Their story, also featured in the Pontifical Mission Societies’ podcast “Frontiers of Faith,” offers an inspiring glimpse into the life of a family dedicated to spreading the Gospel across the globe.

A Call to Mission

The Glafckes’ call to missionary life was unexpected. Katie stumbled upon an article about a missionary family and felt a deep connection. “I read the article, and my heart sang because I had never encountered lay missionaries before. I didn’t even know that was a possible thing,” Katie recalls. This discovery ignited a desire within them to explore a life dedicated to faith and service, despite the challenges of uprooting their already bustling family life.

Matt shared his initial hesitations, tempered by a humorous yet earnest contemplation of the drastic change: “She shows me this, and she’s like, ‘We could do this.’ And I’m like, ‘Where do you want to go? How many children do you want to take?’” The idea of leaving everything behind was daunting, yet the pull towards missionary work was undeniable. Matt’s journey from skepticism to commitment highlights the transformative power of openheartedness toward God’s call.

Founded in 1997, Family Missions Company (FMC) is an apostolate of lay Catholic missionaries – both families and individuals – spreading the Gospel worldwide, serving the poor wherever they are, and making disciples of all nations.

Families with children and single adults are all vital parts of FMC’s ministry to the world. The missionary witness of the Christian family, the basic unit of the universal Church, is both essential and effective. In the words of Frank Summers, co-founder of this ministry, “As missionaries, we are called to live God’s Word as Jesus did, to proclaim it boldly to others, to work into the fabric of human society and culture, to extend God’s love to all, especially to the oppressed and suffering.”

Matt and Katie met during their senior year of high school, and their very first conversation was about recent mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. With that experience of serving the poor and sharing the love of Christ, their missionary hearts were kindled. 

For the past 10 years, the family had made a spiritual home at St. James Parish in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Three of the children were baptized there, and the couple had served as facilitators for marriage preparation and intentional discipleship in small groups. But they kept hearing a call to serve the Lord in a different way.

After visiting FMC in early May 2018 and being accepted for Intake 2018, they say they were filled with profound peace and deep gratitude, and “overjoyed to respond to a call that will unite our entire family in service to the Lord to share the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Embracing New Challenges

Transitioning to missionary life was not straightforward for the Glafckes. The family faced numerous obstacles, from financial concerns to logistical issues of traveling and living abroad. “It was really hard to ask people to support us financially,” Matt admits, discussing the profound shift from self-reliance to dependence on the generosity of others. This transition challenged their ingrained notions of independence and self-sufficiency, teaching them to embrace a community-oriented approach to life and faith.

The family’s approach to mission work is deeply rooted in their daily interactions and the relationships they build. “We go to the people not primarily to accomplish a task, but rather to be with them, walk beside them, listen to them, and share our faith with them,” says Katie. This philosophy reflects a fundamental aspect of their missionary work: it is about presence and shared humanity more than mere aid.

Life Lessons and Spiritual Growth

The experiences of the Glafcke family highlight both the blessings and the unpredictability of missionary life. Their children, too, have been profoundly affected by their experiences, growing in faith and resilience. “Our children are really the ones who pretty much drove those encounters,” Matt reflects, noting how their children embraced the missionary life with eagerness and joy, often leading the way in forming connections within the communities they served.

The Glafckes’ story is a testament to the power of faith in action. Their journey underscores the idea that missionary work is not just about changing others’ lives but also about allowing one’s own life to be transformed. “If this is what missionaries do, I want to be a missionary,” their nine-year-old declared after a particularly moving family visit, encapsulating the profound impact of witnessing faith in action.

A Continued Call to Service

Today, the Glafckes continue to embody the spirit of their calling, with each location offering new opportunities for growth and service. Matt sums up their journey with a reflection on the essence of missionary work: “It’s about giving your life to Jesus.”

Their life is a powerful reminder of the universal call to missionary life—a call that is not reserved for the few but is accessible to anyone willing to open their heart to God’s will. The Glafckes’ experience illustrates that the mission field is not always a distant land but often the ground beneath our feet, wherever we are called to serve.

As the Glafckes continue their missionary journey, their story encourages all of us to consider how we might live out our baptismal call to mission, whether across the world or within our own communities. Their lives remind us that mission is about more than geographical location—it is about a heart open to God’s call, ready to spread the joy and love of the Gospel wherever it may lead.

The pictures featured in this article of the Glafckes family in rural Asia and Haiti were courtesy of Family Missions Company.