Guide · Missionaries and parishes

For missionaries and parishes. This page is written for Christians.

The church life of the mission has its own website, romamission.eu. Here is the main part of it, and how a person or a parish can join.

Fr. Martin walks with the boys along the road past the church
Where we start from · according to romamission.eu

“When Christ is present, everything changes.”

  • “In many areas, parish life is weak or absent.”
  • “Children are graduating unable to read or write.”
  • “A generation is growing up without guidance.”
  • “If Christ is absent, instability grows. If Christ is present, families stabilize.”
romamission.eu, as of 12. 10. 2026

The aim, as it is written on krm.sk today: to help poor families in their situation, and to lead them to God and to sound morals. krm.sk, as of 12. 10. 2026

The mission's approach · according to romamission.eu

Five pillars on which every mission parish stands.

01

Youth and children formation

We teach young people through catechism, literacy and structured programs rooted in the Church.

02

Remove sins, not culture

We learn their language, way of speaking, cooking and culture. They learn our faith.

03

Prayers and Church integration

We live a Eucharistic life, invite people to church and connect them with other believers.

04

Discipleship of men and fathers

We form male leadership within the community through accountability and mentorship.

05

Planting parishes with long-term presence

We establish permanent parishes, not short-term projects. We stay until the community takes the parish as its own.

Where we serve

12 active places

8 supported parishes, 3 planted, 1 mission center, and another is being prepared.

The wording of the pillars is taken word for word from the mission's website. romamission.eu, as of 12. 10. 2026

What happens when a parish is planted

Fathers work. Children read.

“Fathers begin working and providing for their families.”Our experience: every healthy father in the Roma settlement in Klenovec works. In the Roma settlement of Mútnik almost everyone does; before, it was less than half.
“Children learn to read and write through church programs.”We teach children to read, write, count and think about things. The first two years in a community are above all play.
“Public behavior changes — dignity returns.”A 2010 study by SAV, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, found that where churches serve among the Roma, the strongest changes were in addictions, petty crime and debts. Institute of Ethnology of SAV, 2010, p. 98

The sentences in quotation marks are from the mission's website. romamission.eu, as of 12. 10. 2026

The same study advises churches to stay a long time in one place, not to build the mission on gifts, and to raise up local leaders. What the study advises churches →

Dobré noviny · 2025 · articleRómovia z osady vďaka nemu chodia do práce, deti vedia čítaťOrthoChristian · 2024 · articleRoma parish in Slovakia receives relics of newly-canonized Greek saintOrthodox Church in America · 2025 · articleOCA Delegation Visits Churches in Romania and Slovakia
Children write in their notebooks in the church pews
How to join

A person, a priest, a parish.

  • Come and serve. Leave us your phone number and we will get in touch.
  • Invite Fr. Martin to your parish. In March 2026 he presented the mission to Orthodox parishes in the United States, over thirteen stops.
  • Give regularly. A month of tutoring costs 50 €.
  • Operation Christmas Child. A project for Christians; anyone who wants to take part leaves a phone number.
  • Pray for the children, the families and those who serve among them.
Svaz pravoslavných novinářů · 2026 · articleOtec Martin Halík představil v USA pravoslavnou misii mezi RomySvaz pravoslavných novinářů · 2025 · articleOtec Martin Halík: Boh chce, aby sme boli blízko sebaPCO Spišská Nová Ves · videoRozhovor s Mgr. Martinom Halíkom o pravoslávnej rómskej misii na strednom Slovensku

What awaits a missionary: Fr. Martin serves without a salary, and the mission lives mostly on what its own people earn themselves; the family lives near the Roma settlement, not in it. You can join a mission trip for one to two weeks; the mission centers have lodging for groups. Fr. Martin's book, 2023, pp. 33 and 69 romamission.eu, Get involved

We will come to help a priest whose parish has a Roma settlement: we step in, serve and support the priest who is already there. A particular parish can also be supported; write to misia@krm.sk. romamission.eu, Locations romamission.eu, Frequently asked questions

Voices

It cannot be done without help and without grace.

Without their help and God's grace, all of it will be in vain.

Fr. Martin Halík on people who want to help · 12 October 2026

There are so many Roma settlements that we badly lack teachers, volunteers and missionaries.

Fr. Martin Halík · 12 October 2026
Invite Fr. Martin to your parishBook a conversationWhat priests who know the mission say about it
I want to serve

Leave us your phone number.

We will get in touch. What is not written here, we will talk about in conversation.

The mission's church life: romamission.eu. Fr. Martin Halík: martin.halik@krm.sk, +421 951 230 015.

Leave us your phone number. We will get in touch. We will use the number only to get in touch with you.
Next in the guide
A project for Christians

Operation Christmas Child

What it is and how to take part. →
Roma Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy in the Romani of central Slovakia.

What it is, who translated it and how it is used. →
Who helps

We are not the only church among the Roma.

Salesians, the Greek Catholic Roma Mission and others. →
We humbly ask for your prayers.
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