spiritans.org

spiritans.org is the official website of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Province of the United States — a Catholic religious congregation commonly known as the Spiritans. The site is run by the U.S. Province, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it serves as the congregation's public information and engagement hub rather than a commercial or independent news site.

Who runs the site

The site identifies itself as "The official website of The Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Province Of The United States." Its header reads "The Congregation of the Holy Spirit — PROVINCE OF THE UNITED STATES," and the site is associated with Pittsburgh, PA. That means the content reflects the U.S. Province's perspective and activities, not a global editorial team or a third-party publisher.

What you'll find on the site

The navigation gives a clear picture of the site's scope. Main sections include:

• Who We Are — history of the congregation, including figures such as Claude Poullart des Places, Francis Libermann, Bl. Daniel Brottier, C.S.Sp., and Bl. Jacques Laval, C.S.Sp., plus a U.S. Province timeline, leadership, and Lay Spiritan Associates.
• What We Do — parish ministries, education (including Duquesne University, Holy Ghost Preparatory School, and Spiritan education resources), and international ministries.
• International Ministries — work in Africa (Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana), Latin America (Mexico, Dominican Republic, São Paulo, Brazil), and Asia (Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam), plus Rome, Italy.
• Resources — prayer requests, the Prayer to the Holy Spirit, the Spiritan Rule of Life, publications, a video library, and a necrology.
• Mission Works — mission response priorities, annual mission appeals, the Office for Mission Advancement, volunteer opportunities, Spiritan grants, a project progress report, and the Spiritan Refugee Service Tanzania.
• News — daily readings and weekly reflections, newsletters, and events.
• Join Us — discernment resources such as "Listening to God's Call," the path to Spiritan life, becoming a Lay Spiritan, and employment listings.
• Donate — giving options including required minimum distributions, corporate matching, and planned giving.

The homepage also surfaces entry points like "Who are the Spiritans?", "What Do Spiritans Do?", and "Is God calling you?", which frame the site around identity, ministry, and vocation discernment.

What kind of site it is

This is a religious congregation's official site. It is not a commercial storefront, and the available page evidence shows no pricing, payment platforms, or e-commerce signals. It is also not a general news outlet — the "News" section covers the congregation's own reflections, newsletters, and events. If you are looking for the Spiritans' self-described mission, ministries, vocation information, or ways to support their work, this is the authoritative U.S. Province source. If you need independent journalism or consumer information, this is not that kind of site.

The U.S. Province of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (the Spiritans) works across two broad fronts: ministries based in the United States and missions abroad. On the home front, the province lists parish ministries and education among its core activities, including ties to Duquesne University and Holy Ghost Preparatory School. Internationally, its mission work is organized by region — Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Rome — with specific countries named in each. Alongside these, the province runs mission response priorities, refugee service, and outreach efforts such as Welcoming the Stranger and Spiritan grants.

Parish Ministries and Education in the United States

The province's "What We Do" section names two domestic areas of work:

• Parish Ministries — pastoral work carried out through parishes.
• Education — the province highlights two institutions in particular:
  • Duquesne University
  • Holy Ghost Preparatory School

It also maintains a Spiritan Education Resources page, suggesting educational work extends beyond these two institutions.

International Ministries by Region

The province organizes its overseas work into four regional groupings, each with named locations:

This structure is useful if you want to know whether the Spiritans are present in a particular country — the region pages are the place to check.

Mission Response Priorities and Refugee Service

Beyond the geographic listings, the province names Mission Response Priorities as a distinct area of work. One concrete example is the Spiritan Refugee Service Tanzania, which appears as its own entry under Mission Works.

Outreach Efforts: Welcoming the Stranger and Spiritan Grants

Two further outreach programs are listed:

• Welcoming the Stranger — listed under Mission Works.
• Spiritan Grants — with a related Project Progress Report.

The province also runs Annual Mission Appeals and an Office for Mission Advancement, which support this work.

How to Explore Further

If you want details on any single ministry or mission, the site's navigation is the most direct route: each region and program has its own page under "What We Do" and "Mission Works." For current news about these activities, the Spiritan News and Newsletters sections (including One Heart, One Spirit News) are updated regularly.

The U.S. Spiritans (the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Province of the United States) accept support through several named channels listed on spiritans.org: Donate Your Gifts, Required Minimum Distribution, Corporate Match, and Planned Giving. Beyond money, you can give time through volunteer roles such as SOMA Advocates, or take part in events like the Spiritan Day of Giving and the 150th Anniversary. The site also routes larger fundraising efforts through the Office for Mission Advancement and its Annual Mission Appeals. Which option fits you depends mainly on whether you want to give once, give regularly, give through a retirement account or employer, or give time instead of money.

