Today we bring focus to the Jubilee celebration of volunteers. The people who give their own time to help others in their communities, local or global. They ask the questions, “What can I do?” “How can I make a difference?” “How can I make this better?” And then, they act. They selflessly give of themselves to improve the conditions of others. So many people, animals, and ecosystems have benefited from volunteers who thought, I can make a difference. Whether their volunteer work has impacted one life or thousands, it has made a world of difference.  Let us celebrate the beautiful works of those who volunteer to make this world a better place and thank them.

Portrait of Fr. Thomas A. O'Melia, MM

Fr. Thomas O’Melia, M.M. was a coordinator of volunteers during his time with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). Created in late 1943 by Britain and the United States, the UNRRA “was a great global experiment, designed to organize the world’s foodstuffs, clothing, and medical supplies, as well as scarce transportation and shipping, on behalf of the needy war-torn populations in Europe and China.” (Hitchcock, 2020) From very early on in this project, Fr. O’Melia was focused on the way that Catholic missioners all throughout China would be able to help facilitate the dispersal of relief goods to those in need.

“China’s missioners will be in the vanguard of the reconstruction crew, although many of them will need a measure of reconstruction themselves. Their compounds are battered, their ranks depleted, their nerves frayed. But they are girding themselves for a major effort, as they are by no means ready to bow out of the picture. The UNRRA organization has had varied fortune in various places, but it will find a good field of operations in China, with its work facilitated in many practical ways. Ready to its hand will be the network of Catholic missions spread over the vast country – with personnel cognizant of the needs, experienced in the work, and well posted as to local ways and means. This unique setup will be a providential blessing for UNRRA in the measure in which it is utilized.”

~ The Field Afar, January 1946, p. 23

“Officials of the great relief agencies — the Red Cross, China Relief, and UNRRA —all say that in many cases they are powerless to provide relief because they lack personnel. In many cases, they report, the only assistant available is the Catholic missioner.”

~ The Field Afar, October 1946, p. 4

In preparing for this endeavor, Fr. O’Melia began a letter campaign for Catholic volunteers to help and the responses were plenty. Some could volunteer immediately, some wished to help but, due to the complications of the war, their circumstances made it more difficult, and others were hopeful this project could provide a way back to their missions. Here you will find a few select excerpts from the responses.
Fr. Thomas A. O'Melia at work in China
As Msgr. Patrick A. O’Boyle, Executive Director of War Relief Services of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, said, “We are most hopeful that all religious communities working in China will cooperate in the development of this program and will participate in bringing needed relief and medical services to the Chinese people.” And to their call for volunteers, the response they received was encouraging and bore fruit.
“We are, of course, very much interested in the movement about which you write us, relative to the possible use of Catholic Missionaries, Priests and Sisters, in the relief and rehabilitation work in China. I have not said anything to the Missionaries, because I was afraid they would immediately begin to pack their trunks!”

Mother General of St. Mary of the Springs, June 21, 1945

“Our Community, Daughter of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, St. Louis Province of the United States, has a mission at Poyang, Kiangsi, China. Our Sisters were forced to abandon this mission because of the war, but we are planning to return the Sisters (who are most anxious to go back) as soon as the danger to American missioners is past.”

Sr. Caroline of the Sisters of Charity, June 20, 1945

“You may be sure that we are anxious that one of our China missioners represent our Society in the plan you describe, and aid UNRRA and the NCWC in its China relief work.”

Fr. Anthony May of Divine Word Missionaries, June 21, 1945

“Since we have at this time fourteen repatriated Chinese missioners in this country, who are willing to cooperate with any effort of this kind, I am writing to you for further details.”

Fr. Norbert Schmalz, OFM, June 16, 1945

“Msgr. Dillon (U.S. Franciscan of Shasi, Hunan) writes (May 31, 1945)… ‘will be pulling for you to develop the possibilities in the UNRRA work. Be sure we will be happy to plunge in with you[.]’”

Fr. Julius, O.F.M., June 9, 1945

With volunteers in mind, I also pulled a selection of articles from The Field Afar/Maryknoll Magazine that highlight the work of volunteers, through the years. Please click the hyperlink that is attached to each article title to view the article.
– “We’ll Carry On” by Moises Sandoval, October 1986 Issue, p. 60-62. This article is about volunteers with St. Jude Express, from the U.S. and Mexico, that at the time had brought health services to Mexican Indians for 18 years.

“St. Jude Express was formed as a charitable, non-denominational non-profit organization in July of 1967 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1968, St. Jude began flying missions of mercy to remote places throughout the Southwest and Mexico using the PA-32-300 Cherokee Six, N-4102R. With each flight the little blue and white plane delivered medicine, food, and clothing to people in need. Their operations covered New Mexico, western Texas, and northern Mexico and lasted until 2012.”

– “The World is Their Hospital” November 1967 Issue, p. 54-56. This article is about voluntary medical service.
Leona and Samuel Edwards, both fourth-year medical students at the Howard University College of Medicine, spend their time in a Liberian leprosarium

‘“I realize now that God’s plan for man is not just to live for himself, but to be a social being.”’

– “A Thousand Homes” by Darryl L. Hunt, April 1967 Issue, p. 19-28. This article is about voluntary summer service jobs.

“’With a thousand places I call home I know I’m not alone’ is sung every summer by more than 830 students south of the border. Coming from 150 U.S. and Canadian colleges, they live and work with families in 14 States of Mexico. This is the story of their organization, CIASP, the Conference on Inter-American Student Projects.”

Fr. Ray Finch at Cristo Rey Parish in El Paso, Texas

– “An Oasis in the Borderlands” by Andrea Moreno-Diaz, Winter 2025 Issue, p. 26-30 (Also published on Maryknoll Magazine online – December 2, 2024). This article is about “Catholic missioners and volunteers acting as ‘pilgrims of hope’ for migrants and refugees” at Cristo Rey Parish in El Paso, Texas.

“It’s the central tenant of Christianity for Catholics,” says Father Finch. “To feed the hungry, to help the needy, to seek Christ in the person who needs our help.”