Part of the mission statement of the parish reads: "As Jesus responded to the people and to their needs, we believe it is our mission also to respond to the expressed felt needs of the people of San Lucas and of the surrounding areas that form the larger community. In our response, we include the individuals with specific needs who come to the mission seeking help. Our purpose is to deal with both the immediate effects of poverty and their root causes."

     In living this mission statement, the current work of the parish includes the following.

     The four priests regularly celebrate Mass at the church in San Lucas and at chapels in the surrounding communities. Fathers Greg, John, David, and John Francis lead worship at daily and Sunday liturgies as well as at masses for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, funerals, and anniversaries.

     In addition to the liturgies, there are many prayer groups of varying degrees of formality. Some are groups of friends meeting a member’s house, others gather at the church. There are adult, youth, and children’s groups; all usually gather in late afternoon or in the evening. It is not unusual to hear prayer and song at the church lasting until after nine o’clock at night.

     Catechists, all of whom are local residents who are trained by the parish, go into the communities and bring the Catholic, Christian teachings of faith, hope, and love through relationship with God to their neighbors and friends.

     The parish supports schools and other educational opportunities. Literacy, continuing education, and apprenticeships in San Lucas have increased dramatically with its efforts.

     Medical care is an important part of the parish’s work. The second story of the new medical clinic is being constructed at this time. Dental and eye care are already taking place on its first floor. Nutrition and general health needs, including long-term care, are still met at the old clinic until the new building is completed. Teams of doctors and assistants occasionally go into the surrounding communities for short-term, immediate care. Heath promoters are trained to tend to non-urgent needs and to teach preventive health strategies.

     Often mis-described as an orphanage, Casa Feliz is a home for kids who need a home for now. There are currently thirty residents ranging from twelve to twenty-five years old. These youth and young adults receive education, nutrition, faith support, and social preparation that they would not have if not for the opportunities Casa Feliz provides.

     John Williams, a forester from Virginia, searched for the heartiest, strongest, and fastest growing cypress trees he could find, and he found them at San Lucas Tolimán. The parish’s reforestation project plants carefully selected seeds and ships them around the world by the thousands – for free.

     Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is the effort to attain a self-sustaining agricultural system. The organic and experimental gardens combine nature and modern understandings to produce sufficient food supplies for families and communities.

     Coffee grows in abundance in the San Lucas region, and the terrain and climate conditions are ideal for high quality coffee production. The parish acts as a purchasing and selling agent for those who wish to participate in the Juan Ana cooperative. The producers set their price, and the cost to the consumer of this excellent coffee is far less than that of many lesser grade coffees whose prices are dictated by the market.

     In other agricultural efforts, there is honey production, and steps have been taken towards the domestication of fruit trees. There has also been experimentation with marketing avocados packaged with the ingredients necessary for guacamole. Unfortunately, political conditions and bans on exporting this product are forcing the current failure of this project.

     Water, so necessary for life, can be difficult to find in these high mountain regions. The parish has assisted in the supply of water to the town of San Lucas and has also directly provided safe drinking water to several of the surrounding communities. Wells, pumps, filters, and pipelines leading from neighboring Lake Atitlán have been established and continue to be refined.

     Land ownership is one of the primary difficulties in Guatemala. Political and economic situations keep many people from acquiring land on which to live and to grow their food. The parish purchases land and makes it available to people in need, to be repaid according to the means of the new owner. Three acres are standard. This is sufficient both for growing corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and chilies for eating or selling in the market and for growing a cash crop, normally coffee.

     An area of land called Colonia San Raymondo is being prepared for habitation just outside of town. Another area, El Rosario, was recently purchased for the community of Santa Teresita; through a labor dispute, a finca owner forced these people from the land their families had occupied and worked, but not owned, for many years. Residents of these two communities will have a new freedom and a new, self-directed future.

     Working as a partner with the Parroquia is the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA). Teaming children and elderly with sponsors, CFCA works within the structure of the church to provide communities with needed assistance. San Lucas Tolimán is CFCA’s oldest site and is considered to be a model mission by its director, Robert Hentzen, formerly of Kansas City and now a resident of San Lucas.

     In addition to serving the members of the parish community, there is a strong effort to serve the many visitors and volunteers who spend time with the people of San Lucas. Every year, the parish welcomes hundreds of people to the community to learn, share, and teach.

     Many people are serving and being served. The community, including internal and external individuals, is responding to the process of poverty through local efforts as the people of San Lucas themselves determine the scope and form of the parish’s work. There have been different projects in the past, and there will likely be different projects in the future. For now, these are the principal ways the parish is responding to the needs of its people.