One of the realities that continues to shape the missionary work of the Missionary Society of St Paul is the stark contrast between wealth and poverty found in many of the countries where we serve. While our missions often bring us face to face with communities struggling to meet their most basic needs, these same countries can also be home to extraordinary prosperity. It is this contrast, perhaps even more than poverty itself, that leaves a lasting impression.
This is especially evident in Metro Manila, Philippines. Towering skyscrapers, luxury shopping centres and modern commercial districts stand only a short distance away from communities where families live in makeshift homes and many people sleep on pavements or under temporary shelters. The distance between abundance and deprivation is measured not in kilometres, but often in just a few streets.
Our Formation House in Quezon City is itself situated within this reality. Less than two hundred metres from the community, hundreds of people live in informal settlements with limited access to basic services. For the MSSP community, this is not a distant social issue but a daily encounter that continually shapes its missionary life and formation.
In response to this need, the community opens its doors every Thursday morning for a feeding programme that provides a freshly prepared meal to around 200 people, many of whom are homeless or live in extremely precarious conditions.
The initiative is coordinated by Fr Stephen Mifsud MSSP, who has served in the Philippines for the past sixteen years. Beyond offering nourishment, the programme has become a place of encounter, where every person is welcomed with dignity and respect. Volunteers from the local community gather early each Thursday to prepare, cook and serve the meals, generously offering their own time and talents in service of those most in need.
This ministry is made possible largely through the generosity of those who support Oħloq Tbissima, together with many other benefactors who continue to believe in the Society’s missionary work. Their support allows this weekly outreach to continue, while the dedication of local volunteers reminds us that charity grows strongest when an entire community takes responsibility for one another.
The feeding programme reflects the heart of the MSSP mission: not simply responding to material poverty, but building relationships, restoring dignity and making God’s compassionate presence visible among those who are too often forgotten. Each Thursday, around a shared meal, the Gospel is proclaimed not only through words, but through simple acts of generosity, welcome and hope.
Through the continued support of our benefactors and the commitment of so many volunteers, this ministry remains a tangible expression of the missionary spirit entrusted to the Missionary Society of St Paul, serving Christ in those who need Him most.