Facilitator of the Month
February 2012: Facilitator of the Month
Gretchen Ridgely
Endow’s “home office” is in Denver, but we are fortunate to have “outposts” all over the country where some wonderful things are happening. One of these locations is in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia where Gretchen Ridgely has taken the mandate to evangelize very seriously. When Endow called for a phone interview, Gretchen was in the middle of watching EWTN’s coverage of the Respect Life March in Washington. She came to the phone breathless with excitement over the concluding speeches.
Gretchen’s story of growing up Catholic but poorly catechized is a familiar one. She recalls that her religious education in the 1970’s left many things unexplained and so she reached adulthood clinging to her Catholic faith but unsure of exactly what that meant.
Marriage to husband, Chuck, and later giving birth to Vivien and Thomas, now ages 6 and 3, gave new purpose and direction to their family life. It became important to know the faith into which their children were baptized and to really learn to live it fully. This quest brought Gretchen to a series of talks in Catholic churches here and there, but she often left disillusioned, suspecting that the teachings were somehow distorted. Was she learning the truth? How could she know? Then, a gentleman at her parish threw her a lifeline. His name was Deacon Keith Fournier.
Today she recalls that deacon at her parish of St. Benedict in Richmond with affection even as she wonders a little at the workings of Divine Providence. Deacon Fournier, a constitutional lawyer with numerous theological degrees to his name, is an author of many Catholic books and articles and was serving at St. Benedict’s at the time Gretchen was searching. He told her about Endow and that sent her scrambling to her computer to investigate the site.
“It was so refreshing! In time, we were able to receive [limited] approval from our bishop’s office.” Gretchen received training and was off and running. “The women in our parish love it! Most of us are young moms; seems someone is always pregnant or nursing but we all love our group and make it a priority.”
Gretchen shares that great things go on at her parish under the leadership of Fr. Kauffmann. “Ours is a destination parish. Chances are, when you land here, you’ve been looking for a St. Benedict’s: truly Catholic, beautiful, with really excellent formation.”
Her group has a consistent core of close friends, though some members have come and gone. During their recent exploration of Edith Stein, Gretchen observed that it is a perfect study for our time, so relevant to today. “Religious liberty today is being slammed at by the chisel blows [of a dominant culture] that is forcing us to act against our religious principles.”
Gretchen credits Endow with equipping modern women with the tools to defend the faith and the inspiration to live it with joy.
January 2012: Facilitator of the Month
Margaret Purcell
Each week, Margaret Purcell makes the 45 minute drive from her home in Albany, New York to the neighboring town of Amsterdam to facilitate her Endow group. This beautiful area of upstate New York – northwest of the famed Catskill Mountains – can make for difficult driving in winter weather. But Margaret believes in Endow and is faithful to her present calling to evangelize. She actually doesn’t mind the drive as it gives her time to pray, meditate, and spiritually prepare for her study group.
Margaret, who was born in 1960, calls herself one of the “lost generation” – those Catholics whose religious knowledge was weak or non-existent and in adulthood are trying to make up for lost time. For patching the holes in her catechetical background, she is grateful to Endow.
Born a cradle Catholic, Margaret has worked in various capacities eventually receiving her master’s degree in health education. She has been employed in the insurance business and currently is in home health care. But her deepest passion lies in pondering the mysteries of faith and lingering among the theological greats and their abundant writings. A few years ago, that passion for learning led her to the Theology of the Body Institute where she was serendipitously assigned to share a room with Endow’s Executive Director, Terry Polakovic.
Hearing about Endow’s mission to educate women on their true worth and dignity directed Margaret’s focus. Once trained as a facilitator, Margaret wondered how to actually get a group started. “I found it difficult to take the first step”, says Margaret. “I remember sitting in my computer room and giving myself a pep talk.” At one point she felt a sense of peace come over her.
Today her original group is basically intact though some people have left as others joined. One new member Margaret calls their “resident theologian” and she has added a lot to the group, connecting dots and helping to expound on concepts. As others have discovered, there is a lot of wisdom that surfaces in an Endow group.
