Family Missions Are Key to the Future of the Church

Imagine a Church where every family is actively living out their faith through service, where children grow up with a firsthand understanding of what it means to serve others, and where vocations to the priesthood and religious life are flourishing. This vision is becoming a reality through family missions—and you can help make it happen.

The SOLT Family Mission Experience is more than just a trip to serve others. It’s a transformative journey that changes lives both in the mission field and back at home. When families embark on these missions together, they experience growth in faith, relationships, and their sense of purpose. The fruits of these experiences extend far beyond the mission itself—impacting parishes, schools, and entire communities.

Here’s why family missions are so critical to the future of the Church:

1. More Vocations to the Priesthood Family missions often plant the seeds of priestly vocations. In fact, 70% of newly professed religious men had mission experience before discerning the priesthood. Young men who participate in mission trips alongside their families witness firsthand what it means to serve the Church. Many return home with a renewed sense of calling and a desire to discern their path to the priesthood.
   

2. Stronger Callings to Religious Life For young women, these experiences can open their hearts to the possibility of religious life. Seeing the Church’s mission up close and serving those in need helps them deepen their commitment to Christ and consider how they might serve Him more fully. 58% of young women discerning religious life had prior mission experiences that influenced their decision.
   

3. Stronger Family Bonds Families that serve together grow together. Missions offer a unique opportunity for parents and children to bond over shared experiences, deepen their relationships, and unite in purpose. 80% of families that participate in mission trips report a stronger bond and an increase in their prayer life. Families return home with a deeper connection to each other and to their faith.
   

4. Stronger Marriages Serving others side by side can be transformative for married couples. They learn to rely on each other, communicate better, and find deeper meaning in their shared faith. 95% of couples say that family mission experiences strengthened their marriage and drew them closer to God.
   

5. Deeper Faith Mission experiences ignite a passion for living out the Gospel. Families return home with a stronger prayer life, a deeper connection to their parish community, and a renewed commitment to living their faith in everyday life. In fact, 80% of mission participants report a lasting increase in their family’s involvement in parish life after returning.
   

6. A Culture of Service When families return from mission, they often become more involved in their parish and community. 72% of children who participate in mission trips become more engaged in parish activities and are more likely to serve in leadership roles in the Church. This ripple effect can transform entire communities, strengthening the body of Christ.

   
   

   

   For children, these experiences can open their hearts to the possibility of religious life.