The Pontifical Mission Societies in Los Angeles

Lay Mission-Helpers Association LMH #1222

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Lay Mission-Helpers Association (LMH) is a Roman Catholic lay missionary organization that makes it possible for Catholic lay professionals to share their gifts in mission.

LMH was founded in 1955 by Monsignor Anthony Brouwers, the then Director of the Office for the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  Msgr. Brouwers established LMH for the sole purpose of training and sending to mission dioceses Catholic professionals whose skill sets were needed in those dioceses.  Since our foundation, LMH has sent over 750 men, women, and families to serve in 37 countries. We work in healthcare, education, project management, accounting, and administration. Our missionaries are motivated by their Catholic faith, and their faith-witness is an essential part of their service.

In Peru, in the Apostolic Vicariate San Jose del Amazonas that comprises 160,000 inhabitants across 680 villages, accessible only by boats, LMH is assisting the bishop with the administration and development of the Vicariate.  The vicariate needs missionaries in both frontline and back-office roles to comprehensively address the complex challenges. MCP funds will be crucial for us to be able to fully support this new mission as the Vicariate’s economic situation requires 100% outside support. 

In Ghana, in the Diocese of Damongo, our missionaries serve in administration, project management, and education. Our accountants conduct audits, enhancing transparency and accountability of diocesan institutions. Their work ensures proper financial reporting, a necessity when seeking financing from the Pontifical Mission Societies in Rome. As a mission diocese with only 14% of the local population being Catholic, Damongo heavily relies on those funds. In addition, we manage the Unity Centre, the sole income-producing entity, and help generate funds for all pastoral, health, and development projects, including the creation of water boreholes that allow communities access to fresh water. Finally, our work in secondary education at St. Anne’s Girls Senior High School creates educational opportunities for young women.

In Uganda, Bishop Callist Rubaramira of the Diocese of Kabale has just created a Catholic university and asked LMH to help with the development of St. Ignatius University’s Education Department and with the review of the overall Academic Programs of the university.  The short-term goal is to secure permanent accreditation for the university (now it is conditional), and the long-term goal is to create enough new teachers to meet the needs of the local community. We strongly believe that teachers are essential for every other profession as they lay the educational foundations on which all careers are built.

We continue to receive requests from bishops in mission dioceses for Catholic professionals. We strive to respond to those calls for help in fidelity to our Mission Statement which reads, “We are Lay Mission-Helpers, called by baptism to live our Catholic faith, to share our gifts and to learn from others, as we walk with those who are marginalized in the world.”

The funds from MCP will be crucial to support our current missions and to recruit and train new missionaries.

Support the Lay Mission-Helpers Association LMH #1222

You can support the Lay Mission-Helpers Association LMH #1222 through your prayers and monetary donation by making a check payable to THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH, 3424 Wilshire Blvd 3rd Fl., Los Angeles CA 90010, memo #1222. You may also donate online by clicking the donate button. When making an online donation, reference #1222 in the Memo box. Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.