Belize

Current Mission Updates

2024 Updates

• New Master of Novitiate.
  • On November 14, 2024 – Father Francisco Menjivar was sent to Belize, to the “Santa María Madre de Dios” Formation House to serve as the future “Master of Novitiate.”
  • The novitiate is the formative stage in which the seminarian deepens his sense of belonging and identity with our Fraternity.
  • Fr. Francisco will begin his formative duties at the start of the new liturgical year with the arrival of the new novices.

How can others support this mission?

• Supporting this mission can take various forms, and each contribution makes a difference. Here are some ways others can support the Fraternity’s mission:
  • Prayer: 🙏 Encourage others to pray for the success of the mission, the well-being of the priests, and the spiritual growth of the community. Prayer is a powerful force that sustains and uplifts.
  • Financial Support: Donations play a crucial role in sustaining the mission. Individuals can contribute financially to cover operational costs, support outreach programs, and provide resources for the parish community. Make a Donation- click here.

2021 Update

Archdiocese of Belize
(5 missionaries)

• Belize is a multiethnic country with a population of approximately, half a million people with different backgrounds.
• Among the main cultures that make up, the Belizean identity are the Mayans, (they are the native Belizean people who were here before it was colonized by the English people).
  • Belizean’s represent 10 percent; mestizos or Latinos make up 49.50 percent; Creoles are 21 percent and Garifuna are 4.60 percent.
  • There are also to a lesser extent, Hindus, Mennonites, Arabs, including Lebanese, Palestinians, and Syrians, as well as Chinese, who carry out significant economic activity.
  • The Taiwanese population has also increased in recent times.
• In the history of the evangelization of Belize has been of vital importance the presence of many missionaries of religious communities, many of these religious communities continuing having presence in the country.
• The Missionary Fraternity of Mary has been working in Belize since 2001.       
• The first time the Fraternity set foot in Belize was around 1998. How did that happen?
  • The Fraternity had decided to send missionaries to Kenya, those missionaries needed to study English in order to be prepared for the mission.
  • Belize was seen as a near place to practice English for some time before departing to Africa.
  • That is how the MFM contacted Bishop Martin to whom was explained our project and that’s how he supported us generously.
  • After that experience, a relationship between the MFM and the diocese of Belize was created.
  • There were invitations to various Easter missions that ended with a formal invitation to work pastorally in Belize, and that is how we officially began in 2000.
  • Our first presence consisted of working as associate pastors in some parishes. It wasn’t until 2012 when we had the first parish entrusted to us.
• Our missionary work consists of the regular work of a parish has, evangelization, the liturgy life of the community, pastoral youth among others.
  • But in Belize, there is something special, there is an agreement between the church and state signed in the late 19th century regarding the education.
  • The Catholic Church is in charge of education, which implies that pastors are the managers for running elementary and high school education.
  • This is a great task for which pastors are requested. The pastors should be bilingual and well learned in this history-bilateral agreement.
  • That is a great challenge, the values of faith are communicated through all these realities.

Diocese of Belize (3 missionary)

Mission of Sacred Heart Parish in San Ignacio Cayo

Missionaries: Fr. Benjamín Hermelindo Gálvez and Fr. Isaias García Agustin

• Sacred Heart Parish geographically is located in the district Cayo in the central west of the country, it is close to the border of Guatemala.
• For the Missionary Fraternity of Mary, this parish was the first parish entrusted to us in Belize, our presence started there in 2012.
• It is a parish very populated; they are 14 communities pastorally attended, the majority of these sites have a chapel for worship, and are places where the catechesis is given for the sacraments of initiation, these communities have many laypeople committed as well.
• Almost all the communities of this parish have Catholic Schools.

Mission of San Estevan Filial of Inmaculada Parish in Orange Walk

Missionaries: Fr. Pedro Lima Lima and Fr. Wilians Hernández

• San Estevan Mission is geographically located in the Orange Walk district in the central north of the country, close to the border of Mexico. This mission is filial of The Inmaculada Parish.
• The Missionary Fraternity of Mary in agreement with the Diocese of Belize has 2 missionaries as associate pastors to this parish in collaboration with a diocesan priest.
• It is a vast extension to attend pastorally, this parish has 19 communities to serve the majority of them with worship sites.
• As the other pastoral realities of Belize, this parish has also some Catholic Schools to attend.

Mission of Saint Ignatius in Belize City

Missionaries: Fr. Edwin Arturo Orozco and Fr. Selvin Interiano Garcia

• Saint Ignatius Parish Mission is located in Belize City close to the Holy Redeemer Cathedral of Belize. It is not a large parish in terms of having several communities to attend to since it only has one more church, the Saint John Vianney Church.
• It is a parish in the city of Belize it is not the country’s capital but is the commercial capital and a place where most cruise ships dock, making this city a city with a lot of tourism.
• The people of this parish live mainly on tourism this is the principal source of income. This parish was the second entrusted to the Missionary Fraternity of Mary.

“Novitiate Holy Mary Mother of God” in San Jose Succotz, Cayo, Belize

Director of Formation: Fr. Julio Rodriguez

• The Missionary Fraternity of Mary has its Novitiate in Belize, we invite you to know more about our center of formation by clicking this link.

Fall 2018 -Mission Work

Mission of Saint Ignatius in Belize City.

• A group of seminarians began their year experience as Novices, beginning from  November last year to November this year.
• We currently have three missions in Belize where we are helping to teach Christianity to under privileged areas.
• In addition to the six priests we also have eight seminarians spending one full year of spiritual and vocational discernment in Belize under the direction of Father Julio Rodriguez as the Director of Novices.

Pastoral instructions are given by Fraternity Priests to parish leaders in Belize to enrich their Catholic faith.