Father Edmund N. Leising, OMI, (second from left) takes part in a program at the Ecumenical Center for Action and Reflection in Brazil.

Father Edmund N. Leising, OMI, has been working in Brazil for most of his lifetime training the poor to create a self-sustainable world that thrives and embodies Christianity’s greatest teachings of love and community.

“All you have to do is go out and live with the people,” Father Leising said. “The people say I’m theirs. We’re the servants of the servants, and unless we are, we’re not acting like the Lord.”

One way Father Leising has helped create a successful culture in some areas of Brazil is by coordinating the Ecumenical Center for Action and Reflection. This program delineates three ways that social agencies try to help the poor. Some only donate money, clothes, medicines or food which they call “assistance.”

Some maintain a “top down methodology” which means teaching the poor, but in a way that makes it education and success competitive. Father Leising’s educative methodology has some very different paradigms. They teach that to learn is to create group values for the common good; to be educative is to learn love of neighbor; and to teach is to share basic rights and obligations.

“We do social work because we love our neighbor – not social work because we want to convert,” Father Leising said. “In each community we go to, we start simple, small and cheap. Once you establish the programs, you have to interrelate programs – unite them.”

Father Leising was born one of nine children, eight of whom went on to become priests or sisters. While his primary goal was to be a missionary in Brazil, he experienced many struggles in the beginning of that ministry.

“I lived on a horse for three years going from one place to another, and I used to sleep on the floor,” he said. “I went to the poorest people – they’re afraid and ashamed to come to church.”

Father Leising did not undertake any of this without first educating himself about Brazil’s culture and hiring the right people to help him succeed.

“I have three Ph.D.’s in social work from the University of Brazil,” said Father Leising. “ I hired an anthropologist, a sociologist and a psychologist to help me.”

Father Leising did not limit his missionary work to Brazil, however. He also reached out to the people in Haiti.

“We are the largest community in Haiti,” he said. “We try to teach them to love the image of God in their neighbor. Once they love their neighbor, things can improve.”

Father Leising makes sure to pass on leadership to the lay people so they may continue to succeed independently. And he has more plans for the future. 

“We’re going to start working up there in the Amazon,” he said.

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