SOMA’s Recent Visitors

Superior General Fr. Alain Mayama, C.S.Sp.

Fr. Alain Mayama, Superior General of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, visited Houston in January to review the past and planned activities of SOMA, which is one of four regional development offices of the Congregation. The others are located in Lisbon, Ireland, and Brussels. These four offices collaborate on and co-fund projects over the course of the year. Each of them animates the Congregation’s self-sustaining mission works for the circumscription in their geographical location and coordinates their activities with the Central Development Office in Rome.

Self-sustaining, income-generating mission projects are initiatives designed to create long-term financial sustainability while achieving social, environmental, or humanitarian goals. These projects generate income on their own, reducing dependency on external donations or funding. By focusing on income-generating activities, these projects create a model where the mission continues to thrive and expand without always needing external funding, making them more resilient in the long run.

Spring Break Spiritan Mission Experience Group from Duquesne University

Students, Lay Spiritan Gio Cuchapin, and campus minister Fr Andrew Cuong Phan, C.S.Sp.  (whom you met on page 2) from Duquesne University spent a week in March in Houston gaining insight and experience in social justice at Houston area outreach organizations including St. Benedict the Abbot and Holy Ghost parishes, as well as the Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement (SOMA). 

Their visit afforded us the opportunity to share the SOMA story and our mission priorities.

The core of Duquesne’s mission is to serve God by serving students, so they can, in turn, serve others.

Haiti Update: St. Martial Emerges Once Again

“On April 1, 2024, the Saint Martial College Minor Seminary in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a school with some 1,500 students under the responsibility of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, was the victim of an attack by a gang of about forty armed bandits.

Although it did not cause serious physical casualties, the attack caused considerable material damage. The bandits looted, robbed, and burned numerous facilities for several hours. St Martial College was forced to cease operations overnight, and the Spiritan community residing there had to relocate immediately”.  
-Fr. Isaac Aujour, C.S.Sp., St. Martial Director

The story of St. Martial is one of resilience and extraordinary perseverance. Following the April 1st event, plans were set in motion to establish a remote campus. In September of 2024, the temporary campus opened for the 2024-2025 school term.
 
The generosity SOMA donors provided $7,200 to support tuition for over 20 students for the school term.

A Mass to mark the 160th anniversary of the school was held at St. Peter’s Church in Petion-Ville Haiti on March 16, 2025. The theme was St. Martial 1865-2025 160 Years of Excellence and Perseverance.

2024 at a Glance

• SOMA distributed $294,050 in grants. 
• $6,445 average unrestricted grant
• Projects in 16 countries

The Impact of USAID

In 2024, $12.7 billion of $41 billion in American foreign assistance went to sub-Saharan Africa. Although the Congregation does not receive any USAID mission funding, many of the communities where the Spiritans have a presence will be adversely affected by the cuts made to this agency, particularly programs dealing with health and wellness.