“Mission is never the fruit of a perfectly planned program or a well-organized manual. Mission is always the fruit of a life which knows what it is to be found and healed, encountered and forgiven. Mission is born of a constant experience of God’s merciful anointing.”— Pope Francis

Based in Houston, Texas, the Office for Mission Advancement, supports the Congregation’s public and charitable works of health, education, social services, and religious mission in the United States and throughout the world. It operates under the auspices of Sharelink-Spiritan Worldwide Aid Foundation, Inc. (The Spiritan Foundation). This support includes:

• Financial assistance including capital contributions, loans, and grants and acting as fiscal agent
• Solicitation and receipt of funds, grants, gifts, and contributions directly or in trust for the religious and charitable purposes of the Congregation
• Provision of technical support and advice to Spiritan missionaries directing developmental projects overseas
• 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
• Management of funds, securities, and property of SOMA, be it real, personal, or mixed in nature

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 Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement (SOMA) is to be a resource for and enable the implementation of the evangelical priorities of the U.S. Province and to continue its long-standing charism into the future at the service of the poorest and most abandoned peoples it was founded to serve. SOMA’s mission is to financially resource and practically support the missionary, educational, pastoral, humanitarian and charitable projects and programs of the Congregation and the U.S. Province both in the United States and internationally.

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.

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