“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 19

        Rev. Father Richard Ryan Ho Lung, M.O.P. is a man of God who loves the poor and the needy that he founded the Missionaries of the Poor in Kingston, Jamaica in 1981.

        The primary apostolate of the religious Order of brothers and priests is to provide the corporal work of mercy by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, and caring for the orphans, special children, and the sick.

        Fr. Ho Lung is a Jamaican of Chinese descent, who became a Jesuit priest, and studied at the Boston College in Boston, Massachusetts, and finished his Ph.D. Humanities at the Syracuse THE FOUNDER                 University in New York, USA.

        After being ordained to the priesthood in 1971, he serves as a parish priest in Aquinas Center, Kingston, and became an English lecturer, a preacher, a professor of Philosophy and Literature, a newspaper columnist, a songwriter, and a stage actor. The multi-talented priest received numerous national and international awards and recognition for his contributions to the field of arts, music, education, humanitarian cooperation, and community service.

        Nevertheless, Fr. Ho Lung’s heart remained steadfast in caring for the least privileged people that led to the establishment of four apostolic projects serving the poor in Jamaica, a mission house and apostolic works of mercy serving the poor in India (1992), the Philippines (Naga 1993; Cebu 2004), Haiti (1994) and Uganda, Africa (2000).

        The Missionaries of the Poor first came to the Philippines in 1993. At the invitation of the Most Rev. Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP., D.D., Archbishop of Caceres, and through the kind assistance of City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo, the first Philippine Mission was established in Cararayan, Naga City. Fr. Brian Kerr, a Jamaican, and Bro. Maximo Medina, a Belizean were the pioneers of this mission.

        The mustard seed which was planted through a small mission house located at Mayon Avenue, Naga City gradually grew in numbers in their apostolate with the poor and the needy. In 1998, there were over 25 young Filipino men in the Congregation serving various communities. Currently, the Cararayan religious community has a home for 130 homeless persons, which include special children, mentally-ill patients, homeless elderly, and a pre-school for 60 poor children. Plans are underway to construct another school building so more children can be accommodated.

        As a religious Institute of the Catholic Church, the Missionaries of the Poor has also established a Pre-novitiate Formation House in Cararayan where the aspirants and postulants are formed before they are sent to their novitiate in Jamaica, until that time when a full novitiate program can be established locally.

        It must be noted that on May 30, 2006 four Missionaries of the Poor sisters (Sister Josefina Consuelo Surtida, Sister Jhoana Tracena, Sister Jeny Bertiz, and Sister Rosa Misola) professed their Perpetual Vows at a ceremony held at San Francisco Parish Church in Naga City and witnessed by Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, O.P. D.D., priests, and the MOP congregation and families. This was the first time in its history where the Pious Union of the Missionaries of the Poor, Sisters (MOPS) was held.

        The MOP Sisters and other members headed by Mother Joan Chinloy, regularly visit and care for the mentally-ill inmates of the Regional Mental Asylum in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur. They also provide spiritual formation and material support like feeding, and livelihood opportunities to numerous residents of the Balatas dumpsite, and some squatter families along the Almeda Highway in Naga City. Incidentally, the Missionaries of the Poor, Sisters (MOPS) continuously distribute books & magazines, food items, educational materials & school supplies, medicines & medical equipment, used clothing, toys & furniture, and other donated goods to schools, hospitals, libraries, women & youth groups, NGOs, cooperatives, and LGUs throughout the Bicol Region. These are regularly sent by the generous benefactors from Canada and USA through forty-footer container vans. Mother Martha Razon, a high-ranking Franciscan lay volunteer is in charge of the warehouse where beneficiaries avail of the donated items.

        Today, similar work among the destitute and homeless are being carried out at MOP Missions in India, Haiti, Jamaica, and Africa by a fast growing number of young men and women missionaries with the Congregation’s motto tucked in their hearts:”Joyful Service with Christ on the Cross.”

        As part of the 25th year Anniversary of the Missionary of the Poor worldwide, the Founder and Superior-General, Rev. Father Richard Ryan Ho Lung will be in Naga City last week of June, 2006.

        The people of Naga City and the Philippines welcomes Fr. Ho Lung with heartfelt gratitude for his relentless and dedicated service to the poor and needy among them.

        DIOS AN MABALOS (God will repay) to Fr. Ho Lung who always remind us that “the call to serve the poor is an invitation to happiness.”