About our Ministry

A Simple House is a Catholic inner-city ministry.
Our first house was founded in Washington, DC in 2003, 
and in 2009, a house was founded in Kansas City, MO.

OUR MINISTRY

A Simple House serves project and Section 8 neighborhoods in southeast Washington, DC and Kansas City, MO. Our work involves meeting people in their neighborhoods and in their homes. As an article of faith, we know that conversion is possible for every human, but unfortunately, our society has written off troubled inner-city adults as unreachable. Missionaries strive to meet the material and spiritual needs of poor in whom we can recognize the face of Jesus. Our missionaries are formed by the teaching of the Catholic Church. While missionaries serve at A Simple House, they live a simple religious life. Each missionary attends daily Mass, says morning and evening prayer, and makes time for personal prayer and scripture study. 

Missionaries visit families in project neighborhoods and the homeless in their camps. These visits aim to create an authentic friendship that benefits the poor and glorifies God. These friendships last for years and may continue even after missionaries move out of A Simple House.

OUR METHOD

Friendship evangelization is the method we use to spread the Gospel. We serve each person in the context of a unique friendship.  Our missionaries help the poor carry their burdens and accompany them in their efforts to improve their lives and grow closer to Christ. Our work is an experiment in Christianity. We believe there is no official handbook or recipe for serving the poor. Our missionaries strive to bring the Good News to the poor in new and creative ways. A Simple House missionaries manage a monthly budget of a few thousand dollars, and everyone decides how the money will be used to serve the poor. We rely on providence by practicing personal and corporate poverty, and our missionaries do not financially profit from their work.

 OUR MOTIVATION AND PHILOSOPHY

    A Simple House missionaries are motivated by the following three objectives:

1. To live a life without division between faith, labor, and living
   To live a life without division entails that there is no ‘going home’ or ‘getting off work.’ Although it is helpful to have specific times reserved for prayer, we are also told to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). In the same way, there may be certain events related to evangelization, but we should also constantly evangelize. A Simple House is trying to live ministry and Christianity. Jesus calls us to an adopted sonship when he says, ‘whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother’ (Matthew 12:50). A Simple House is an attempt to pursue sonship through complete service.
2. To implement Jesus’ suggestion to the rich young man
   The rich young man asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life, and Jesus told him to keep the commandments. With this answer, the young man recognized his desire for something more. When the young man asked what he lacked, Jesus told him the secret of being complete. ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’ Mat 19:21. Missionaries at A Simple House are trying to keep the commandments and pursue perfection through voluntary poverty and following Christ.
3. To follow Christ in simplicity
   ​A Simple House is an opportunity for missionaries to live a simple religious life that breaks down imagined barriers between the laity and holiness. A Simple House is creating an atmosphere where unconsecrated laity realize their call to sanctity. A Simple House is largely influenced by the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi and the Desert Fathers. Francis and the Desert Fathers began following Christ as an experiment in radical discipleship. The experimental aspect of A Simple House means that all attempts to help the poor may fail. This experimental attitude should create an environment of humility and faith.