Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for visiting our fundraising page!

We are embarking on our second missionary journey this January 2nd 2009, again to Hogar Belen in Managua Nicaragua, to work, pray, and share the Good News of God with the children of Mustard Seed Communities.

I cannot begin to tell you how this Mission Trip has been a blessing for our Catholic Community at URI as it has changed the lives of our student missionaries, enkindled a renewed passion in our Catholic Community at URI, encouraged vocations to the priesthood and medical field, and has allowed us to live the message of stewardship by awakening in our student missionaries a great sense of who they are in God's eyes giving them a true life purpose of using their gifts and talents to bring the kingdom of God wherever they live, study, and work, whether at URI or as they graduate and become future leaders in our world and in our Church

Not only has the Mustard Seed Mission Trip been a God send to our Catholic community at URI but it has grown ever year in our State and in our Diocese of Providence. In fact it's DOUBLED, though God's grace! Every year since 2006, when my parish of St. Luke's started sending high school missionaries, parishes from our Diocese have accepted the challenge of sending missionaries, young and old, men and women, students and teachers, children and adults, nurses and doctors to the orphanages of Mustard Seed, whether in Jamaica, Nicaragua, or the Dominican Republic. In 2006 we had 1 parish, 3 in 2007, 6 in 2008, and now 8 in 2009. How true to the reality of Jesus' parable of the Mustard Seed "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of seeds, yet when full grown it is the largest of plants." and "If one has faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for you."

It is extremely hard to fundraise on a college campus. Can you help us reach our goal of $25,000 by making any sacrificial donation you are able to?

In the spirit of the Mustard Seed, starting small and letting God grow it, we have some great news to announce ... Every dollar you donate will be DOUBLED!!!

We have an anonymous donor willing to DOUBLE every dollar you donate up to $10,000!!! Crazy, but as good as God is He provides.

Thank you for thinking of us and visiting our page when there are so many worthy charities.

As a priest, this is the most rewarding experience of my priesthood seeing hearts and lives changed for the sake of Christ as a Missionary. Thank you, as I like to tell my friends and family for allowing me to keep "just living the Dream"!

Peace and Blessings,

Fr. Matt

P.S. Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our fundraising efforts.

To read an excerpt from one of last years missionaries, go to: www.catholiccenteruri.org/katienicaragua.html

To learn more about Mustard Seed Communities, go to www.mustardseed.com/

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!