Missionary Plan of Cooperation – Society of Our Mother of Peace

Fr. John Hansen, SMP – Major Superior of the Sons of Our Mother of Peace

       My time away is made possible because a visiting priest is coming to St. Peter Parish for the Annual Missionary Appeal.  Fr. John Hansen, SMP, whom I know from seminary days, will be preaching at all of our Masses this weekend.  In a letter from Fr. Hansen, he tells us:

      “Our Community, The Society of Our Mother of Peace, was founded in 1966 by Fr. Placid Guste, SMP.  Our mission is to be free for God.  This focus is lived out in substantial time for prayer, devoted to being alone with God.  This prayer-life bears the fruit of reaching out to others, inviting them to be drawn into a deeper relationship with Christ and His Holy Catholic Church: through door-to-door evangelization, a private retreat program, a Lay Associate Program, spiritual direction, and conferences on the spiritual life.

      We have two foundations in Missouri (one near St. Louis and the other in Springfield), one foundation in the Philippines and two in Nigeria.  With no set income, we live by donation (God’s Providence).  Since we live a simple life, financial assistance for our missions abroad is so greatly appreciated.  God bless you for your kind consideration of our need!

I went to their website, marythefont.org, and found an explanation of their life in community and service: Our Life: The Three Characteristic Elements

  1.  Prayer – At the heart of our vocation are the hours spent in prayer, when our inner depths are called into God – into His Peace, His Presence, His Holiness, and His Divine Life.  Prayer calls us into the generosity of Jesus and to sharing of the love He has for His Father and His Church. 

  2.  Poverty & Material Simplicity – If the term “evangelical poverty” today meant what Jesus intended when He sent forth His apostles to preach…, we would see no need for the term, “material simplicity.”  However, we are convinced that not only non-ownership but more importantly external separation from wealth and situations catering to relaxation, along with a life in very simple surroundings, are the highly advantageous conditions for a spirit of other-worldliness.

  3.  The Apostolates: an Overflow of Prayer – While the ordinary parish seeks to attract to the Church non-Catholics within its boundaries, it does not have sufficient personnel or time to focus on a ministry of evangelization.  We wish to supplement that work by making available The Fullness of Faith to non-Catholics, and fostering the return to the Faith of non-practicing Catholics.  Moreover, in accord with our Community’s own vocation, we strives to deepen a persons' interior life through an associate program,      private retreats, spiritual direction and talks on the spiritual life.

I know that you will give Fr. John Hansen, SMP a warm and gracious welcome. 

Sincerely yours in Jesus,

Fr. John Seper