Mission Mexico celebrates 25 years of service

Mike MacDonald, Onsite Coordinator of Mission Mexico:
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Since 2013, I have been the official intermediary between the Diocese of Calgary and the Mission Mexico project commission. Together, we work to bring a little bit of life and dignity to the circumstances down there.

In 1999, Father Fred Monk came down to visit and was struck by two things: the poverty of the people, and the depth of their faith. He decided he wanted to do something to help, so he returned to Calgary and started Mission Mexico.

There are about 700 villages surrounding one town called Tlapa, known as the “Heart of the Mountain.” Most of these villages have only dirt or mud roads. Some have a junior high school, and a few have a high school. One of the biggest projects Mission Mexico sponsors is a high school boarding school. Some of the students who arrive don’t speak Spanish well and wouldn’t have been able to attend any other high school in the region. Mission Mexico helps by paying teachers and providing meals for the students.

The second largest project is the bursary program. Many of these students want to study in vocational schools or universities, but their families simply don’t have the resources. Mission Mexico offers bursaries to high school graduates who have shown a strong commitment to helping transform their communities and are highly recommended by their teachers and mentors.

Our health component mainly involves helping with medical access. One collaboration is with a hospital that treats children with disabilities, offering them therapies. Because transportation is limited from many of the villages, we have a Mission Mexico four-wheel-drive truck. I often drive out to pick up the children and their parents, take them to the hospital for therapy sessions that last three or four days, and then bring them back home.

We’ve been involved with Mission Mexico since the year 2000, and in all the projects I’ve participated in, I’ve learned something important, you think you’re helping someone, but in reality, they’ve given us far more than we’ve ever given them. We’ve truly been blessed by our experiences with the people there, who are so open, loving, kind, and grateful."

​Mission Mexico Volunteers

I want to recognize and celebrate the work of Mission Mexico over these past 25 years. This program is a testament to the faith and generosity of the people of Calgary, reaching out to the poorest of the poor with arms of faith, hope, and charity for the people in the mountain regions of Guerrero. This program has given them hope and a better future for themselves and their families, firmly grounded in the love of God.

Mission Mexico has funded high school programs, seminaries, healthcare facilities, preschool programs, human rights projects, and bursaries for university students and their families. Thanks to the support of Mission Mexico, young people in Mexico now have access to education and opportunities that were not possible 25 years ago. For poor families in remote villages, Mission Mexico walks beside them, providing wheelchairs, medical care near and far, and funding for vital medical supplies, all prayerfully offered on a foundation of love and dignity.

I am inspired by the vision of Father Fred Monk. May we answer the call to be pilgrims of hope, continuing and growing the work that Mission Mexico has begun. As Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me.”

Thank you for your support of Mission Mexico."

Most Rev. William T. McGrattan
​Bishop of Calgary

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On Saturday evening, Oct 25, 2025, Mission Mexico celebrated their 25 years of service! The celebration took place at St. Anthony’s, where about 45 friends gathered for tacos, burritos, and lively conversation.  
 
We were privileged to welcome Mike MacDonald, who leads the charity’s work in Mexico. After showing the celebratory anniversary video, Mike recounted the impact of his ministry among the poorest families in the mountains of Guerrero, and recalled the recent visit of board members, John Paul and his wife, Harriet.  
 
Board chair Sean Lynn announced that, in honour of the 25th anniversary, the scholarship bursaries will be increased to 64 awards and several one-time projects. This is just one of the many initiatives that parishes can support, whether by fundraising for the bursaries or by contributing to the other projects supported by Mission Mexico.  

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