever seen the full power of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?
•  Do I truly trust in the powerful motherly intercession of Mary? Is there a testimony of healing through her intercession that I can share?
•  What is God asking you to do right now to make a change in your life for continual healing? What is God asking you to do to continue healing in your life? Write it down and how you will accomplish it.
• If you have someone sick in your family, call the parish office so that a priest can go administer the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for them.
• Pray sincerely to remove any obstacle to physical healing that is in your heart – hatred, anger, resentment, envy and jealousy – through a sincere repentance, since a healed heart is often a condition for physical healing from God.
• Mothers who have sick children can pray over them every night by laying hands on them and praying that Jesus heal them.

Con P. José Helio Cantú, LC

Adorarás al Señor tu Dios y Solo a él Darás Culto

• ¿Me había dado cuenta de que cuando las personas confían su familia y su futuro al espiritismo, están rechazando a Dios y entregándose a espíritus que quieren el mal para ellos?
• ¿Cuáles son las tentaciones que llevan a las personas a la superstición: por ejemplo, las pulseras de energía, las herraduras, el horóscopo, etc.?
• ¿Por qué tenemos tanta dificultad en confiar en Dios que la gente recurre a veces a brujos, curanderos, baños, botánicas, santería, vudú, la santa muerte, etc.?
• ¿Mi familia está completamente libre de objetos para la suerte: como por ejemplo la manita negra, el ojo para cuidar el mal de ojo, los demás amuletos, los billetes de 2 dólares en la cartera, las patas de conejo, etc.?
• En cambio, ¿he pedido que un sacerdote bendiga mi casa, mi coche, mis niños, los objetos sagrados en nuestra casa, etc.? ¿He ido a una misa de sanación para buscar que Dios me cure, y he traído a otras personas a que lo experimenten?
• Si tengo que romper ataduras o cadenas del mal que hemos permitido que entren en nuestras vidas, ¿me he dado cuenta de la urgencia de confesarme y comulgar?
• Hacer un examen de conciencia, e identificar las areas donde se necisita la curacion de la brujeria u otros espiritus que no sean el Espiritu Santo. Escribirlas y llevarlas al sacramento de reconciliacion.
• Acudir inmediatamente al sacramento de la confesión ara romper cualquier atadura que tenga en mi alma y recibir la comunión en la Misa.
• Si no me puedo confesar, pedir con sinceridad el perdón  Dios, haciendo oración de perdón y renuncia frente al Santísimo Sacramento.
• Asistir como grupo 30 minutos a la adoración al antísimo los martes o los viernes.

Jesús está Vivo y Sana tu Corazón

• ¿He descubierto cuál es la raíz de mi pecado o el trauma que llevo arrastrando en mi vida?
• ¿Me siento culpable por las decisiones malas que he hecho? ¿Sufro de miedo, inseguridad, adicciones, abuso o violencia en mi familia?¿Por qué es difícil perdonar de corazón a los que nos ofenden y nos hacen mal, liberándonos de deseos de venganza? ¿Cómo se hace para entregar a Dios este dolor?
•  ¿Creo de verdad que Jesús me quiere sanar, igual que sanó a las personas que vinieron a pedirle la sanación en la Biblia?
•  ¿Confío de verdad en el amor y la misericordia de Jesús para sanar mi mente, mi alma y mi corazón? ¿Lo demuestro acercándome a la
• confesión y la Eucaristía?
•  ¿He pedido alguna vez que este grupo o un sacerdote ore por mí para romper las cadenas que llevo? ¿Quiero asistir a una misa de sanación?
• Hacer una oración espontánea en grupo pidiendo perdón al Señor Jesús por las ofensas que hemos cometido en la vida.
• Buscar perdonar de corazón a todas las personas que me han ofendido en mi vida y entregarle a Dios todo mi dolor y sufrimiento.
• Asistir como grupo a la misa de sanación e invocar la misericordia de Dios para que nos sane integralmente de todo resentimiento o rechazo.

Semana Tres

Jesús está Vivo y Sana tus Enfermedades

• Si usted ha participado en algún retiro, grupo de oración o misa de sanación etc. y ha recibido sanación, ¿nos puede contar su experiencia?
• ¿Por qué motivos podemos creer que Dios causa nuestras enfermedades o las desgracias que nos pasan en la vida o en la familia? ¿Por qué no nos damos cuenta de su misericordia infinita y que no es un Padre que castiga, sino que quiere acercarse a nosotros a sanarnos?
• ¿De verdad creo que la enfermedad y la muerte son fruto del primer pecado de Adán y Eva, o tengo mis dudas?
• ¿Tengo fe y confianza de verdad en el poder de Cristo Jesús para sanarme completamente en alma, mente, espíritu, cuerpo, o tengo mis dudas y mis reservas?
• ¿Me preocupo por los enfermos y los ancianos, hago oración por ellos, les visito en sus casas u hospitales, ayudo a mis padres enfermos y ancianos, o los tengo olvidados?
• ¿He visto alguna vez el poder del sacramento de la unción de los enfermos?
• ¿Confío de verdad en la intercesión poderosa y maternal de María, nuestra Madre Santísima? ¿Hay un testimonio de sanación por su intercesión que puede compartir?
• Si tengo algún familiar enfermo, llamar a la oficina de la parroquia para que un sacerdote le administre el sacramento de la unción de los enfermos.
• Remover todos los obstáculos de mi corazón, odios, iras, resentimientos, envidias, celos, por un arrepentimiento sincero, pues al sanar mi corazón se sanarán también mis enfermedades.
• Si tengo algún hijo enfermo yo como madre le puedo hacer oración todas las noches imponiéndole mi mano y pidiendo a Jesús que le sane de su enfermedad.

