Commission on Evangelization

Compassion: Witnessing Healing Growth

Stories From the First Year, by Kathy O'Brien

It was the first night of our outreach to parents that would include court- ordered participation by several parents.The facilitators began leading the session and tried tentatively to get some responses from the participants.

One woman was obviously not going to respond. She resisted any participation. The leaders carefully avoided pressuring her and kept the group going. At the end of the session, we mingled with the participants and tried especially to visit with this woman. She started talking about her court case which had led to the loss of her children. She gradually began a half-hour "explosion" of anger, pain and hurt. We listened and tried to be caring and calming. We expressed our inability to solve all her problems and encouraged her to keep coming to the classes. We assured her that we were just here to help with what we could.

As the woman and her husband left we stayed to talk. After six sessions this woman still was not an avid participant, but we caught her reading the book in the car in the parking lot!    

A turning point came when she expressed a love of writing. We encouraged her to write letters to us. Gradually a relationship was formed. She is coming to repeat the classes. While she still carries a lot of anger and hurt, she knows there are people who love and care for her.

There have been small signs of progress. Her husband is studying for his GED, and she wants to begin the program. She has asked for help in managing their finances. One of the parishioners has agreed to work with her.

Yes, we are teaching parenting skills. However, we are also evangelizing by giving a living witness of the love and concern Jesus has for each person. We hope eventually that that witness will break down the barriers that keep other people from freely relating to Catholics in this county.

To return to 'Reaching Out to Famlies in Crisis With Active Parenting'

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