The Lay Mission-Helpers Association last weekend celebrated half a century of serving the world's poor and marginalized --- five decades of following the biblical mandate inscribed on their commissioning rings: "For we are God's helpers."

Msgr. Lawrence O'Leary, the organization's third director from 1971 to 1983, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving July 24, attended by more than 200 former Lay Mission-Helpers and family members, at St. Luke Church in Temple City. In his homily, the pastor emeritus of St. Martin of Tours Church in Los Angeles described the founding of the Lay Mission-Helpers as a "challenging thing" for any diocese to take on.

"It was a real adventure," he said. "I think people here had great doubts about it and believed it wouldn't succeed. But here we are today after 50 years, and it still continues, which is so wonderful. It's wonderful to bring the word of God to poor, primitive people around the world, some of whom are still living in the stone age."

"God has a purpose, and you have a purpose in serving the church," he added. "Many of you have given years of your life to spreading the word of God, a treasure of great price. So we come here today in thanksgiving for what you have done."

Founded by a local diocesan priest, Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, the global outreach program has recruited, trained and sent more than 700 Catholic lay women, men and couples, many with children, into far-flung mission fields for three or more years of service. These engineers, doctors and nurses, teachers, pilots, accountants and skilled laborers have been Christian witnesses in 36 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin and Central America, the Pacific Islands as well as home missions in the United States.

Volunteers like David and Arceli Suley, who went to Malawi, Africa, in 1975 with their two small children to teach in a mission high school. "There's an expression, you're ruined for life," David said, grinning. "When you come back, your values are totally changed. You've seen a global church, global needs. So when you return home, you realize we need people renewed in their faith.

Arceli nodded. "It made me more global, and I realized how fortunate I am. The great faith and charity of these people gave me much more than I gave them."

Living the Gospel

David knew he had to become more involved in direct Christian ministry. Today he coordinates resource development for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' home missions. He's also on the board of directors of the Lay Mission-Helpers Association.

"With all that's going on in the church today, the [sex abuse] difficulties and low morale, these 700 lay missionaries are people really alive with the Gospel," he said. "Many have come back and are still working with the marginalized and those who are forgotten here in the United States. So that's the amazing story. Their mission continues."

Msgr. Michael Meyers worked in the Los Angeles Archdiocese's Mission Office for 16 years, the last nine as its director (1990-99). One of the remarkable things he observed was how deeply almost every lay missionary was touched by sharing his or her faith with others in a foreign culture. This, in turn, only deepened his own faith.

"The Lay Mission-Helpers were ready to leave their home, their family, their friends," he pointed out. "They were just really committed. And I had the opportunity of visiting them, supporting them and just sharing their faith journey.

"So this was a powerful experience to observe firsthand because it was not easy. Many of them struggled. Looking around the room today, I know the difficulties some of them had, and what it took to go overseas to the missions. And yet, it turned out to be such a powerful experience for them. When the Lay Mission-Helpers started, in fact, there was almost no other opportunity for a lay person to be involved in the church.

"So I'm not amazed that it's still going," he stressed. "Because the organization continues almost the same as Msgr. Brouwers founded and organized it, with a lot of his ideals and vision, We've just been caretakers of the Lay Mission-Helpers, standing in for him all these years."

'Still going strong'

Frances Laterza was a member of the first 1956 class of six Lay Mission-Helpers sent overseas. After 1 1/2 years of workshops on missiology, scripture, culture shock and other topics, the physical therapist was missioned to Chala, Tanganyika, in East-Central Africa to work with the Medical Missionaries of Mary, an Irish order of nuns, she told The Tidings.

In the remote village hospital, deep in the bush, she did a little bit of everything, including digging graves and whitewashing outhouses. But the young woman from Massachusetts spent most of her time assisting with surgeries, administering anesthetics. Night operations were done by the light of kerosene lamps or car lights. And there was no running water.

In the early '60s, when Laterza returned to the states for the last time, after two tours in Africa, she continued working with Msgr. Brouwers through the Mission Circles, begging doctors and drug stores for samples of aspirin, penicillin and bandages to send to missionaries. And during the last six months of his life, the physical therapist worked with the priest whenever he came out of the hospital to visit his parish, helping him exercise his muscles to ease the spasms caused by bone cancer.

In December 1963, the former Lay Mission-Helper was giving Msgr. Brouwers a treatment when all of sudden he started sweating. She could still recall the scene:

"He said, 'I guess maybe I'd better go back to the hospital.' And during the drive to Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, pointing to his head, he said, 'I just wonder if the cancer's going to my brain. The thing I worry about, Fran, is that maybe I'm losing it up here.'

"'There's no way that's happening, Monsignor,' I said. 'You've got to get better because we need you. I don't think the organization can survive without you.'

"'If this is the work of God,' he replied, 'it will continue and flourish; but if not, it'll die. It doesn't depend on my being around.'"

Nearly 42 years later, Laterza smiled at the memory of Msgr. Anthony Brouwers, who died on January 14, 1964, at the age of 51.

"I think the Lay Mission-Helpers probably have the blessing of the Good Lord," the 80-year-old woman said. "Here we are in 2005, still going strong."