Lay Mission-Helpers Association LMH #1222

Catholic Professionals Serving the Mission Church for 70 Years

This year, Lay Mission-Helpers Association celebrates 70 years of service to the Church, remaining faithful to our founder’s vision of responding to requests for assistance from bishops in mission dioceses. Founded in Los Angeles by Msgr. Anthony Brouwers in 1955, LMH has sent more than 750 Catholic professionals—individuals and families—to 37 countries, aligning their expertise with the needs identified by local bishops, primarily in education, healthcare, administration, management, IT, and finance. While the nature of our service evolves to meet the changing needs of the dioceses, our mission remains steadfast: to share our gifts and witness our faith in underserved mission communities.

We are currently serving in Ghana, Peru, and Sierra Leone, where our missionaries play a pivotal role in strengthening local dioceses and their outreach to the people they serve.

In Ghana, we assist in finance and project management. At the request of the Bishop of Damongo, we oversee the Unity Centre, the diocese’s sole income-generating entity, which includes a hotel and a restaurant. The revenue generated is critical in supporting the diocese’s educational, healthcare, and social programs, including St. Ann’s Girls Senior High School, which provides young women with quality Catholic education.
In Peru, we serve in the remote Amazon region—one of the country’s poorest and most underserved areas. Without the Church’s presence, children and families in 640 villages scattered along the Amazon and Napo Rivers would have little to no access to healthcare, education, and essential services. Our work in the Financial Office of the Vicariate of San Jose del Amazonas ensures compliance with international funders, whose contributions sustain the Vicariate’s vital projects. Every initiative—whether in healthcare, education, or social services—depends largely, if not entirely, on restricted grants and donations. Entrusted with managing this financial lifeline, we monitor fund allocation, ensure compliance with donor requirements, and secure additional grants to support Catholic schools, hospitals, and clinics.
In Sierra Leone, we serve at Holy Spirit Hospital in Makeni, which provides care for approximately 12,000 outpatients and inpatients each month. In addition to direct patient care, our mission includes training and mentoring local healthcare professionals, equipping them with the skills to better serve their communities.
Next year, we plan to respond to the invitation of the Bishop of the Diocese of Aitape in Papua New Guinea by sending our missionaries to serve in accounting and education.

We are very grateful to the Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for the opportunity to share our mission and seek financial support, and to the clergy and parishioners of St. Anastasia in Westchester and St. Barnabas in Long Beach for welcoming us into their communities.

Funds raised through the Missionary Cooperative Plan appeal will help us support our current missionaries, recruit new candidates, and provide essential training for future missioners.

Thank you for your generosity!

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.

Mission Cooperative Plan

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