Are you ready for an encounter with Christ?
Missionary Program
Our Pillars
A Ministry of Presence
Be a sign of God’s abiding Presence to the poor, the lonely, and the rejected.
Nestled in impoverished areas, we share life with our neighbors. Through visits, various activities, and hospitality of both heart and home, we respond to the unique thirst of each person that God places in our path. We seek to reveal the beauty and dignity of each person through authentic friendship and accompaniment. Like the Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross, we stand in hope with those who suffer.
“No greater love has one than this: to lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
A Life of Prayer
Be filled with His Presence and carry it out to others.
Prayer is the heartbeat of our mission. Our prayer life consists of daily Mass, a Holy Hour, Liturgy of the Hours, and Rosary. Through a weekly study group, a monthly personal retreat, and regular team retreats, we receive nourishment and rest.
“If you learn to discover Jesus in the Eucharist, you will also know how to discover Him in your brothers and sisters, particularly the very poor.”
Saint John Paul II
An Intentional Community
Be part of a family-style life with 4-6 international teammates.
By sharing mission with a team of different cultures and backgrounds, our humanity is stretched and enriched. We experience a unity that comes from Christ and transcends our human differences, talents, and weaknesses. We learn to love and be loved, offering a radical witness of fraternity and mercy to those we serve.
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
Saint Teresa of Calcutta
The Invitation
Give a year to Christ
Dedicate 1-2 years to serving Christ in those He loves the most, and anchor all that follows in a life-changing encounter with Him.
Dive into the unfamiliar
Allow yourself to be enriched by a new culture and way of life, immersed in one of 18 countries, as you “leave everything and follow Him.”
Go back to the basics
Take time to learn what is most essential to our humanity as you walk alongside the poor and the lowly.
Stories from the Field
Read the latest news from our missionaries and discover the faces, the joys, and the sorrows that they encounter on mission.
Witness how God works in the lives of our missionaries and in the lives of those they serve, through their deep gift of self.
Come Abide compiles dozens of raw and consoling letters from our missionaries, revealing the power of a simple presence.
Where We Serve
Argentina • Brazil • Chile • Costa Rica • Cuba • Ecuador • El Salvador • Greece • Honduras • India • Italy • Japan • Peru • Philippines • Romania • Senegal • Thailand • Uruguay
Ongoing Formation
Mission is filled with experiences that educate, challenge, and enrich your humanity. Missionaries are deeply formed by the “school” of their daily encounters, learning to see Christ made flesh in the reality before them. This conversion of gaze leads to a contemplation of His Presence in each person and circumstance.
Before Mission
- Come & See on-site discernment weekend
- Fundraising mentorship
- Suggested reading material
- Two-week orientation program
During Mission
- Daily spiritual reading
- Weekly study group
- Monthly silent retreats
- Regular team retreats
- End-of-mission retreat
- Ongoing mentorship
After Mission
- Re-entry weekend
- Yearly alumni reunions
- Ongoing mentorship
- Alumni community support
Answer the Call
Requirements
- You are 18–30 years old and in good physical and psychological health.
- You are willing to commit 1–2 years to a life-changing experience out of your comfort zone.
- You are longing to serve Christ in the poor, the lonely, and the forgotten, and ready to live out a ministry of presence in a simple home nestled in a troubled area.
- You are ready to seek God through a faithful prayer life.
- You are open to living in an intentional international community.
- You are ready to raise both spiritual and financial support, inviting others to be part of this mission with you.
Application Process
We use a process of mutual discernment with rolling applications to determine if a mission with Con-solatio is a good fit for you.
FAQs
Will I be able to choose the country of mission?
We ask our missionaries for their preferences, which are taken into consideration. Your destination is decided by Con-solatio staff according to your personality, skills, and health, as well as the available needs and openings in different houses around the world.
What does a typical day look like?
A day on mission always begins with prayer, the heartbeat of our life. Following Morning Prayer, we walk to our neighborhood parish for daily Mass. We then share a simple breakfast and spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Any remaining morning time is dedicated to the needs around the house: chores, organizing activities, going to the local market, cooking, studying the language, and, of course, warmly welcoming those who come to our door.
In the afternoon, we open our doors and pray the Rosary with anyone who joins us from the neighborhood. One of the missionaries usually stays at the house to play with the children for the rest of the afternoon, offering them a loving, peaceful environment where they can simply be kids. Meanwhile, the rest of us head out in pairs to encounter and befriend people in the neighborhood, paying special attention to those most in need of presence and support.