Her advice to would-be facilitators is to put your love for God into practice. “If you love Our Lord and want to make a difference, you can lead an Endow group. It’s not hard and there is a good support network. So much is done for you and most importantly, it’s done well!”
And you can’t argue with the results. Margaret says she is amazed at what Endow study can do to transform hearts that have encountered true Christian teaching. In particular, she is acutely aware of the sufferings of women who bear the wounds of abortion. She reflects that liberation from the bondage of sin is available to all who seek God’s mercy. Endow helps encourage women to appreciate that God’s mercy is available at all times to every person through the extraordinary grace of sacramental confession.
“I find there is a wonderful balance between Endow study materials and Catholic worship,” says Margaret who has found that the connections are plentiful. When she comes across interesting articles that support something the group has been studying, she sends her women e-mails with links to the internet sites. She has also invited a seminarian to guest speak to their group. “I like to add things to the mix.”
Married for twenty years to husband Roger, Margaret works as a non-medical care giver to seniors. As she is naturally “other-oriented”, Margaret finds this work suits her. “I’ve met some wonderful people through this work which is like ministry.” Many of her patients are Italian and Margaret laughs as she recalls some recent exchanges. Just like women everywhere, “…we talk about faith, family, and food!”
Her Endow group has forged some true friendships too, as women find themselves walking the path of faith beside others whose goals are the same. Next up for her group is Mother of the Redeemer. What could be more perfect for a group of life-long learners than a study of the one John Paul II calls “the most excellent example of the feminine genius”?
Thank you, Margaret, for following Mary’s lead and using your “genius” to lead others to Christ.
November 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Lillian Flenner
Her Endow group meets on Wednesday mornings at 6:15. Yes, before most of the city is out of bed, Lillian and nine other women meet to pray and study the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. “You have to be crazy or in love,” she laughs.
In love, she is. But that wasn’t always the case.
Among Endow women, many are cradle Catholics and come to adulthood thoroughly churched and well catechized. Such was not the case for Lillian Flenner, a divorced mother of two grown girls from Humble, Texas who works as a business travel consultant. As far as religion goes, she’ll tell you she knew how to spell God, that was it. Oh, and there was her Polish grandmother who was Catholic, but the faith never found its way into Lillian’s heart until she was 36 years old.
Seeking something that she couldn’t quite name, Lillian located a Catholic church and attended a SundayMass. Sitting in the back of St. Phillip the Apostle Churchin Huffman,Texas, Lillian was confused but intrigued. She felt like a visitor to some far-away land, unfamiliar with the rituals, language, and customs. She attended like that for three years until she began a friendship with the pastor, a man she credits with ‘saving her life.’
Lillian remembers how Fr. George Olsovsky led her to Christ. “He never gave up on me,” she recalls. With his guidance, a whole new world opened up as Lillian was instructed in the faith. “I fell in love with the Catholic Church because he was in love with the Catholic Church.” She was received into the Church in April 1995.
“The Catholic Church is so beautiful. It saddens me when I see Catholic women – cradle Catholics – who know less than I do.”
Happily, that’s changing with Endow groups meeting in her part of Houston. She learned about Endow from Fr. Michael Barrett, chaplain of Holy Cross Chapel, a two-story, store-front city church that is a spiritual oasis in the midst of the bustling downtown. It was when she signed up for a morning Lenten series during which Fr. Michael taught John Paul II’s Letter to Women that Lillian had her defining moment. In article two, the Pope thanks women simply for being women. “That really struck me,” says Lillian, “I read that over and over. He thanked me for being who I am.”
Lillian loves the fellowship, the networking, and the friendships that Endow fosters. With her eye for detail and spot-on event planning skills, Lillian recently put together a well-attended Endow-in-a-Day Seminar on Mother of the Redeemer which was taught by Eileen Love from Denver. She tells of how happy she was to see women lingering after the class concluded, excitedly chatting with each other about what they had just experienced. Lillian perceives a hunger in women’s hearts for the truth that Endow communicates so well. “They’re so ready for this!”