Giving options listed on the site

The "Donate" section of spiritans.org names four distinct ways to give. They are not described with amounts, fees, or eligibility rules on the page, so treat the list below as a map of what exists rather than a set of instructions.

Because the site does not publish payment platforms, minimum amounts, or tax details, confirm those directly with the Province before committing — especially for RMD and planned giving, which usually involve a financial or legal advisor.

Fundraising programs and appeals

Two named efforts sit alongside the donation links:

• Annual Mission Appeals — recurring appeals that support Spiritan mission work.
• Office for Mission Advancement — the office associated with advancing the Province's mission and fundraising.

The site also references a Project Progress Report and an Impact Report, which are the natural places to check how donated funds are used before or after giving.

Giving time instead of money

If you would rather contribute time, the site lists Volunteer and SOMA Advocates under its mission works. Related service themes on the site include Welcoming the Stranger and Spiritan Refugee Service Tanzania, which indicate the kinds of work volunteers and advocates support. Start with the Volunteer page to see current openings, since the site does not list specific roles or time commitments in the material available.

Events that support the mission

Two events are highlighted on spiritans.org:

• Spiritan Day of Giving — a dedicated giving day.
• 150th Anniversary — an anniversary with its own resources page.

These are time-bound, so check the Events page for current dates rather than assuming a schedule.

A practical order of steps

1. Decide whether you want to give money, give time, or both.
2. For money: open the Donate section and pick the route that matches your situation — general gift, RMD, corporate match, or planned giving.
3. For time: check the Volunteer and SOMA Advocates pages for what is currently needed.
4. Before giving through RMD or planned giving, confirm the mechanics with the Province and, where relevant, your own advisor.
5. If you want to see results first, read the Impact Report and Project Progress Report.

Common sticking points

• No published amounts or platforms. The site does not state payment methods or minimums, so do not assume any option is free of processing steps or eligibility conditions.
• RMD and planned giving are not one-click actions. They typically require coordination with a retirement account provider, employer, or estate plan.
• Volunteer details change. Role availability is not fixed on the page, so verify before planning around a specific opportunity.
• Events are dated. Day of Giving and anniversary activities are tied to specific dates; confirm on the Events page.

The Spiritans are the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, a Catholic religious congregation of priests, brothers, and lay associates founded in France in 1703 by Claude Poullart des Places and later merged in 1848 with the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary founded by Francis Libermann. Their charism centers on mission to the poor and marginalized, and today the U.S. Province is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with ministries spanning parishes, education, and international missions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

What Is the Congregation of the Holy Spirit?

The Congregation of the Holy Spirit — commonly called the Spiritans — is a missionary religious community in the Catholic Church. According to the U.S. Province website (spiritans.org), it is organized as the Province of the United States, based in Pittsburgh, PA.

The congregation describes its work through three broad areas:

• Evangelization, Justice, and Peace — including racial justice and welcoming the stranger
• Parish Ministries and Education — including Duquesne University and Holy Ghost Preparatory School
• International Ministries — with missions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia

The site also lists Lay Spiritan Associates, meaning the Spiritan charism is not limited to vowed religious but is shared with laypeople who associate with the congregation.

Who Founded the Spiritans?

Two figures stand at the foundation of the congregation, and the website treats both as founders:

Claude Poullart des Places (1679–1709)

Poullart des Places founded the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in 1703 in Paris. His original purpose was to form poor students for the priesthood and to send them to serve in neglected missions. He died young, but the community he started endured.

Francis Libermann (1802–1852)

Libermann founded the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary, dedicated to the evangelization of formerly enslaved people and mission territories. In 1848, that society merged with the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Libermann became the superior of the united congregation and is regarded as its second founder. The website lists him alongside Poullart des Places under "Our History."

Other Key Figures

The site's history section also highlights two beatified Spiritans:

What Is the U.S. Province Timeline?

The website provides a U.S. Province Timeline as part of its "Our History" section. The timeline traces how the Spiritans established and grew their presence in the United States, leading to the current Province of the United States based in Pittsburgh. For the specific dates and milestones, the timeline page on spiritans.org is the authoritative source.

What Do Spiritans Do Today?

The congregation's current ministries, as listed on the site, include:

Education

• Duquesne University
• Holy Ghost Preparatory School
• Spiritan Education Resources

Parish Ministries

International Ministries across:

• Africa — Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana
• Latin America — Mexico, Dominican Republic, São Paulo, Brazil
• Asia — Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam
• Rome, Italy — Spiritan Center

Mission and Outreach

• Mission Response Priorities
• Annual Mission Appeals
• Office for Mission Advancement
• Volunteer programs
• Welcoming the Stranger (refugee and immigrant outreach)
• Spiritan Grants
• Spiritan Refugee Service Tanzania

How Can You Learn More or Get Involved?

