Having come from a family noted for its anti-Catholic beliefs, I got a lot of email when I first came into the Church. After the initial wave of warm welcome messages arrived in my email inbox, a trend developed that has continued to this day.
A high percentage of the mail I get comes from heartbroken family members who either have had to become Catholic in spite of the objections and persecution of family members; or from Catholics who have seen spouses or children leave the faith and make family life painful. They all have the same questions on their minds. What can I say? How should I react to harsh criticism? Is there hope? How do I combat the untruths that my family member has embraced? My heart ached for these people and the more emails I received the heavier my heart became.
There are a number of organizations whose mission it is to support those crossing the Tiber. I know from experience that as soon as someone reaches out and asks for support, the Catholic world responds with the love of Christ. But what about those who have to hang in there day after day in hostile situations in their own homes? Who knows or supports the silent housewife whose husband just burned her crucifix in the back yard and refuses to allow her to share her faith with her own children? Who grieves with her when she longs to breathe a Hail Mary in her child’s ear, but would risk domestic unrest if she did so? Who helps her know where the boundaries of submission to her husband and obedience to Christ fall?
After spending a year and a half answering these emails one at a time, I decided that some kind of support needed to be provided for these folks. Being one little person, I knew that the best kind of support is that which involves the Body of Christ and the principle of community. With the help of several apologist friends (Tim Oullette, John Pacheco, Pete Vere) we launched an apostolate we call Mary’s Mantle. A discussion list was organized and almost immediately those who had been isolated in their private pain were communicating and praying for each other and comparing approaches to dealing with their difficult situations. I’ve been delighted to see how this little band of those in divided homes and helpers who volunteered to support them have taken on the appearance and communal effectiveness of the Body of Christ. Prayers are offered up, questions are answered, and the walls that once held in heartbreak have expanded to take in the whole world as email becomes a conduit of grace to those in need.
Your prayers are needed for those who must love those who hate His Church. St. Monica, pray for us.
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Patty Bonds is a Catholic convert who lives and writes from Phoenix, Arizona . She is the founder of Mary's Mantle, an apostolate to serve Catholics who are experiencing family opposition to the faith. Her brother is James White, an anti-Catholic author and speaker. If you are interested in joining Mary's Mantle or know someone who needs this kind of support, Patty's email address is patty@marysmantle.org.