LAY MISSION HELPERS ASSOCIATION

Lay Mission-Helpers goals are to recruit, prepare, send and support Catholic lay persons--single, married, married with children--from the Catholic Church in the United States who are willing to share their gifts and live their faith in response to requests of bishops in developing countries. Lay Mission-Helpers Association sends nurses, teachers, administrators, pastoral workers and technicians to areas of the world which are in dire need of people with such skills.

We have identified three areas through which we will achieve our goals.
1. Program Development: Recruit and support candidates for long-term mission in response to needs expressed by mission bishops.
2. Fund Development: raise funds necessary to provide for current program and growth.
3. Board Development: Recruit individuals to the Board of Directors whose gifts enhance Lay Mission-Helpers ability to fulfill its mission.

Founded in 1955, Lay Mission-Helpers Association is the first program in the United States to send lay Catholics to serve in the Foreign Missions.

An outstanding formation program provides spiritual and practical tools for service. Sixty years ago, even before Vatican II or Peace Corps, founder Msgr. Anthony Brouwers recognized that lay people could be prepared for mission service. This program has evolved and continues to be one of the best of its kind. The formation program includes four months of residency at the Los Angeles-based Mission House. Daily classes are offered in Scripture, Mission Theology, Spirituality, Communication and Culture. Reflection and instruction assist candidates to understand the gifts they are bringing to mission and to help them recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Lay Mission Helpers recruit candidates from across the United States. Lay Mission-Helpers serve at the request of mission bishops and are not restricted to sites where an individual religious order is present. By anchoring our program to the local ordinary, we ensure the continuity of support for our lay missionaries and open new possibilities to help the local mission church even in places where there are only diocesan priests.

The Lay Mission-Helpers Association is large enough to have a reputation around the world that precedes an initial contact with a bishop; ensures the security of lay missionaries, and attracts a notable faculty to the formation program. Yet it is small enough that each Lay Mission-Helper is well known by the leadership team and we can strive to make a good match between the individual's skills and mission needs. We also can ensure an annual visit to each missioner while in the field.

Many Lay Mission-Helpers serve more than one three-year term, often at more than one mission site, bringing their experience and gifts to more of the world. Veteran Lay Mission-Helpers who bring their experience and deeper connections home at the end of their assignments help strengthen the Church in the United States. For some, returning has meant becoming more deeply involved in their parishes; for others, it has created a hunger for additional service or vocations to the priesthood or religious life. They return changed and more aware of the needs of the world. They bring this awareness to those around them.

Since its inception, over 700 individuals have collectively given more than 2100 years of service in 36 countries around the world. It is difficult to put a figure on the number of lives our missioners have touched, especially given that one of our main goals is faith-sharing, which is hard to quantify. However, we do have many testimonies of the good Lay Missioners have done, and we share just a couple here:

Bishop George Nkuo of Cameroon said “The organization has a good selection method, but more especially a very solid formation program in the faith; The lay missionaries get very easily into the simple life of the people and help to deepen and challenge us as well. I would for no reason want to part from this very rich partnership with the Lay Mission-Helpers."

Bishop Salius Mugambe of Kenya said “LMH missionaries have served faithfully in the diocese and embody the missionary spirit of respectful love for the people and dedicated service to the people. They have been devoted servants of the church in the developing world, bringing their faith to others through their work. Over the half-century in which Lay Mission-Helpers has been on-the-ground partners with the Diocese of Meru, they have left their footprints and fingerprints, not only in their projects and work, but also in the faith and hearts of the people of Meru and we are most grateful."

The demand for more Lay Mission-Helpers is great, and we have not been able to keep up with the requests. We continue to search for new, creative ways to attract more candidates.