Lay Missionaries to Granada, Nicaragua

The Archdiocese of New Orleans formed a relationship with the Diocese of Granada in 1992 with the founding of Christ the Healer Medical Mission (CTH).  This mission of sending teams of doctors to Granada several times a year has grown from offering medical attention during the week long visits.

CTH has expanded into dentistry and eye care, but most significantly it has grown to sponsoring a women’s clinic and two dental clinics that function year round for the service of the poor.  CTH has also collaborated with the angels of Asociación de Cristo Sana and the Daughters of Charity to found Los Niños, a home to take in the street kids and other children who have nowhere else to turn.

Notre Dame Seminary later moved its Acompaño program to Granada.  Acompaño is part of the seminary formation in order to give the men a short immersion experience in the church of the developing world.  There is some collaboration with the seminary there.

The vision for CTH is to work in collaboration with the social ministries of the diocese of Granada.  The first missions actually used the salon of the social services office (Caritas) to see the patients.  The three clinics are all located on parish property and operated with in collaboration with the pastors.   Over the years Asociación de  Cristo Sana has taken on more and more of the responsibility for the planning, organizing and legal details to insure the success of the visits.

There are four major functions the mission’s office hope to accomplish with the lay missioners program and team.

Support and sustain lay missioners as a witness of our call to be active in the missionary activity of the church.

To support and nurture an ongoing relationship with the Diocese of Granada and its service to the poor, especially through Caritas.

To provide experienced and well formed laity here in New Orleans to aid in the education and evangelization work of the Pontifical Mission Societies. 

To provide support and assistance to the work of CTH.

The lay missioner primary connection to the diocese of Granada will be through the social pastoral committee that Bishop Solázano will form and the office of Caritas.  These diocesan groups will define the scope in which the missioners will function.  The missioner’s own unique gifts and talents will be a primary focus for planning their pastoral work in Granada.

Lay Missioners are required to commit at least 2 years of service to receive full benefits from the program.  The ideal is that each year a new missioner will come on board replacing one completing their two years of service.  The other missioner will have one year of experience.

Lay Mission Program

In 2011, with a substantial bequest from members of the Lockett family, the Ben Lockett Lay Missionary Program was established.

The lay missioners are tasked with serving  Catholic Charities of Granada (CCG) and other areas where their personal gifts may lie. Deacon Pat Moran, his wife Dr. Katie, and three children, Ben, Rachel and Rebecca, were the first to answer the call. They served faithfully until the political crisis, and when the violence surged they returned home with the children. However, Deacon Pat continued making short trips striving to help organize CCG and the clinics. Accepting new lay missioners at present is deterred by the political situation.

We are very indebted to Deacon Pat for working to form the internal structures within CCG to insure that the administration of the clinics will lead into the future.

                                                                                                 

What is a Missionary Immersion Experience?

Preamble
The Church on earth is by its very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has its origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.(Vatican II: Ad Gentes) By Baptism the faithful are called to be missionary. Current mission education, in its theology and practice, strives to bring forth the missionary dimensions of every Christian vocation.

Definition
A mission immersion experience is service-learning evangelization. What we are, more than what we do, reveals to others God’s love. Leaving normal daily life behind for a short time, we become witnesses and a presence to another people and culture and see with new eyes. Participants not only discover the others’ world but also their own need for on-going, personal conversion.

 
Brief History: 
Acompaño is an introductory missionary experience that offers seminarians real exposure to social injustice and third world poverty. Designed to reiterate the universal church and the dignity of human life, Acompaño allows seminarians to walk with the poor of Granada, Nicaragua. In that walking with, both the missionaries and those they serve come to see Christ in the other and in themselves.

The term Acompaño came to be used because of its authentic representation of life in Central American culture. There, the people accompany each other through the diversity and hardships of life. Our insertion into that culture, although temporary, is to reflect that walking with and to see missionary work of the Church first hand.
 
Philosophy of ACOMPAÑO
It is the philosophy of Acompaño that missionary evangelization is at its best when it is offered within the context of interpersonal relationships.

