Every year our office sponsors a short-term immersion trip for groups of individuals interested in sharing themselves in a mission diocese. Each trip offers time to reflect on what that might mean in terms of our faithful response in our own personal and parish setting. In the past, trips were taken to El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Our emphasis now is focusing on visiting dioceses which are considered “mission” by the Congregation of Evangelization and receive financial aid from organizations like the Society for the Propagation of the Faith or Missionary Childhood Association, which our office and donors support.
Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica
Our immersion trip in 2016 was to the Diocese of Mandeville, Jamaica. Delegates experienced the joys and struggles of the proud, dignified Jamaicans who live far from the resorts and beaches, deep in the rural mountains. It was an opportunity to engage with our brothers and sisters in schools, clinics, orphanages and nursing homes, all led by the Catholic Church in the diocese. For more information, contact Janine Ricker, or email.
Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska
The Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska is considered the North Pole and is about the size of four Minnesotas with 1/2 the population of St. Paul. It is very remote and consists of over 37 bush villages accessible by small plane or snowmobile. It is the home to Native peoples including Athabascan, Yup’ik, Cup’ik, and Inupiat. A June immersion trip took place in 2017 when a delegation visited the mission Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska and the Athabascan bush village of Galena. For more information about future trips to Alaska, contact Janine Ricker>>
