Strength in Poverty - A Discussion of Mother Theresa

September's discussion focused on the life, work, and faith of Mother Theresa.  Angela A. presented a brief history of Mother Theresa's life, followed by a motivating account of her spiritual gifts, works, and struggles.  Many remember Mother Theresa as a Servant of God who worked tirelessly for the poorest of the poor, and those who often had no voice in society.  As a child, Theresa was surrounded by the poor.  Her mother and father often took in those less fortunate, feeding, clothing, and housing them when no one else would.  This selfless example led to Mother Theresa's ultimate calling -- to form an order of uncloistered nuns who taught children in the slums, ministered to the poor on every level, and indeed lived as they did.  Their continuing example calls us all to reconsider what he have, what we need, and what we give and do for others.

Prayer is another area in which we can learn from Mother Theresa's example.  Angela shared with the group that Mother Theresa spent more time in prayer the busier her day was.  She knew that she needed extra support and guidance in those moments, and gave God the time He deserved and allowed herself to Hear Him.  As busy wives and mothers, this is a lesson we all need to hear.  There are always "reasons" to put off, shorter, or skip altogether, our daily prayers and devotions, but it is precisely in those busy moments that we most need to make time for Our Lord.

One element of Mother Theresa's spiritual life that many may not be aware of is the estrangement she often felt from Christ when she ministered to the poor.  It is difficult to imagine that a women who was clearly with God in all she did could still feel such spiritual dryness.  Rather than allowing such feelings of abandonment pull her away from God and from those in need, however, Mother Theresa identified this feeling as a direct result of her being so close to the Lord, and as the work of a Devil who wished to create distance and destroy her relationship with Christ.  Thus, Mother Theresa should serve as a reminder to us all that even when we feel God has "left us," He is always there.  In fact, he is often most with us when we feel alone.

According to Mother Theresa, Spiritual Poverty, that "feeling of being unwanted and unloved, is the greatest poverty of all."  Thanks to Angela for another excellent discussion!

- Maria File

Getting Each Other to Heaven

"Our #1 job in Marriage is to get our spouses to Heaven!"  July's meeting centered around a discussion of Spirituality in Marriage led by Emily West.  Emily began by reminding us that God calls us, through Marriage, to serve Him and his Church.  Husbands and wives are responsible for keeping themselves open to life, teaching their children our Faith, caring for each other, and supporting the mission of the Church.  By putting Christ at the center of our relationship, we can approach any endeavor through mutual love and respect.  The best way to center ourselves around Christ is through regular prayer.  Emily discussed the benefits of praying with both your spouse and your children, and provided us with examples of how a Prayer Table might be used in a home.  She also suggested doing everyday "things" joyfully and out of love for our families.  Taking the time to talk with our children as we wash dishes, for example, makes the ordinary something meaningful and often provides the opportunity to engage on a deeper level with our families.

Another way to build love and respect in both our marriages and within our families is to foster a sense of service to God and others.  As a group, we discussed ways to get our families more involved in ministry work. Even the youngest children can help make cards or place mats for the ill in our parish and community, and older ones benefit greatly from service opportunities at charities such as Catholic Parish Outreach or Habitat for Humanity.

Emily's discussion called us all, as Mothers and Wives, to serve as examples of God's Love and Charity in our everyday lives.  Thanks for a great talk, Emily!

- Maria File

Mary Our Mother

In commemoration of the Month of Mary, May's meeting centered around a discussion of Mary as a Mother, Wife, and Servant of God.  The discussion opened with a reflection of Pope Benedict XV's statement (1918):

To such and extent did Mary suffer and almost die
with her suffering and dying Son;
to such extent did she surrender her maternal rights
 over her Son for man's salvation,

and immolated him - insofar as she could
 in order to appease the justice of God -

that we might rightly say she
redeemed the human race together with Christ.

A fuller understanding of Mary's role as Mediatrix and Mother of the Church not only allows us to become closer to her, and through her, to Christ, but it also reminds us of the influence and power that we, as mothers, have over the formation of our families' Faith.  By looking to Mary and examining her life and relationship with God, her Father, we gain great insight into what the Lord calls us to do within our own homes.  With this in mind, the group then focused on four key lessons we may learn from Mary by way of her:

• Saying "yes" to God's Will, no matter the apparent cost, sacrifice, or uncertainty involved (Annunciation)
• Offering her Son to God fully (Presentation at the Temple)
• Encouraging and Challenging her Son to "reach his potential" (1st Miracle at Wedding at Cana)
• Bearing witness to her Son's suffering and death (Crucifixion)

Members shared many suggestions for modeling Our Mother Mary within our families - the most important of which was keeping a strong Prayer Life and relationship with Christ so that we may be nourished enough to then "nourish" those for whom we care and raise.   As we work to develop and enrich this relationship, we should consider Pope Pius IX's words, "The foundation of all our confidence...is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary.  For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation.  For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary."

-- Maria File

Teaching the Ways of God

April's meeting included a robust discussion by Tricia K. entitled "Teaching the Ways of God Rather than the Ways of the World." Tricia highlighted many challenges facing Catholic mothers, including instilling a strong sense of Humily, Character, and Faith in a world that often seems in direct opposition to such virtues.  She reminded us all that our family life is the primary "classroom" for teaching such values, and that as mothers, we lay the foundation for Goodness in all that we do, and don't do, for our children.

The group discussed the role of prayer in developing Faith and Character in young children and shared tips on how to involve preschoolers in family prayer and Mass.  We also considered the impact of material and commercial overload in American culture and reminded each other that less is often more -- especially when it comes to children. 

