St. Elizabeth's: Providing a Home and Hope

Young women come to St. Elizabeth's from many different situations. Often it is to escape an abusive relationship with a boyfriend or a parent. We are a safe haven for those with nowhere else to go…and recently, we became such a place for Shelly.

Shelly was 19 when she became pregnant and decided to leave an abusive relationship in order to pursue a healthy future for her child. Alone, and scared for the health of her baby, Shelly moved into the waiting room of a local hospital. Having medical care nearby gave her some sense of comfort in the event that something happened. For two months, Shelly moved from waiting area to waiting area so as not to be discovered by the hospital staff. Fortunately, Shelly came across the number for a crisis pregnancy center and called, desperate for a place to stay for the remainder of her pregnancy.

She was referred to St. Elizabeth's and moved in the very afternoon she called us for help. During this time Shelly had a home, a safe place to sleep and eat, and prepare for the birth of her child. She formed positive friendships with the other residents facing similar situations, as well as with the house parents who offered support and guidance.

St. Elizabeth's offers a home and source of hope to dozens of young, scared, pregnant women each year through the Maternity and Transition homes. Women like Shelly with nowhere to go and no one to care for them during this stressful and uncertain time. St. Elizabeth's compassionately provides help and creates hope for women in “hopeless” situations day in and day out.

For more information, call 800-227-3002 or visit StElizabethCatholicCharities.org.

Choosing Life

On a Sunday afternoon, St. Elizabeth|Coleman received a phone call from a volunteer counselor at a Pregnancy Resource Agency who had been working with a teenage girl who was seven months pregnant. The 16 year-old girl, Theresa, lived in a small Hispanic community where her father held a significant position within their church. Because an out-of-wedlock birth would be a disgrace to her family, Theresa had been hiding her pregnancy from her parents and others. The young girl feared for her life if her father were to find out about her pregnancy. So, Theresa expressed an interest in placing her child for adoption.

Theresa had a very limited support system during her pregnancy. Thankfully, her Birthmother Counselor, a small handful of friends, and the high school staff provided her the support she so desperately needed and deserved. With the help of St. Elizabeth|Coleman, Theresa had a new support system and was able to receive prenatal care and counseling. Theresa safely delivered a healthy baby boy at a local hospital where she was able to meet the adoptive couple. 

Months after her delivery, the Birthmother counselor continues to provide counseling and support to Theresa on an ongoing basis. Theresa has returned to her normal school activities and is looking forward to graduating from high school. Updates about her baby from the adoptive couple are treasured by young Theresa, who remains pleased with her decision to choose life and place her child for adoption. She is very happy to know her baby is well taken care of and loved by the adoptive family.

For more information about the services and programs of St. Elizabeth|Coleman, please visit GivingBirthToHope.org.

The Kindness of Strangers

Life was going well for *Mike and *Sherry. They had good jobs with benefits, enjoyed spending time with Mike’s young daughter as much as they could, and had made their rental house a home. But one

day…everything changed.

After a fire destroyed their home and all their belongings, Mike and Sherry began the painful and emotional process of determining their next steps. Thankfully, they were insured, but as is often the case, they encountered a lot of red tape and a prolonged period of time to sort through all the details. In the meantime, deposits were being requested for utilities and a new place to live; in addition to needing money for household items, furniture, and clothing. Mike and Sherry knew financial help would come; the question was when and how much.

Having never faced such dire financial circumstances, the couple found it difficult to reach out for help. But finally, in desperation, Mike and Sherry came to Catholic Charities and shared their story through many tears. Hugs were given – as was financial assistance to help with monthly bills – and the couple was reassured they are not in this battle alone and we would do whatever we could to help them through the next few difficult months.

Catholic Charities was able to assist with a utility bill, help feed them through the Table of Blessings, share produce from gracious local growers, and connect them with a generous donor with furniture to share.

Mike and Sherry have since received their insurance settlement and came to our office with a generous donation to “pay back” what was given to them. While this is always welcomed and appreciated, we aren’t looking to be “paid back” and are confident that Mike and Sherry simply want to “pay it forward” so Catholic Charities can continue to help someone else in a similar crisis.

Mike shared with us, “I never realized that strangers could really care about us until we came to your door.” And that is the most important work we do throughout the year – create hope.

*Not real names

Being Religious Doesn’t Always Mean Being Right

We all have our comfort zone. The question is: do we ever get out of it? If we wish to follow the example of Jesus, we must be prepared to have encounters with people that would typically have us running the other direction. Take a peek into this conversation between Jesus and the respected religious leaders of his day found in Matthew 9:9-13:

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.