Launching the Initiative

October 2014.

In October 2014, St. Peter’s Catholic Parish relaunched the initiative. Once again they had 90 groups meeting and the first campaign began which was FOCUS founder Curtis Martin’s “Made for More” with videos of St. Peter’s priests and discussion questions that they developed themselves. This year’s plan was developed in coordination with all the priests on staff and the entire parish council. They have also added more “coaches” to help the leaders of each group and pledged to the people that we will use only Catholic materials, but for any given campaign of 4-6 weeks, they need materials both in English and Spanish. The campaigns are planned to fit the Catholic liturgy and their homily themes as closely as possible.

The topics for last years campaigns were the following:

• ADVENT: Reasons for Hope (4 weeks)
• CHRISTMAS SEASON: The Family God Planned (5 weeks)
• ORDINARY TIME BEFORE LENT: God is My Doctor (healing) (3 weeks)
• LENT: God is Faithful, though I am a sinner (5 weeks)
• EASTER: Basic Apologetics (5 weeks)
• SUMMER/OT 1st campaign: Praying with the Psalms (5 weeks)
• SUMMER/OT 2nd campaign: The Eucharist, leading up to the “Siege of Jericho” parish adoration event (5 weeks)
• SUMMER/OT 3rd campaign:  My Relationship with My Brothers and Sisters (Letter of St. James) (5 weeks)
• FALL RELAUNCH CAMPAIGN: We are Lost and We Need Help (5 weeks)

Participants attending weekly Masses, requests for Sacraments, and children enrolled in Religious Education classes have increased. Father Ortega is convinced these increases are the fruit of the small group/faith-formation programs.

Learn More About

• Projects in Haiti
• Projects in Jamaica
• Projects in Mexico

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Maryknoll Mission Trips

Offering Men and Women Opportunities to Engage in God’s Mission of Love Around the Globe

Short Term Mission

Ever consider spending a year in China teaching English as a second language? Or working with children, visiting prisoners and working with refugees in Thailand?

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Immersion and study programs.

Come to Kenya where we teach, systematically, contemporary cultures and religion of East Africa in such a way that students begin to appropriate and articulate an African perspective. Or come for an immersion experience in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

ABOUT MARYKNOLL

We are a Catholic Society of priests and brothers based in the United States. We are dedicated to missionary work overseas in over 20 countries. Additionally, we animate Catholics in the United States to follow their own baptismal call to share God’s compassion and love with the poor, the sick, and all those in need.

OUR GENERAL COUNCIL

(Fr. Lance P. Nadeau, Fr. James M. Lynch, Fr. Timothy O. Kilkelly, Fr. Juan Montes Zúñiga)

The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers is overseen by our  General Council , led by Superior General Rev. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.

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The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Africa Region will provide tuition assistance to African clergy, male and female religious at institutes of higher education or specialized training.  Read More

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PLEASE NOTE: IMMERSION Staff will be out of office Sept. 11-15. After submitting a form, use the link in your email to schedule a call for Sept. 18-22!

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Join an IMMERSION program with Experience Mission! Take a break from academic life. Serve others. Experience life in authentic community. Grow in your understanding of God, yourself, and the world. Find your program today!

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IMMERSION participants are challenged to develop a better understanding of your pictures of God and yourself. Grow in faith and maturity and start to discover who God created you to be.

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Serve Others with Your Daily Life

IMMERSION teams serve in simple, yet profound ways, seeking to be a picture of God’s love to everyone you meet. You will be challenged to consider that HOW you serve is just as important as WHAT you do.

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Grow in your capacity for meaningful, life-changing relationships, centered on love and care for others—with your team and people from different cultures and faith communities you encounter around the world.

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IMMERSION gives you the opportunity to press pause on life for 1-10 months and give 100% of your energy and focus to serving and learning in unique communities and cultures around the world. Slow down and learn what it means to love and serve others as a follower of Jesus on a daily basis.

This kind of others-first experience has the power to dramatically change the direction of your life. It's the type of kickstart we all need to stop living for ourselves and pursue life in the Kingdom of God.

Get started today! Fill out an interest form for an upcoming program. We will personally connect with you to help you figure out if IMMERSION is a good fit.

