The Hands of Mercy International Board’s (HoM) inception dates to 1976, inspired by the dream of Dr. Paluel Joseph Flagg, a young anesthesiology resident on the staff of St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. It was a dream born out of personal tragedy: the death of his infant daughter from neonatal asphyxia early in the year and the death of his wife in December. In his grief, Dr. Flagg sought solace, and that solace lay in ministering to others. On one of his first missions to Haiti, Dr. Flagg served those suffering from leprosy. When he saw the immense need in just that one country, he knew he had to do more. He recruited others to join him, and he received encouragement and help along the way from a number of organizations, chief among them, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of the Atonement, and the Catholic Students’ Mission Crusade in Cincinnati. They encouraged superiors of mission congregations, doctors, and nurses to support missions in India and China.
Following the early inspiration of Dr. Paluel Joseph Flagg, the mission began to take formal shape through the support of the Catholic Hospital Association. By 1928, it was established as the Catholic Medical Mission Board in New York, strengthening its ability to deliver medical aid globally. Under the leadership of Father Edward F. Garesche, key foundations were laid—including a central headquarters and systems for distributing medicines and equipment. The mission also expanded through the creation of dedicated religious communities, whose work continues to support health services worldwide today.
By the late 1980s, HoM had expanded its global reach, supporting thousands of missions across the world. Its partnership with Mother Teresa in Calcutta—providing essential medicines to care for thousands of patients—reflected both the scale of its impact and its deep commitment to serving the most vulnerable. This collaboration also revealed the human spirit behind HoM’s work, marked by humility, compassion, and shared purpose in bringing care and dignity to those in need.
HoM’s impressive record of service could never have been achieved without the efforts of dedicated, faithful women and men who never lost sight of our mission and vision. In 2015, HoM launched a new visual identity and to support our renewed focus on improving the lives of women, children, and their communities while maintaining our excellent reputation in providing health services to the poor and marginalized over the last decades. The new logo’s rounded shape evokes the sacred Madonna and child – the heart of our Catholic faith. We retain our historic name, as we are still the Catholic Medical Mission Board, legally and spiritually. However, our brand name has been shortened to “HoM,” an acronym that has long been in use around the world. We believe this change adds value and recognition to our organization while respecting our history and serving our mission.
“My baby’s heart beat strongly, but I could not make her breathe, I could not make her breathe, I could not make her breathe. I baptized her as I had baptized many other babies under emergency conditions and saw my daughter die.” –Dr. Paluel Flagg
Address: 228 W. Lexington St. Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3413
Phone: 877-435-7277
Email: Info@crs.org
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