Our Mission

Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope is a community-based nonprofit organization serving individuals and families across Worcester County and beyond. Rooted in dignity, compassion, and accompaniment, our work responds to immediate needs while supporting long-term stability and hope.

Our mission is to serve individuals and families facing hardship with compassion, respect, and practical support. We seek to meet people at their point of need while honoring their dignity and strengthening the communities we share.

How We Serve

Urban Missionaries offers a range of community services and supports designed to respond to both immediate needs and longer-term challenges.

  • Food assistance and essential resources
  • Pastoral outreach and emotional support
  • Immigration guidance and referrals
  • Vocational training and workforce readiness
  • Seasonal and community-based initiatives

Our Approach

Across all of our work, we prioritize dignity, choice, and collaboration—recognizing that lasting impact is built through trust.

We believe that meaningful support begins with listening. Our approach is grounded in relationship, presence, and respect for each person’s circumstances. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, we walk alongside individuals and families as they navigate challenges and identify next steps.

A Journey of 48 Years – How We Got Started

Born and raised in Cambridge, Walter and Kathy Doyle’s lifelong journey of service began in 1978 while Walter was in formation for the Permanent Diaconate. Answering a call to sponsor a Vietnamese “boat family,” the couple was profoundly moved by the struggles of the displaced, sparking a 46-year commitment to serving “the least, the last, and the left out.” To ensure they could meet the complex needs of their community with both heart and expertise, both returned to graduate school—Kathy earning a Master’s in Social Work and Walter a Master’s in Pastoral Counseling.

What started as a single act of hospitality has blossomed into Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope. Under the Doyles’ leadership, the ministry has expanded far beyond its original scope, now encompassing a vast network of support including the LittleStore thrift shop, food pantries, and the Sr. Alice Petty Vocational Training program, which has helped hundreds achieve U.S. citizenship. Their work also extends to critical pastoral outreach, providing emergency funds for rent, medical travel, and even burial expenses for families in mourning.

The scale of their impact is perhaps best seen in their massive annual Christmas Giving Program, which now coordinates with 40 parishes to distribute over 8,000 gifts to children in need. Through their tireless advocacy, they have inspired a powerful movement of compassion in Worcester, mobilizing over 2,000 volunteers and a dedicated network of hundreds of donors who sustain their mission. From their innovative housing programs to their vocational training.

We invite you to learn more about our work, our impact, and how our community comes together to support those in need.