Our days are simple, but day after day, we offer our faithful presence. We are there to mend a torn school uniform, to receive the cries of a struggling single mother, to encourage an alcoholic rejected by his family, to hold a crying child, or to play soccer with young boys getting lost in the dangers of street life. We also go out beyond our immediate neighborhood to offer our presence in places such as shelters, jails, orphanages, and garbage dumps.
Each evening, we gather back at the house to pray Evening Prayer, offering all those we encountered during the day to the Lord. After dinner together, we close our day with Night Prayer, pausing to contemplate the meaning of each event, the beauty of each face, and the dignity of each person.
However, since we always ask the Holy Spirit to guide our mission, a day in our homes is often full of the unexpected. Interruptions are welcomed in peace and our schedule can change at any moment according to the needs of our friends and neighbors. We might take a child to the hospital because of an accident, spend time in the street with a homeless person in great need of a human presence, accept an invitation to dinner, or intervene in a difficult incident in the neighborhood. We lead a simple and humble life, following the example of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in Nazareth.
How long is the typical commitment to mission?
A typical commitment is between 14 months and 2 years. If, while serving, you would like to extend your mission, you, your mission advisor, and Con-solatio staff may agree on an extension, for a maximum of 2 years. If you are taking a gap year from college, it is also possible to volunteer for a year.
Will I have holidays or time off?
One day of every week is set aside as a day of rest. It is important to understand that this day is not a “day off” from your commitment. Resting is an integral part of our mission and enables us to serve our community better and to renew our strength and well-being.
You are encouraged to host your closest family members (parents and siblings) for one visit (maximum length: two weeks) during your time on mission. During their visit, you can travel to visit other parts of your mission country to discover more!
Will I have access to Internet?
A commitment with Con-solatio requires less use of phones, TV, and video games, which all missionaries describe as a freeing experience. This means that throughout the week, you are asked to refrain from using devices. You will be able to access the internet weekly on the rest day and at other moments when needed.
You are encouraged to give regular news to your family and friends, but also to enter into a new lifestyle that allows you to be fully present to the reality and people in front of you.
Your parents will be given the contact of those in your country of mission, as well as our contact in Brooklyn, to use in case of need. Each mission home has a community phone.
Do I have to be fluent in the language?
We do not ask you to already know the language, but we do require that you begin to study the language of your mission country as soon as your destination is communicated to you. The more you know the language, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your new environment, to avoid feeling isolated or homesick, and to serve those around you.
Note that in some countries where the language is particularly difficult to learn (especially in Asia), you will be given classes with a tutor during the first couple of months in your country of mission.
Who oversees the mission and the mission team?
Each mission home has an advisor, who offers insight into the mission, neighborhood, and culture, and provides guidance for the team on a collective and individual level. The advisor is available to help with orientation, advice, and support, accompanying the team through regular email and phone calls. Additionally, the advisor will visit the mission home twice a year.
You will share in the responsibilities of mission with your teammates. One missionary serves as “watchman/watchwoman,” and helps to lead the team meetings, oversee the flow of the house, and is attentive to the wellbeing of the team.
From the US, Con-solatio staff offers personalized support and mentorship throughout your time of service. We are always available to listen to and address the challenges and questions that are part of mission.
How does the fundraising work?
Our staff will walk with you through the fundraising process. You are asked to find two kinds of sponsors: Financial Sponsors and Spiritual Sponsors.
Financial Sponsors are invited to donate towards your daily costs on mission ($650 a month to fully cover your room and board, health insurance, and all living expenses) as well as your training and travel expenses ($4,000). Financial contributions can be in the form of monthly, quarterly or one-time donations. Con-solatio is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and all donations are 100% tax-deductible.
Spiritual Sponsors are invited to pray a decade of the Rosary, or other prayer, each day of your mission. This support is just as important, if not more so, as financial contributions!
Your sponsors are on mission with you. Every 2 months, you will write a newsletter to share with them about the ministry they are taking part in and the lives they are impacting, through your feet on the ground.
Can I get a loan deferment or forbearance?
You can make a request for a loan deferment or forbearance at your lending institution. We will provide you with the materials to show that Con-solatio meets the requirements to qualify for a tax-exempt Organization Volunteer Deferment.
What about medical insurance?
Part of your financial support will provide you with a comprehensive medical insurance. If medical treatment is needed, missionaries are placed in one of the best hospitals in the city where their mission home is located and receive the best possible treatment.
In addition, Con-solatio has a contract with Mondial Assistance, which provides medical evacuation in case of emergency. This evacuation plan covers 100% of the charges, no matter where you are in the world. Medical evacuation is decided by a mutual agreement between the local doctor and the Mondial Assistance representative.