"The mission of the Christian in the world is a mission for all, a mission of service, which excludes no-one; it requires great generosity and in particular the gaze and heart turned heavenward to invoke the Lord’s help. There is so much need for Christians who bear witness to the Gospel with joy in everyday life. The disciples, sent by Jesus, 'returned with joy'. When we do this, our heart fills with joy."

-- Pope Francis, Angelus, July 3, 2016

Spiritans work in 63 countries bringing the word of Christ to those who have not heard it, educate girls and boys in productive environments, provide life’s fundamental needs such as basic medical care, food, water, and sanitation, respond to natural disasters, administer pastoral care, and build facilities, including hospitals, schools and churches to serve the needs of their communities.

Based in Houston, Texas, the Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement (SOMA), supports the Congregation’s public and charitable works of health, education, social services, and religious mission in the United States and throughout the world. This support includes:

• Solicitation and receipt of funds, grants, gifts, and contributions directly or in trust for the religious and charitable purposes of the Congregation
• Management of funds, securities, and property of SOMA, be it real, personal, or mixed in nature
• Financial assistance including grants and acting as fiscal agent for Spiritan mission projects
• Technical support and advice to Spiritan missionaries directing developmental projects overseas
  • recommendations for third party foundations and grant providing entities
  • review of funding applications
  • providing "best practice" examples of successful grantees
  • continued dialogue throughout the funding process
• Support for the special needs of the elderly, infirm, and disabled members of the Congregation, including but not limited to housing, health care, and relief from financial distress

Conscious that our Congregation is dedicated to the Holy Spirit, we aspire to the liberating values reflected in the acronym SPIRIT:

Solidarity with the poor and disinherited peoples we serve

Preservation and advancement of environmental and spiritual stewardship

Integrity in all that we do

Respect for the human person, their families and multi-cultures

Inclusivity of the varied sociology-cultural contexts that we encounter

Transparency in our financial transactions

The U.S. Spiritans respond to their calling to support the works of Spiritan missionaries in many countries of the world through the Office of Mission Advancement (SOMA).

In addition to responding to natural disasters such as cyclones, crop infestations, draughts, famines, and viral infections such as Ebola and COVID-19, SOMA’S mission priorities include:

Education
Related projects: school construction; student scholarships; desks and chairs; computer lab; training materials

Economic & Community Development
Related projects: sustainable farming; women’s’ sewing cooperative; parish bakeries; women’s’ empowerment; technical skills training

Health & Wellness
Related projects: supplemental food; emergency generators; electricity delivery; solar paneling; rain water catchment systems; boreholes; water tanks; toilet facilities; medical dispensary construction; medical equipment and supplies; supplemental feeding

Priestly Formation
Related projects: seminarian tuition support; supplemental feeding; teaching aids

Social Justice
Related projects: women and men’s rehabilitation center; cots for prison detainees; orphan care; refugee housing
 

The  responsibility of this committee which meet at least three times annually are to provide advice and counsel to the Director relative to:

• Structures that support the funding and management of international development projects received by the U.S. Province,
• Domestic fundraising initiatives for the ministries of the U.S. Province,
• Establishment and enhancement of processes and practices that ensure transparency and accountability to prospective donors,
• Development of operations, best practices and policies which support the overall mission of the U.S. province in its manifold ministries,
• Serve as an advisory resource to the Director of SOMA and the Provincial of the U.S. Province on strategic matters relating to philanthropy and fund raising.

* The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a nonprofit organization established for exclusively religious, charitable, and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). All contributions are tax deductible. EIN #53-0259602

You will find us on Guidestar and Charity Navigator under the name Sharelink-Spiritan Worldwide Aid Foundation, Inc.
We also participate in the Amazon Smile program under the same name.
When you make a purchase on Amazon using Amazon Smile a portion of the sale price is donated to the Spiritans.

Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement
Congregation of the Holy Spirit
1700 West Alabama Street
Houston, TX 77098-2808
713-522-2882
missionadvancement@spiritans.org