Catholic Mission in Belize: Building Hope for Mothers and Children

CWM
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BELIZE

Belama Phase 4 in Belize City faces severe poverty, leaving many mothers and children without shelter, food, or jobs. The SOLT Family Mission Experience at St. Mary Magdalene Center addresses these needs by providing material, spiritual, and emotional support while engaging Catholic families in hands-on mission work. With CWM funding, the project will install a security fence, electrical system, and cover utilities for one year, creating a safe space for families to stabilize and transition to independence within 6–12 months. At its core, the initiative fosters faith growth for both those serving and those served through prayer, reflection, and shared mission.

PROJECT UPDATES

Walls Raised, Lives Restored

February 2026

In the heart of Belize City, hope rises from the partnership between Catholic World Mission and SOLT Family Mission Experience. The partnership enables families united in faith to build not just walls, but bridges of healing and renewal at the St. Mary Magdalene Center, a sacred sanctuary for mothers and children fleeing crisis and domestic violence.

Belize City, Catholic World Mission and SOLT Family Mission Experience. The partnership enables families united in faith to build not just walls, but bridges of healing and renewal at the St. Mary Magdalene Center

In 2025 125 families, including 72 children, embarked on eight mission trips, seven to Belize and one to Mexico. These journeys embodied the missionary spirit, turning ordinary hands into instruments of God's love. Constructing the walls of the St. Mary Magdalene Center, was not without challenges. Volunteers overcame relentless rains, soaring costs, and unstable soil to complete a sturdy perimeter wall, creating a haven of safety, privacy, and peace. As Fr. Scott Giuliani shared, this wasn't mere construction; it was "laying the groundwork for greater safety, dignity, and beauty," empowering women to move from survival to a space of contemplation and hope, where they can "dream again and make life-giving decisions."

In its pilot phase, the center touched five women's lives, offering education, stability, and spiritual rebirth. The December 2025 blessing ceremony, attended by Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner and community leaders, celebrated this milestone, with the local mayor hailing it as a vital stand against violence. Fr. Giuliani's words resonate: "One at a time... one heart, one woman at a time," reminding survivors, "Jesus loves you. You can find refuge in the Catholic Church." This initiative has profoundly uplifted these women and children, helping to heal the wounds that marked their families, and restoring them to a Holy sense of purpose and hope.

Progress Toward a Brighter Future

February 2025

Our mission remains steadfast: to inspire Catholic families in the U.S. and Belize to live out their faith through service, while providing mothers and children in need with housing, resources, and support to help them achieve independence and thrive. This project continues to advance Catholic World Mission’s pillars of Family, evangelization, and education.

Despite delays caused by an unusually long rainy season, progress is underway. Electrical systems are installed, and interior finishing has begun. Plans for the security wall are finalized, contractors and materials are ready, and construction will resume once groundwater levels drop. Deacon Ken will visit Belize in February 2026 to meet local leaders, review budgets, and update the timeline.

Once conditions improve, the wall and remaining work are expected to be completed within six to nine months.

Mission trips remain a vital part of this effort. Catholic World Mission will work to schedule dedicated donor trips, or redirect funds to support existing SOLT Family Missionary Evangelization trips focused on this project, ensuring meaningful engagement and impact.

Thanks to your generosity, this project remains on track. Together, we are building not just walls, but a foundation of hope, dignity, and faith for families in Belize.