Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   LOCAL FEATURES Friday, June 07, 2002 MOMS: ‘A place to claim yourself’ By Susan K. Virgalitte WARREN – Watching them interact, pray together, and joke with one another, one would think this group of women has been friends for years and years. Yet, they have only been together since the fall of 2001, when the first Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) group in the Diocese of Youngstown began at Blessed Sacrament Parish here. Jackie Weston, coordinator for the MOMS program at the parish, said, “MOMS is for the individual woman, not necessarily as a mother, but for the woman personally. When a woman becomes a mother – biologically, through adoption, or through foster parenting – everything changes: her philosophy of life, the way she looks at life. She becomes a person who just gives and gives, and does it so unselfishly. Mothers just kind of take care of people.” MOMS is not a parenting course, nor is it a “mom and tot” class for young mothers, as many people think when they see the name. MOMS is for all women, whether they be biological, adoptive or foster mothers and grandmothers. Sister Dianne Livingstone, pastoral minister at the parish, is also a member of the group. She said the group has “allowed me to be a woman, and more than that, a woman of faith rather than just ‘Sister.’” Sister Dianne, a member of the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart community with headquarters in Baltimore, Md., is the only member of her order serving in the Youngstown Diocese. She said belonging to MOMS has given her the fellowship with other women she misses because she is so far away from her religious community. Sister Dianne worked with MOMS in parishes prior to her coming to the Youngstown Diocese. She has seen the transformation the MOMS philosophy can bring to women and wanted very much to introduce the program in this diocese. “I have seen women come alive [through MOMS]. It’s been beautiful to watch.” Cheryl Casey, a member of the third MOMS group to be formed in the parish, said MOMS helped her see the importance of prayer and fellowship with others. “It has introduced me to a community of women who empathize with me,” she said. “We all go through the same things in life. Deep inside, you know that, but when you talk to the other women, you know you are not alone.” “MOMS helps you find a place in your life that you can claim for yourself and helps you come closer to Jesus,” Mrs. Weston said. “Mothers do so much for others, and this is just for them.” She added that MOMS helps to reinforce the importance mothers have in their families as ministers. The groups help women take care of themselves, which in turn enables them to go back to their families to continue ministering to them. For Marilyn Bafunno, just being a member of MOMS was not enough. She has found that her greatest joy is in facilitating new groups of MOMS. “Everybody is on this journey together,” she said. “The women are all different, yet everybody feels they are just in the beginning of their spiritual journey.” The MOMS program consists of eight sessions: six initial meetings, a closing dinner, and a post-program meeting to discuss the future of the group. Topics for the first six weeks of the program include self-esteem, stress and anxiety, spirituality, and friendship. At the celebration dinner at the end of those sessions, each participant receives a certificate and, oftentimes, the women’s husbands serve the meal. An additional session is held at which each group plans how they will continue their journey together. Mrs. Weston said she worried at first that there might be problems because of the diversity of ages and experience in the groups. “But what we hear from the young mothers is that the more experienced mothers give them so much valuable information and advice.” The younger moms, she added, are bringing back memories to the older moms, helping them remember what it was like to be a young mother.” She added that the mix of women in any particular group is entirely random, according to which session each woman is able to attend. “It’s wonderful to see how these groups have bonded,” she said. “We have actually been able to form six faith-sharing experiences that weren’t available to our parish two years ago.” Mrs. Weston calls her core group of MOMS facilitators her “dream team.” She said that when Sister Dianne first proposed the idea of forming a MOMS group at Blessed Sacrament, she began to think of women who could help her launch the ministry. “I grabbed some women I had admired because of what they did in the parish,” she said. “We put together a team of women who are trained to lead women on the MOMS journey.” Because there was no other MOMS group in the diocese at the time, this group decided to experience firsthand what the program was about before inviting other women in the parish to join. That original group became the “MOMS 1” group, and there have been five more groups formed with 39 women all together. All 39 continue to meet on a regular basis, even though they have completed the initial eight-week program. The MOMS program has caught on at other diocesan parishes. Persons interested in information about MOMS are invited to call Sister Dianne at Blessed Sacrament Parish (330-372-2215) or Mrs. Weston (330-856-7914).   