Long-term Missions?

[Confuzzled]

Hi everyone,

over this past summer I visited the Legionaries of Christ up in Cheshire, Conn., and those 5 days have completely revamped my lifestyle. It’s hard to go back to the materialistic lifestyle that I’ve been used to prior to my visit. But to get to the point, I’ve always been interested in joining the Peace Corps since my freshman year in college (now a senior) but recently am looking for something more Catholic-based. Some things I’m looking for in a mission are:

Long-term (1-year+)
Overseas
Working with the poor
Must be in accordance with the Church’s teachings (no borderline heretics please =p)

As of right now, I’m 22 and sort of in a quasi-way, testing my vocation (hence the choice for a 1 year+ mission)!!

Thank you ahead of time and God bless!

Martino

 

[Confuzzled]

No suggestions? Anybody? Okay, maybe something like 6 months then? I’ve looked into Maryknoll but am not sure if they’re completely in line with the Church’s teaching, some help would be nice!

 

[DL82]

No suggestions? Anybody? Okay, maybe something like 6 months then? I’ve looked into Maryknoll but am not sure if they’re completely in line with the Church’s teaching, some help would be nice!

Don’t know who Maryknoll is but don’t be too hard on expecting mission groups (or other religious orders, or other Catholics) to be “completely in line with the Church’s teaching” - which in many cases simply means “completely in line with what I think the Church’s teaching ought to be” - provided they are practicing Catholics, going on missions with the support of the bishops, and provided they don’t go around handing out condoms or encouraging the population to go to their local witchdoctors, they’re probably ok. At the end of the day, God will judge you on the basis of how you lived out YOUR faith, not the faith of your associates. If you have more knowledge and understanding of your own faith, you might even be a great encouragement to the community around you. Likewise, you may find that, at heart, the people you label “borderline heretics” are in fact living out a life in keeping with the Church’s teaching, but expressing it in a different way to the way you are used to.

 

[jrs88]

The Servants of the Poor of the Third World have missions in Peru and Hungary.

Their website: sptm.hu/en_index.html

Video about them on Gloria Tv: en.gloria.tv/?media=15279 (It starts with a Mass, keep watching and you’ll see how they go into villages and the boys’ orphanage.)

en.gloria.tv/?media=14863 About their missions in general.

I’m sure you could set up to do mission work with them for a while. Another idea is the Missionaries of the Poor, who work in Jamaica, I believe: missionariesofthepoor.org/

And I think there is now a male branch of the Missionaries of Charity, so you could look into doing missions with them for a time as well.

With any of these, you could very likely set up to stay with them for a few months or a year or so, and work in the missions while not actually joining the community.

 

[KCT]

Were you not interested in being a co-worker?

Not exactly foreign missions, but a year of service none the less.

 

[everlast]

I’m preparing to do 14 months of mission with Heart’s Home: usa.heartshome.org/

I’ve spent a week at their mission in the slums of Bangkok, and was very moved by the simplicity, fidelity and love of the mission. We attended daily mass, do the divine office, rosary (in Thai!) and daily adoration in the chapel in the mission home. The main apostolate is welcoming children and going to visit and being a presence of love in the local neighbourhood. I liked that the home was always open for the local children and neighbours to wander in and out, free to join us as we prayed - it was beautiful to think that they were so (physically) close to Jesus!

You can volunteer for up to 2 years. I’ve chosen Heart’s Home because of the balance of prayer, community life, and service. You should check them out!

 

[Confuzzled]

Don’t know who Maryknoll is but don’t be too hard on expecting mission groups (or other religious orders, or other Catholics) to be “completely in line with the Church’s teaching” - which in many cases simply means “completely in line with what I think the Church’s teaching ought to be” - provided they are practicing Catholics, going on missions with the support of the bishops, and provided they don’t go around handing out condoms or encouraging the population to go to their local witchdoctors, they’re probably ok. At the end of the day, God will judge you on the basis of how you lived out YOUR faith, not the faith of your associates. If you have more knowledge and understanding of your own faith, you might even be a great encouragement to the community around you. Likewise, you may find that, at heart, the people you label “borderline heretics” are in fact living out a life in keeping with the Church’s teaching, but expressing it in a different way to the way you are used to.

I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to give off the impression that I was being rude or calling organizations heretics. What I meant was that I didn’t want to serve in a mission that did acts against the Church’s teachings (such as giving out condoms or condoning abortion). Furthermore, co-working is a great idea as well, however I’m leaning toward aiding the poor (Saint Martin De Porres is my patron saint! )

Thank you so much everyone for all the great information, I am definitely motivated about helping others, I just need God to help me find the right one

Here’s another great site that my cousin showed me if anyone else is interested

cnvs.org/aboutus/index.php

The above site is kind of a hub that connect people to all the available missions out there, its a really great site!

 

[1believer1]

I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to give off the impression that I was being rude or calling organizations heretics. What I meant was that I didn’t want to serve in a mission that did acts against the Church’s teachings (such as giving out condoms or condoning abortion). Furthermore, co-working is a great idea as well, however I’m leaning toward aiding the poor (Saint Martin De Porres is my patron saint! )

Thank you so much everyone for all the great information, I am definitely motivated about helping others, I just need God to help me find the right one

Here’s another great site that my cousin showed me if anyone else is interested

cnvs.org/aboutus/index.php

The above site is kind of a hub that connect people to all the available missions out there, its a really great site!

The site listed is great and I would encourage you to check it out. Pass this site on to others interested in serving God in the mission fields.