A helpful way to begin forming our Family Culture is through open dialogue, consistency, and the simple proclamation, "This is how we do things in our family."  While this statement certainly won't prevent children from pushing the boundaries we set for them, it will serve as a gentle reminder that our Family Life is a "world" to be respected and valued.  It will also teach children (and remind us) that Character means doing what is good and right regardless of what is may be popular or expected.

Among the many helpful tips and resources we shared at this meeting, are some websites that provide detailed reviews and ratings for current (and past) films.  Please visit our Favorite Resources page for links to these sites.

- Maria File

Doing Little Things Exceedingly Well - Wisdom from The Madonna House

We were blessed to have Theresa from our Raleigh Madonna House join us for April's meeting.  Theresa shared a brief history of The Madonna House and it's founder, Catherine Doherty, as well as related her personal faith journey that led her to join this community of lay apostolate.  During the discussion, we heard of a charismatic and innovative Doherty who experienced Catholicism in a way that many before her time had not -- focusing on the small, everyday gestures of love and devotion to Christ that many of of us do "unconsciously."  Doherty taught that by being aware of how these "small matters" connect and draw us closer to God, we may truly live in Christ on a deeper level.  From these teachings, The Madonna House apostolate became a center for hospitatity, listening, and personal conversions. 
Our local Madonna House is the home of three women, Theresa, Joanne, and Echo, all of whom have taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  They live on charity alone, as all of their clothing, food, and basic necessities are donated to them.  This reliance on the Lord to provide allows them to provide for others as well.  The house itself is a center of prayer and hospitality - where anyone may come to pray (poustinia), share a cup of tea, or find a listening ear and a kind heart.  While it is quite difficult to explain precisely what The Madonna House is or does, one may suggest that in many ways it is simply The Lord's Home -- one of many places God reveals Himself in a tangible, loving way to all who seek Him.

Theresa concluded her discussion with a reminder that we, as Wives and Mothers, are the basic "formers of Souls."  She encouraged us to:

• Be forgiving
• Perform the duty of the moment joyfully
• Maintain a constant awareness of the "little things"
• Live a life of simplicity
• Do all in Love

While these practices are universal to all Catholics in their ability to bring us closer to God, they speak especially to those of us who spend each day raising young children and nurturing our families.  The mundane tasks of running a household can often seem vapid and can become almost-robotic in their expressions.  If we can direct these small moments and little things into an outward expression of ourselves as Children and Women of God, however, the moments become devotions rather than mere actions.

To read more about The Madonna House, please visit http://www.madonnahouse.org/. 

- by Maria File

The Importance of Confession

Many thanks to Sian Baxley for leading a stimulating discussion about The Importance of Confession at our February 2012 meeting!  Sian's well-researched and heartfelt presentation reminded us all of the Grace we gain through this Sacrament, as well as its ability to cleanse our hearts and souls.  As we embark upon our Lenten journeys again this year and prepare ourselves for the joy of Easter, we should examine our consciences with particular detail and focus on God's forgiveness and love.  Sian has provided us with some excellent resources to assist us in this endeavor -- please visit our Favorite Resources page for these links and downloads.

- Maria File

Happy Mommies, Happy Families

Many thanks to Maureen O'Connell for leading January's topical discussion entitled "10 Habits of a Happy Mommy," based on Meg Meeker's book of the same title.  Maureen reminded us that carving out time in our busy schedules to nourish our faith, refresh our minds, and be with our selves is vital to mainting balance within our households.  As mothers and caregivers, it's often our instinct to do for others before ourselves - an admirable trait in many ways. As the group discussed, however, we must also regularly make the effort to care for our own needs.  MYC group members shared examples from our own lives in which we strive to maintain this balance-- among them were beginning each day with prayer and reflection, taking time out of a hectic day to sit quietly with ourselves, and renewing/sustaining friendships outside of our family units.


As we enter the Lenten season in a few weeks, issues of maintaining and sustaining a strong Catholic Faith will take center stage.  Sian Baxley will lead our discussion of "The Importance of Confession" at February's meeting.  Confession is one of the many tools our Faith offers us to reach a deeper relationship with the Lord.  We hope to see you all at our next meeting as we prepare our hearts for the sacrifices of the Lenten season and the joys of Easter!


- Maria File

New Year - New Ministry!

To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it. -- Mother Teresa

In many ways, Mothers of Young Children is a New Year Ministry.  We spent our three 2011 meetings forming friendships, gathering a membership base, and defining who we "want to be" as a group.  Our collaborations have led to a clear vision for the year ahead.  We want to serve as oil for each others' lamps - to support, enrich, and challenge each other as we grow in our Faith, as Mothers, as Wives, and in Ourselves.

To help us achieve this goal, our future meetings will center around assigned Topical Discussions led by one of our members.  Topics are of the members' choosing and will fall under one of four "Matters," Mommy, Marriage, Faith, and Parenting.  Maureen O'Connell will start us off on January 24th with a Mommy Matter discussion entitled, "10 Habits of Healthy Mothers." 

Each member is asked to please visit the Schedule of Discussions page to view a list of possible topics and select one which she would like to lead.  "Leading" a discussion by no means requires you to be an expert on the topic, or to have done any specific preparation/readings.  Simply select an area in which you are interested or about which you are passionate, consider possible discussion points within this topic, and come to the meeting ready to share your insights with the group!  Our list was created over the course of our initial meetings.  We hope to rotate through the four Matters evenly; however, specific topics are not in any apparent order.  If you have an idea for a topic that you do not see listed, please email Maria File.

- Maria File