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2002   Christmas letter from El Salvador missions thanks diocesan Catholics   Bishop shares views, discussion with Central students   ETC slates Christmas specials throughout the season   My Favorite Christmas Memories   Guidelines on religious ed homeschooling are issued   Local Catholic radio station targets Feb. 1 date   HMs end 98-years of service to Salem St. Paul Parish   Learn ‘language’ of young, youth meet speaker urges   Bishop Tobin: Meeting in D.C. on norms was ‘anxious, tense, difficult’   Priests must ask one another the tough questions, speaker says   Catholic death and funeral rites   Deacons mark 25th with Mass, dinner, memories   Diocesan Ministry Convocation Speaker: Global solidarity, not globalization, should be aim   Jusseaume inaugurated as sixth Walsh president   Diaconate marks 25th anniversary with Oct. 27 fete   New norms sent to priests, deacons on Communion under both kinds   Ashtabula parishes are ‘one Catholic community’   Jusseaume to become Walsh’s sixth president   Charismatic speaker: ‘Church being tested in faithfulness’   Lutheran/Catholic covenant event draws 140 to Walsh   Canton St. Joseph Parish observes centennial celebration   HMHP CEO Michael Rowan   Stewardship speaker: It’s about gratitude and thanking God first   Imagination is key to resolving crisis, priests told   War with Iraq? Expo readers opposed by 81-19%   Newspaper columns didn’t give complete story, official says   Diocesan Ministry Convocation set Oct. 26 at YSU’s Kilcawley   New year brings new faculty, changes at diocesan high schools   Mont St. Michel, Avignon’s papal palace are treasures   Preparing for the priesthood   Entering well-earned retirement, Sr. Marcella’s not slowing down   Warren St. Mary observes 100th year for church building   Lay Ministry Formation program attracting new audience   The cathedrals of France: Monuments of faith in stone   Executive summary of the ad hoc commission on athletics in diocesan high schools   ‘No widespread abuse’ found   Milburn leaving pro-life post to pursue grad studies   Return to France yields history, memories, surprises   Two new members appointed for Diocesan Finance Council   Former SS. C&M school razed, but memories remain   Pastor, 80, keeps busy with ‘lots of interests’   Ravenna IC boasts 5 high school valedictorians for ‘02   Humility Sister Sandy Pedone to profess perpetual vows July 21   NRLC convention filled with good news   ‘Capture the Romance’ is theme for NFP Week   Question of moral evil discussed at Walsh symposium   Notre Dame Sisters will celebrate jubilees July 14   ‘A great lady’ retires   Statement of Bishop Tobin on the meeting of the U. S. Conference   Haladej, Celuch ordained to priesthood, diaconate in Slovakia   Bishop plans implementation of norms on sexual abuse   Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Miller are newest priests   Theologian: ‘Behave toward others as though God were there’   Fr. Bonnot: Use good judgment for TV, movie viewing   MOMS: ‘A place to claim yourself’   Storm ‘changed lives forever’ for Jackson Twp. family   Bishop will ordain Miller, McCaffrey at May 25 ceremony   Update on child abuse   Vicar general addresses issue of not giving priest names to media   New Middletown St. Paul youth — called to be ‘witnesses’ for Christ   New Ursuline Sisters leadership team elected to 6-year term   Two receive first pastorates; two pastors change parishes   Abuse coverage   Walsh University dedicates new ‘David’ campus center   Sisters’ HIV/AIDS ministry critical, heartbreaking   Bishop visits St. Peter’s as rebuilding process begins   Chrism Mass theme: Priests can’t afford discouragement   Bishop’s Appeal stresses meeting needs, funding ministries   Diocese OKs closing Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini K-8; preschool stays   St. Stan’s marks 100th year   Canton St. Joseph choir enjoys ‘incredible trip’   New schools superintendent   Four journeys of faith among hundreds marked here   DPC considers direction, importance of youth ministry   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Pro-life dinner heralds new beginning in Stark County   Kids at church   Religious day studies resurrection amid culture of violence   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Keynoter: Eucharist should change us   Speaker: ‘Truth’ key concept in Gospel of John   Parishes offer Lenten missions for spiritual enrichment   Parishes offer Lenten missions, speakers series   Working in Medjugorje   TV anchorman finds faith not incompatible with journalism   Action alert on cloning set in diocese for Feb. 2-3   Austintown parishioner finds fulfillment in El Salvador   ‘Where Faith and Knowledge Meet’   Resisting TEMPTATION: It’s worth the effort, teens say   4th annual Diocesan Pro-life Mass set Jan. 26   Catholic/Lutheran dialogue, death of Walsh president top news   Diocese helping Afghanistan relief   Past Articles From 2001