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Our Mission

As Franciscan followers of Christ, we build partnerships with Catholic women and men who are inspired to live and serve in solidarity with economically poor communities across the globe – and to bring the transformative experience of mission to North American societies and churches as advocates for peace, justice, reconciliation and care of creation.

Overseas Lay mission

St. Francis of Assisi built bridges between cultures and peoples, and you can too, as a missioner with Franciscan Mission Service. We help Catholic lay women and men prepare to serve on mission where they partner with poor and oppressed communities around the world for 2- 6 years.

dc service corps

DC Service Corps is an 11-month service leadership experience for young adults (ages 21-35) that desire to participate in a Catholic program with a Franciscan heart. With a focus on professional and spiritual development through service in the DC community, DC Service Corps facilitates the integration of faith into all aspects of one's life.

HOW ARE YOU CALLED?

Hear from FMS missioners about how they felt God's call to go on mission and how FMS prepared them to do so.

Meet Our Missioners: Overseas Lay Mission | DC Service Corps

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Delve into the different avenues this lifelong call to mission can lead within the FMS community.

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We offer short-term mission and global awareness trips in Washington, DC and at our mission sites in Bolivia, Guatemala, Jamaica, and the US/Mexico border.

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FMS aspires to follow in the footsteps of Saint Clare and Saint Francis. Missioners and volunteers practice this ministry of presence in their service.

We are making an impact now and building future leaders with technical/skill-based experience, deep engagement with other cultures, and personal and social analysis to ensure a future committed to social change.

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Do you want to serve where your help is needed most urgently? On this page, our programs post several Urgent Opportunities for prospective volunteers who are ready to get started. Browse through the list of placements to see if any of them speak to you. Check back frequently, as new Urgent Opportunities are posted every week.

Year- Long AmeriCorps Stability Mentor at Maggie’s Place

Maggie’s Place provides safe housing and a nurturing community for pregnant and parenting women experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona. Our… Read more »

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Vitae Corps volunteers are female college graduates who volunteer by living and working together in community at our maternity homes… Read more »

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Why You’ll Serve You can make a positive impact on children in need in Kentucky! Every summer, Christian Appalachian Project’s… Read more »

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Each member of our Caretaker community has felt called to life and service at Bethlehem Farm. Some join the Bethlehem… Read more »

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Live on a farm, improve housing in WV, and transform lives as a Bethlehem Farm Caretaker! Bethlehem Farm is seeking… Read more »

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At In My Shoes, through our Core Values of Hospitality, Faith + Works, Empowerment, Wholeness, and Authenticity, we provide a… Read more »

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Summer Communities of Service United Church of Christ Summer Communities of Service (SCOS) is a program for young adults aged… Read more »

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Mercy Volunteers promote social change through compassionate service with people experiencing homelessness, migration, and food security, or advocacy for the… Read more »

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Amate House is searching for young adults ages 21-29 (must be 21 by July 26, 2024) who want to commit… Read more »

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The mission of ARISE Adelante is to promote the personal development and empowerment of the immigrant community, especially women, children and youth… Read more »

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What is a CBC Virtual Mission Trip?

The cbc virtual mission trip is a six-week experience created for a team of 10-12 people. the journey will be spiritual, catechetical, and practical -  transporting you virtually to the international or local mission site communities that we would typically serve during our in-person mission trips., accompanied by a team leader and priest chaplain, missionaries will encounter a discovery of faith, community and works of mercy with each virtual mission trip experience. , what does it cost.

Registration fee is $200 per person of which $100 goes directly to the mission site directly and $100 helps support CBC’s mission ministry grow.

“None of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” ~ St. Teresa of Calcutta

How does a cbc virtual mission trip work, your mission trip begins with a virtual team kickoff. every day you will have access to reflections that have been customized for cbc missionaries. for the following 5 weekends, you will have an opportunity to participate in an hour live event with fellow missionaries. these events will be diverse and distinctive: engage with mission site locals via zoom, celebrate the sacraments with the team and chaplain, participate in service projects serving the poor, and enjoy community with fellow missionaries., about a virtual mission trip, experience the mission site.

All about the mission site, history, cultural insights, material & spiritual needs, videos and pics

Build Team Fellowship

Online community room, chat board with fellow missionaries, Christians, people throughout the world 

Collaborate in Virtual Meetups

When meeting in-person is not possible, seamlessly experience your mission trip and team from home

Nurture your Catholic Faith

Personalized spiritual reflections, retreats, daily devotions, works of mercy, celebrating the Sacraments

Start your missionary journey today.

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PEKIN, Elektrostal - Lenina Ave. 40/8 - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

ELECTROSTAL HISTORY AND ART MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.19 mi) Elektrostal Hotel
• (1.21 mi) Yakor Hotel
• (1.27 mi) Mini Hotel Banifatsiy
• (1.18 mi) Elemash
• (1.36 mi) Hotel Djaz
• (0.07 mi) Prima Bolshogo
• (0.13 mi) Makecoffee
• (0.25 mi) Amsterdam Moments
• (0.25 mi) Pechka
• (0.26 mi) Mazhor