Living Hope Newsletter – February 2026
Advancing the Claretian Mission from Rome
The Mission Procure: Our Global Hub
Religious congregations that span the globe as the Claretian Missionaries do are no different than any large organization in their need for structure. Located in Rome, the Claretian Mission Procure is the hub that connects and coordinates with 31 major Claretian provinces and delegations, spread across 72 countries.
And yet, this complex structural core that is essential to the function of the congregation is in practice much more than a logistics center—it is part of the spiritual foundation of the Claretian global outreach. From here, the Claretians coordinate efforts to bring hope, support, and transformation to communities, in an organized manner, around the world.
As Claretian Fr. Gabriel Ponce, Director of the Mission Procure, shares: “the collaboration between the General Mission Procure and the mission procurators across different provinces and delegations is very close,” he says. “We have a network
of collaborators who share a common commitment to justice, peace, and the promotion of human dignity through various initiatives—whether that’s evangelization or social development.”
How it Works: Mission Procure in Action
The Mission Procure’s primary role is to ensure that resources—financial, material, and spiritual—reach those most in need. This means working closely with Claretian leadership in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and beyond to implement initiatives that address critical needs. Claudia Valentini, Project Officer for the General Mission Procure, explains, “We usually receive a request for help in the form of a project proposal from our partners on the ground. These are typically other Claretian missionaries—specifically, the ‘mission procurators’ of provinces and delegations around the world. They bring forward the needs of their local communities.”
Twice each year, the needs are presented, compiled, and evaluated by the Council, which is composed of
members of the Procure. Once a project is selected for funding, it is aligned to meet the requirements of donor agencies, each of which may require different formats or details.
“We monitor and track a project through its entire life cycle—from implementation to final evaluation,” Claudia says. “We also conduct post-implementation monitoring to assess whether the project outcomes are sustained.”
From start to finish, the aim is to involve the real beneficiaries—the people in the communities—as active participants. The Mission Procure works closely with local missionaries, who act as intermediaries and help create a bridge between the donor agency and the local community.
The Role of the United Nations
The General Mission Procure collaborates closely with the Claretian team at the United Nations, which engages in advocacy, participates in institutional forums, and contributes to global conversations on justice and sustainable development. The PROCLADE, or Proclade Internationale Onlus, is the legal instrument through which the Claretians access certain funds or comply with particular legal requirements. The name PROCLADE comes from Spanish: Promoción Claretiana para el Desarrollo, or “Claretian Promotion for Development.” PROCLADE operates as a part of the General Mission Procure and allows it to have a presence at the United Nations that otherwise would not be possible for a religious order.
“PROCLADE enables our presence and participation in the UN system, which we cannot do directly as Claretians,” Claudia says.
PROCLADE acts as the legal and technical arm of the General Mission Procure, providing services to all collaborators, especially in cases where there is no formal legal entity available. While PROCLADE and the General Mission Procure are separate entities, they function as one in terms of service.
The United Nations has its own Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the Claretians work to incorporate into project goals.
“SDGs aren’t just labels—they represent a process with methodologies that help us conduct better reality analysis,” says Fr. Gabriel. “They give us a framework for evaluating projects. Each SDG has different scopes and objectives, and we’re working to ensure that communities and missions incorporate these objectives into their projects.
This framework helps us evaluate the impact of our work,” he says.
One additional key aspect of the UN in the Claretian structure is the advocacy work the Claretians do at the United Nations. There are four areas of emphasis for advocacy right now: indigenous people, minorities, migration, and peace.
“Thanks to our recognition at the UN, we also have access to some funding from the United Nations,” Fr. Gabriel says. “And this gives us another avenue to help push forward meaningful projects.”
Challenges and Opportunities
“We face many challenges—although we see them as opportunities too—because of the wide range of countries and cultures we work with,” Claudia says.
There are cultural and linguistic differences that affect communication, work styles, and the kind of feedback we receive from our partners. Then there are legal and bureaucratic complexities dealing with different government systems, banking procedures, and customs regulations.
Political instability can also affect implementation or monitoring of a project.
“And don’t forget currency issues,” says Fr. Gabriel. “Inflation can have a huge impact. When a project is approved, it might not start for one month—or even a year,” he says. During that time, prices can change dramatically, especially in countries facing economic instability.
Despite the challenges, the focus remains on continuous learning, adapting, and building strong relationships. “The goal is not just raising money to fund projects,” says Fr. Gabriel. “It’s about transformation and shared growth.”
Success Story
One recent project exemplifies the success of the entire Claretian system at work. The initiative is in Acropong, Ghana, where the beneficiaries of the project funding were involved at every phase of implementation.
The program creates training, exams, and business development for 25 girls becoming hairdressers. With the training, each girl received a “starter kit” with all the materials they needed to get their businesses started.
What made this project even more impactful was its sustainability. As the girls started working and earning from their businesses, they began repaying a portion of the funds to support the next group of girls going through the same training. We also built a training center as part of the project.
“We are particularly proud of how involved the girls were throughout the entire process,” says Claudia. “We received constant messages from them, and the teachers didn’t just act as instructors—they also served as mentors and consultants.
They provided feedback not only on the training itself but also on how the girls were engaging with the solidarity system we created through the project.”
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