Catholic group assists families seeking to become missionaries

A profile of the Family Missions Company:

The Second Vatican Council called missionary work the “greatest and holiest task of the Church” and described the Church’s commission to “rally the forces of all the faithful” to “spread everywhere the reign of Christ” (Ad Gentes, The Mission Activity of the Church, 1965).

Most missionaries will tell you that their work brings rewards no other sphere of spiritual activity can. They’ll also tell you the missionary life is a challenging one. Difficulties — everything from language barriers to financial hardships to health issues to physical safety — abound.

Enter the Family Missions Company, which assists Catholic individuals and families in becoming missionaries. It was founded in 1996 by Frank and Genie Summers, who, after serving in missions for more than 20 years, returned to the United States to better care for a son diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder.

“We understood that at the time we could provide something that the Lord showed us was needed — an organization offering Catholic laypeople, including families with children, the opportunity to be trained, assisted in finding a mission, and supported,” says Frank Summers...Continued