In the past, we have arranged mission trips for laymen (our sisters also arrange for female volunteers)—both individually and in groups—in many of the countries where we work, including Argentina, Guyana, Peru, Russia, Italy and the Holy Land. In theory, however, we could arrange something for any of the countries where we have missions, depending on the circumstances. It is also of note that currently our greatest need for volunteers is in Argentina, where we have a number of "houses of charity" (orphanages, homes for the handicapped, etc.) and also in Guyana, which is an English-speaking country in South America where we have several missions.

Many of our volunteers worked in our houses of charity or schools (teaching English, for example) and even doing manual labor, while others worked in their professional fields (as nurses, engineers, etc.)—but the possibilities depend on the individual and the location. There is always plenty of work to do, but supporting all this apostolic activity is the opportunity to grow in your spiritual life through participation (if desired) in daily mass and adoration, and we also make sure to help our volunteers unwind through sightseeing trips, cultural activities, hiking, etc.

Many of our longer-term volunteers also considered other volunteer programs (like the Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, etc), but realized that their desire to serve others could only be understood in a proper Christian context, and as a part of the missionary mandate that all the baptized members of the Church share. In our religious family, it is Christian charity and the desire to bring souls to Christ that is at the heart of our missionary activities, and the joy we manifest in those missions is a fruit of that love.

Of course, all IVE lay missionaries have to be willing to live with our priests & brothers, since none of the missions has permanent quarters set up for volunteers, just plain old-fashioned hospitality! Because there are almost no expenses other than your plane ticket, this is a wonderful opportunity for those who want to give their time to serve the Church and bring souls closer to Christ—especially for students (or teachers) during summers, Christmas break, and after graduating high school or college. For those who are interested, we can also give ideas/advice regarding fundraising and loan-deferral as well as for finding benefactors & grants. Finally, it is important to note that this program is not just for men who are discerning priestly or religious vocations, but for anyone who feels called to serve the Church in Her missions.

To get a better sense of our lay foreign missionary program, please click on the "IVE Foreign Missions" pic above on the left. (it opens in a new window, and since its a big file it may take a minute to load)

If you are interested in a shorter-term mission trip, then please click here to find out more about our mission trip to Guyana this coming August (2009).

If you think you'd like to spend some time as a lay missionary with the IVE, please e-mail us, and if you know someone else who you think might be interested, please pass this information on to them...

Please pray for our missions and our missionaries!