Who can apply?

Do volunteers have to be Catholic?

Can married couples serve?

Are there language requirements?

How do you decide where to place someone?

Can I choose my site?

What time commitment is required?

What happens during formation?

What are my financial obligations?

When are applications due?

Is medical insurance provided?

Can I visit my home during my time of service?

Who can apply?

Please see Requirements for Being a Volunteer.

Due to visa requirements, we currently cannot accept applicants from outside Europe, the United States, and Canada.

Do volunteers have to be Catholic?

Volunteers are expected to be committed to the Catholic Church and its teachings. In addition, volunteers must be willing to model the teachings of the Catholic Church and participate fully in Catholic mass.

Can married couples serve?

We have accepted married couples into the program. Our ability to accept married couples is limited by the living conditions and requirements of the various missions. As part of the discernment process, the VOICA coordinator and the applicants would discuss the unique challenges of being a married couple in mission and determine whether placement is possible.

We cannot accept married couples with children.

Are there any language requirements?

Most long-term mission sites require fluency in English. Some sites require competency in a second language, such as French or Portuguese. Please see the individual projects under Short Term Volunteers and Long Term Volunteers for specific requirements.

Although some missions do not require a second language, we encourage volunteers to learn some of the local language as part of inculturation.

How do you decide where to place someone?

Placements are made primarily on three criteria:

* What type of work is carried out at the mission (education, medical, pastoral)

* What skills the volunteer can offer

* When the volunteer is available to begin

We also strive to create harmonious communities within the missions through a balance of age, gender, and nationality.

Can I choose my site?

You may state a preference, but we cannot guarantee your first choice of placement.

What time commitment is required?

Short term volunteers must commit to one week of formation in Rome and 3-6 weeks of service, depending on the individual project.

Long-term volunteers must commit to the three-month formation as well as their service time. Long-term medical and pastoral care volunteers must commit to at least one year of service. Long-term education volunteers must commit to two years of service.

Can education volunteers go for only one year?

We encourage all our long-term volunteers---medical, pastoral care, and education---to commit to two years. The longer commitment benefits the volunteer through greater inculturation and benefits the mission through consistent service and a strong witness of solidarity.

Education volunteers are required to make a two year commitment because the nature of their work demands consistent, long-term service. Changing teachers every year is disruptive to the students’ learning and can have a negative affect on their education. It also creates a burden for the overall mission because it requires that new teachers be trained in the curriculum and teaching methods each year.

What happens during formation?

Formation is a continuation of the discernment process begun at the time of your application, as well as a time to prepare for life in the mission. During formation, you explore the four pillars of VOICA---Spirituality, Community, Formation, and Service---and begin to apply them to your life as a volunteer. In addition, you will receive any training needed for your specific mission, such as language instruction or skill development.

Formation is also a time for us to get to know you and you to get to know us. Acceptance to formation is not a guarantee of placement at a mission site. If during formation the VOICA staff determines that the volunteer is not ready or able to work in the missions, the volunteer will be asked to withdraw from the program.

What are my financial obligations?

Please see Housing, Food, and Expenses for information on the program costs.

When are applications due?

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

Is medical insurance provided?

We provide basic medical insurance for long-term volunteers while they are in the mission. This insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions or high-risk activities. We do not provide dental or vision care.

Can I visit my home during my time in service?

We encourage volunteers to remain at the mission site for the entire duration of their service. This benefits the volunteers through greater inculturation in the local community and it provides a strong witness of solidarity to the people at the mission site.

Exceptions may be made in case of emergency, such as the death of a family member. In those cases, the volunteer is responsible for the cost of transportation.

Requirements for Being a Volunteer

Short-Term Volunteers

Long-Term Volunteers

Housing, Food, and Expenses

Discernment Process

Frequently Asked Questions