Lillian is doing all she can to see that Endow spreads. Houston’s next big event will be a Lenten session, an Endow-in-a-Day Seminar on The Christian Meaning of Human Suffering. She invites Texas ladies to put March 10th on the calendar. She’ll be ready for you.
All this ‘feminine genius’ poured out for others proves that it’s not just the size of Texas that’s big – it’s the hearts of the women who live there.
October 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Dr. Michelle Stanford
If you’re looking for Michelle on a Wednesday, better be prepared to run after her.
Just last week, Michelle had spent her “day off” volunteering at her son’s morning pre-school, putting him down for a nap, tending to household chores, then taking her two other children to catechism class. That would be followed by dinner and a meeting of the Denver Catholic Medical Association, of which she is president.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Michelle is an unlikely candidate for Endow. Not because she wouldn’t love it but because she is so busy with her own medical practice, Centennial Pediatrics, and raising three children Michael, 11, Kaitlin, 8, and Austin, 3, with husband Phil, a Denver Police officer. Yet Michelle felt powerfully drawn to it.
In the fall of 2008, Michelle and her mother attended the Annual Endow Women’s Conference and heard a presentation on “Humanae Vitae: Forty Years of Life and Love.” Afterwards, there was a panel discussion and one member, a nurse anesthetist, spoke about her refusal to participate in medical practices that were against her religious convictions. Michelle listened, riveted, and felt a stirring in her heart. She reflected that in bringing her to this place, perhaps God had a message for her not only personally, but for how she practiced medicine.
Blessings flowed from that conference. Soon Michelle learned about the Catholic Medical Association and began attending meetings. Over time, she discussed what she was learning with her medical partner, a Catholic woman 20 years Michelle’s senior, and their staff, many of whom are Christian.
It didn’t happen overnight, but they came to see the wisdom in teaching chastity and values over prescribing contraceptives. Michelle explains that you’d be surprised at how many mothers of teenagers think this is the safe and best route for girls. They eventually stopped prescribing the contraceptive pill altogether. Has her practice suffered? Not really. While she lost a few families, she picked up more and she reports that these days office visits usually include a lot of good discussions with young people.
Endow has been a big part of her journey. A couple of years ago, Michelle gathered a few friends, who, like her, were all catechists at Light of the World Parish in Littleton, and shared with them her desire to start an Endow study group, which she would facilitate. Says Michelle, “I had a strong desire to learn more about my Catholic faith and Endow is the place. It is so grounded in the fundamentals.” She has been happily and fruitfully facilitating her group since. They have picked up a few new members as well.
Her study group probably has the distinction of latest meeting time, from 8:00 until 9:30 p.m. But since three of them are mothers of little ones, homework and bedtime routines come first. Their meetings are lively affairs that sometimes run a little over but Michelle always ducks out in time to make her Adoration hour from 10:00 – 11:00 p.m. It is part of her new direction in life to spend this time with Jesus.
September 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Diane Schwind
At Endow we like to say that our lives are made up of “defining moments” – those brief and unrepeatable events – that can strike like a lightning bolt and in an instant change everything.
For Diane Schwind, that moment came outside an abortion facility. At the time, Diane was the Director of the Marriage and Family Life office for the Diocese of Fort Worth. They were in the middle of a Forty Days for Life campaign and her heart broke as she saw one girl and after another step into the clutches of that sterile and depressive building.
“I prayed from deep in my soul, ‘Lord, don’t they know what they are doing?!’” And then in a flash, Diane is sure she heard a response. “No. When are you going to teach them?”
Quite a mandate for a woman married nearly 25 years who had spent the better part of 23 years as a full time mother.