With regard to missionary activity, the approach of Acompaño differs from that of other programs. While missionary zeal in the past has had an "I will fix it" attitude, Acompaño's is more relational. Acompaño and its participants visit Nicaragua hoping to observe and learn as much as they hope to work and assist.
 
Thus, the success of Acompaño is not determined, for example, by the number of work sites established and assisted in. Rather, the success of Acompaño is measured in the witness that we've shared with the people of Nicaragua as well as the missionary spirit that we've cultivated in our hearts.
 
Visit Notre Dame Seminary for mote information
www.nds.edu
 

Mission Immersion Program in Bolivia

Brief History
Bridge Builders is a seven day program during the summer months. It provides a live-in educational opportunity for a small group of teachers, catechists, youth ministers and mission coordinators. The program is structured to promote a sense of global Church-in-mission and provides realistic experiences to share with family, students and co-workers. Henceforth, the missionary becomes a "bridge builder" connecting local church to local church.

Goal
To develop and provide an opportunity to promote:
• An on-going, personal conversion to Christ
• An appreciation and respect for other cultures and values
• A familiarity with the Church's evolving teaching on mission
• A spirit of solidarity to build bridges from local ministry
  to the universal Church

Mission Statement
Bridge Builders is a mission education program of the Archdiocese of New Orleans that touches the hearts of educators ~ those who touch the lives of children.  It seeks to provide cross-cultural mission experiences to those who serve the local Church in pastoral and catechetical ministry, thus nurturing their spirit of missionary zeal. By becoming more acquainted with the missionary activity of the Church, sharing faith with other participants, and forming relationships with people in other cultures, participants more effectively bring a missionary dimension to all aspects of their teaching and evangelizing ministries.

Please pray for our mission.

The Mission office staff:
•  Fr. Jimmy Jeanfreau
•  Lisa D. Miller
•  Kristie B. Vollentine

Download our Mission Program Flyer:
Bridge Builders Mission Immersion Program Flyer
 

Mission Immersion Experiences, Archdiocese of New Orleans
Protocol Effective January 2008
 
Preamble
The Church on earth is by its very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has its origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.(Vatican II: Ad Gentes) By Baptism the faithful are called to be missionary. Current mission education, in its theology and practice, strives to bring forth the missionary dimensions of every Christian vocation.
 
Definition
A mission immersion experience is service-learning evangelization. What we are, more than what we do, reveals to others God’s love. Leaving normal daily life behind for a short time, we become witnesses and a presence to another people and culture and see with new eyes. Participants not only discover the others’ world but also their own need for on-going, personal conversion.
 
The following protocol is recommended to enhance the "mission immersion experience" of a given parish or specific group. It affirms the good works from the Archdiocese of New Orleans already being accomplished “to the ends of the earth” by parishes, pastors and laity of all ages. Likewise, it offers guidelines and cautions for greater accountability in bringing the Good News.
 
Authorization: 
• Any organization or parish/school group(s) wishing to establish a new mission experience (domestic or foreign) or continue an existing one must make a formal request notification to the Archbishop or his delegate to explain the purpose, goals, and demographics of the experience. This request will be made on a standard form provided by the archdiocese. The form will be submitted to the Archbishop or his delegate no later than three months prior to the experience.

• Each sponsoring group must receive authorization from the Archbishop or his delegate before commencing any phase of a mission activity. This authorization will be granted or denied no later than one month after submittal of the request.

• All subsequent mission experiences that have the same leaders, formal goals, and destination shall submit a renewal form (available from the Archdiocese) to the Archbishop or his delegate.
 
Training:  Theological 
• It is encouraged that all persons participating as leaders on a mission experience have education, leadership training for evangelization or experience in Catholic mission theology. Resources are available from the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies and other recognized mission organizations.
 