 

The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

He heard this and said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Did you notice these well-respected religious leaders have an air of spiritual superiority about them? Rather than desiring to help the weak, vulnerable, poor, and blatant ‘sinners’, they consider it offensive for Jesus to give them the time of day. These men were religious, but they were totally wrong in how they related to God and others. They needed a change of heart.

In his New York Times best-seller, Love Does: Discovering a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World, author Bob Goff writes, “Jesus spent most of his life with people we spend most of ours trying to avoid.”

Could it be true? Do you spend most of your time where you feel most comfortable – avoiding people and places because of a sense of spiritual snobbery? Do you need a change of heart toward God and others? If so, it’s never too late to “get in the game” of loving others the way Jesus loves. Selflessly. Fearlessly. Undeniably.

Let’s love like Jesus today. It’s because of his love for us that we have the privilege to do the same.

Helping Families Recover from Trauma

Trauma comes in many forms: domestic violence, poverty, child abuse and neglect, homelessness. Whatever the form, the impact on family functioning can be ongoing and the emotional, social, and physical health of family members is often seriously damaged; sometimes bridging generations. Helping families recover from trauma and build resilience to ongoing trauma such as poverty is currently seen as crucial to providing mental health services that adequately address the needs of both the children and adults.

Catholic Charities has explored many innovative programs to help families that have experienced significant levels of trauma. One of the newest of these programs to be utilized by Catholic Charities in Bloomington’s Counseling and Psychological Services is called "Strengthening Families Coping Resources" (SFCR). SFCR is a trauma-focused, multi-family, skill-building intervention. SFCR is designed for families living in traumatic contexts with the goal of reducing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders in children and adult caregivers. Since most families living in traumatic contexts contend with ongoing stressors and threats, SFCR is also designed to increase coping resources in children, adult caregivers, and in the family system to prevent relapse and re-exposure. Specifically, SFCR builds the coping resources necessary to help families boost their sense of safety, function with stability, regulate their emotions and behaviors, and improve communication about and understanding of the traumas they have experienced. We may think of trauma as something "big," like being the victim of or witnessing violence, but not understand how something like the ongoing daily stress of poverty is also a major source of trauma. SFCR is designed to help families recognize the more subtle forms of trauma and how to develop skills and family relationships that help build resiliency and reduce the traumatic impact resulting from ongoing environmental stress.

Catholic Charities is here to provide help and create hope for all. If you would like more information about our counseling services, please call (812) 332-1262 or visit CatholicCharitiesBtown.org.

Abused. Afraid. Alone.

Knowing she should leave her abusive husband, but lacking the courage and self-confidence to do so, Sharla* stayed. Until…she found out he was sexually abusing their daughter, as well.

With her now ex-husband in prison, Sharla moved away from the area and homeschools her young daughter.

She has just a small amount of disability income to live on and is usually able to pay all her bills. But every few months, she comes to Catholic Charities in need of assistance.

Providing help. Creating hope.

A big part of the assistance for Sharla is our Budget Basics classes in Tell City – a curriculum designed specifically for Catholic Charities with classes taught by experts in finance and other related fields. In addition to necessary budget skills, we teach the connection between personal decisions resulting in either good or bad consequences. If an enrolled individual does not complete the class or required homework, emergency assistance funds from Catholic Charities will not be available to them for a period of three years.

Sharla is proceeding through the classes wonderfully and has already found ways to cut expenses. She was also encouraged to use her talents at making crafts to bring in a little more income, so she eagerly contacted local craft stores and will have a table at craft fairs this fall to sell her items.

Sharla is on the road to a more self-sufficient life – and her little girl is thriving.

Often, through no fault of their own, our neighbors are unable to make ends meet.

Together, we are making a difference.

For more information about Catholic Charities, please visit us online.

*Not her real name.

"I'm Hungry"

It’s a common phrase, isn’t it? You will likely hear a co-worker, friend, or child express it during the course of a week; or even proclaim it yourself during a busy day. Yet for most of us, “I’m hungry” means we walk to the refrigerator, or break room, or pull up at the nearest drive-thru and satisfy our need. Not so for far too many in our communities.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 Americans struggles with hunger. Read that again. Let it sink in.

1 in 6.

This is not your average “I’m hungry” situation. This represents children going to bed with growling tummies. Parents struggling to pay utilities while keeping food on the table – but unable to do both.

For those of us who can meet our hunger needs and cravings at a moment’s notice, we are in the perfect position to extend the love of Christ to those who simply cannot.

Did you know September is Hunger Action month? What a great time to put yourself in someone else's shoes by taking the Hunger Challenge. Join Catholic Charities at the United Way Hunger Challenge Facebook page. During the week of September 15-21, see if you can you eat on just $4.52 a day or $31.70 for one week.

Then contact your local Catholic Charities to see how YOU can help alleviate “I’m hungry” all year long.