The website offers several entry points depending on your interest:

• Exploring vocation — "Listening to God's Call" and "Path to the Spiritan Life"
• Becoming a lay associate — "Become A Lay Spiritan"
• Spirituality and prayer — Prayer Requests, Prayer to the Holy Spirit, Spiritan Rule of Life
• Staying informed — Daily Readings and Weekly Reflections, Newsletters, Spiritan News
• Supporting the mission — Donate, Planned Giving, Corporate Match, Required Minimum Distribution

The site also maintains a Necrology (memorial of deceased members) and a Members Login area, indicating some content is reserved for members.

Summary

The Spiritans are a Catholic missionary congregation with roots in 18th-century France and a dual founding heritage — Claude Poullart des Places and Francis Libermann. Their U.S. Province, headquartered in Pittsburgh, carries out evangelization, education, justice work, and international missions. The official website, spiritans.org, is run by the Province of the United States and serves as the primary source for its history, ministries, and ways to engage.

If you are considering Spiritan life or want to become a Lay Spiritan Associate, start at spiritans.org under the Join Us section. It gathers the U.S. Province's discernment resources in one place: Listening to God's Call, the Path to the Spiritan Life, Become A Lay Spiritan, Spiritan Life and Spirituality, and Voices of Spiritans. These pages are for anyone asking "Is God calling you?" — whether you are exploring priesthood or religious life as a Spiritan, or a committed layperson seeking association with the Congregation. Note that Employment and Members Login also sit in this menu but serve different purposes (jobs and existing-member access), so don't confuse them with the vocation path.

The two paths under "Join Us"

The site distinguishes between becoming a Spiritan and becoming a Lay Spiritan Associate. They are separate options with separate entry pages.

If you are unsure which fits, read Spiritan Life and Spirituality first — it describes the charism both paths draw on.

Step-by-step: how to explore

1. Open the Join Us section on spiritans.org. This is the hub for all discernment and membership entry points.
2. Start with "Listening to God's Call." This is the discernment resource — read it before committing to any single path, since it frames the question of vocation generally.
3. Read "Spiritan Life and Spirituality." This explains the charism and spirituality that both Spiritans and Lay Spiritans share, so you can judge whether it fits you.
4. Choose your path:
   • For religious life: go to Path to the Spiritan Life.
   • For lay association: go to Become A Lay Spiritan.
5. Hear from actual members. Visit Voices of Spiritans for first-person accounts — useful for testing your expectations against real experience.
6. Learn the wider context. The Who We Are section (Our History, Claude Poullart des Places, Francis Libermann, U.S. Province Timeline) explains the Congregation's origins and identity. The What We Do section (Parish Ministries, Education, International Ministries) shows where Spiritans actually serve.
7. Make contact. The site also lists Employment and Members Login; use the general site contact channels for vocation questions rather than these, since they are not vocation intake.

Expected result: by the end you should know which path applies to you and have the specific page to act on — either the Path to the Spiritan Life or Become A Lay Spiritan.

What each resource gives you

• Listening to God's Call — the starting discernment material; read this if you have no clear direction yet.
• Path to the Spiritan Life — the route for those pursuing Spiritan religious life or priesthood.
• Become A Lay Spiritan — the route for lay association; pairs with the Lay Spiritan Associates page under Who We Are.
• Spiritan Life and Spirituality — the shared charism behind both paths.
• Voices of Spiritans — personal accounts from members.
• Spiritan Rule of Life and Prayer to the Holy Spirit (under Resources) — supporting material if you want to pray and read into the tradition before deciding.

Common sticking points

• Don't start with the Path page if you're undecided. "Listening to God's Call" exists precisely for the earlier stage; skipping it can make the process feel more committal than it is.
• Lay associate ≠ member login. "Become A Lay Spiritan" is an entry point for new associates; "Members Login" is for people who already have accounts.
• Employment is not a vocation route. It's listed in the same menu but is a separate area for job seekers.
• Use the wider site for context. If the discernment pages feel abstract, the Who We Are and What We Do sections show the concrete ministries — parishes, education (including Duquesne University and Holy Ghost Preparatory School), and international missions in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Rome — that you would be joining.

The site does not publish application deadlines, formation timelines, or eligibility requirements on these pages, so treat the Join Us section as the starting point for inquiry rather than a complete admissions guide.