Safe Environment
• Mature adult leadership is imperative! "The Archdiocese of New Orleans will provide training for clergy, minors, parents, and archdiocesan employees and volunteers who have regular contact with minors to make clear the standards of conduct for all persons in positions of trust with regards to abuse and neglect of minors..." Safe Environment Training and background screening checks are required by archdiocesan policy for all adults having regular contact with minors. Please refer to: www.orearchdio-no.com for further information.
 
Recruitment:
• Groups are encouraged to make every effort to recruit prospective participants that will compliment their particular charism and mission.
 
• Prior to every experience, groups are urged to hold inquiry sessions where leaders can meet prospective missionaries and the details and requirements of the experience can be explained.
 
• Non-Catholics are welcome though every trip is a Catholic experience. Each group officially represents the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As such, the missionaries are expected to present behavior in keeping with Catholic Church teaching.
 
Application Process:
• Each group must have a formal written process through which prospective missionaries apply to participate in the experience.
 
• An application form will be provided by the Archdiocese.
 
Fund Raising and Contributions:
• Fund raising activity within the missionary groups will be conducted according to the normal rules of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
 
• Any designated funds donated will be for the general use of the sponsoring group for the specific mission activity.
 
• Donations will not in any way entitle the donor to any special considerations, privileges, or control of the experience.
 
Notification:
• Fourteen days prior to every mission experience, the sponsoring group must notify the Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in writing of the date, destination, and length of stay of the experience. Names, ages, phone numbers, and addresses of every participant and liability waivers should be kept on file with the sponsoring organization and a copy brought "on mission" by the leadership.
 
Pre-mission Activities:  Required:
• Prior to every experience, each group must hold preparation sessions at which missionaries learn about the culture, customs, and faith practices of the people in the destination country.
 
• Preparation must also include complete written explanation of the activities, goals, and expectations of the experience.
 
• As near as practical to the date of departure every group should hold a ceremony in which the missionaries are blessed, commissioned, and sent forth by the sponsoring Catholic community, parish, or organization of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
 
Suggested:
• Evangelization preparation sessions can include introduction of the Church’s teaching, theology, and philosophy of mission, etc. and materials for evangelization preparation sessions are available from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Pontifical Mission Societies office and other sources.
 
Travel Arrangements:
• All travel must comply with the safety and liability rules and procedures of the Archdiocese. These are available from the Catholic Mutual Office, 1000 Howard Avenue, Suite 1202, New Orleans, LA 70113.
 
• Liability waivers are to be completed and on file with the sponsoring organization and a copy brought on mission by the leadership.
 
• Travel Medical Insurance is suggested: www.MissionaryHealth.net
 
• All groups that travel outside the US are required to register with the US Government
https://travelregistration.state.gov
 
 
On Mission:
• All missionaries will be expected to participate in group activity.
 
• Daily activities should be structured to achieve the spiritual, cultural, and physical goals of the experience.
 
• Where possible, the group should join in any Catholic celebrations of the host people.
 
• Participation in the Eucharist must follow the guidelines of the universal Church and the host diocese.
 
• Emphasis should be placed on joining in the cultural activities of the host country and people.
 
• Leaders must make it clear that at all times missionaries must conduct themselves in ways that obey the laws and respect the customs of the host country.
 
• Leaders must also make it clear that each missionary is a representative of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and must behave and present themselves as such. They will be expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the moral and religious teachings of the universal Church.
 
• When non-Catholics are part of the group from the Archdiocese, every effort must be made to allow them to express their religious and cultural beliefs within the group.
 
 
Post Mission:  Required:
• All groups are encouraged to have a formal program of post-mission assessment that includes meeting with the missionaries and evaluating each experience within one month of their return.
 
• An evaluation form, provided by the Archdiocese, is to be completed by the leader (s) of the experience and sent to the Pontifical Mission Societies, 7887 Walmsley Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70125.
 
Suggested:
• During and after travel, leaders should endeavor to help the missionaries to relate and assimilate their experiences into their lives back home.
 
Application Forms:
  • School/Parish/Organization
  • Renewal-Request/Notification
  • Sample Participant Application
  • Parental Consent Forms
  • Liability Wavier
  • Evaluation Form