After her moment in front of the clinic, she left her job with the diocese and she and her husband, Robert (they are parents of Meghan, 23, twins Michael and Molli, 21, and 17 year old Madelyn) set up Balanced Families Ministries. Through Pre-Cana courses, theology lectures, and counseling, they spread the word about living an authentically Catholic life. An integral part of this is John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
When Diane went to the TOTB Institute for the summer immersion course, she came across a flyer for Endow.
Suddenly, all the pieces fit and Diane realized what had landed in her lap. “Endow is a program to help me help women appreciate how they are made.” With great excitement she took the training to become an Endow group facilitator. Since then, she has encouraged others to follow suit.
While hosting information nights on Endow, it shook her to realize how many unhappy women are out there. Sometimes in her speaking, Diane would look out at the faces of women, many wet with tears. The sense of urgency grew. With so much sadness in the adults’ lives, she figures it is best to teach girls while they are still young.
As a way of “tilling the soil” for girls before they jump into Endow’s Girl Genius Middle School program, Diane has organized fun retreats for 11-14 year olds. Her college daughter, Molli, a theology major at Benedictine College, keeps the girls enthralled while Diane works with the fathers, reminding them that their daughters’ bodies are developing along with their hearts and spirits. With mothers looking on silently, Diane tells the men that a girl needs the steady and sure love of her dad in a special way right now.
Diane loves sharing the message about feminine genius to young and old alike. She uses a favorite story to demonstrate:
A male and a female surgeon had just lost a patient on the operating table. Shaken and sorrowful, they step into the hospital elevator staring blankly up at the numbers. Soon the woman detects a sniffle coming from her companion. Realizing he needs a minute, she stops the elevator. He cries. She soothes. Once the male surgeon is composed, she restarts the elevator.
Diane loves the story because it shows woman in a role natural to her, that of a maternal presence to another hurting soul. She encourages women to step into the role of one who is attuned to others’ needs and responds with compassion.
Happily for the women and girls in the Fort Worth Diocese, Diane takes her own advice. If you live in the Fort Worth area and want to talk about Endow groups or a girls’ retreat, call Diane at 214-763-7890. To follow in Diane’s footsteps and become a facilitator, visit our website: www.EndowGroups.org.
August 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Miriam Tierney
Miriam and her husband Sean just celebrated their 17th anniversary. They met as college students during one summer when they were in Mexico working as Maryknoll lay missionaries. They discovered their shared passion for helping others.
Having fallen in love, it was hard to go back to their respective universities for medical school, but they did. These two Chicago natives and cradle Catholics knew their love was the “real thing” and would withstand the trials of separation, grueling schedules, and the rigors of internship.
They married, had two children, both while Miriam was still a resident (to the unspoken disapproval of her peers), and Miriam became an ob-gyn, the specialty that was her father’s love. She stepped into his practice and while Sean began his cardiology work, Miriam took care of women, delivered their babies and cured their illnesses.
Two years later, she retired. “I left because I could not give 100% of myself to my husband, my children, and my patients simultaneously.” And life requires a lot of her. She and Sean are parents to Ana, 12, Sean, 9, Maria Teresa, 6, Patrick, 5, and John Paul, 2.
The decision was difficult at first, but once it was made, Miriam says, “I felt a huge relief. Since I walked away from my career, God has blessed me abundantly. I did what He wanted me to, though I did not realize it at the time.” Miriam says, “I had three more babies after that” and her days were taken up with children and driving them to school.
Something great happened during those long drives. Miriam discovered Catholic radio and daily listening gradually gave her the education in faith that she had been missing.
She remembers hearing something that nearly made her crash the car. A married person’s job is to get their spouse to heaven. Miriam had never thought of it like that. This, then, was the most important work. “I knew in that moment my life was going to change.”
She began intentionally to grow in her faith by reading, taking classes, and joining discussion groups. One day she was invited to someone’s house for an early version of Endow facilitator training. Happily on fire for this mission, Miriam introduced Endow to the mothers at her children’s school. “You can’t love and live your faith until you learn it, and Endow is such a great way to start! I love seeing the ‘aha moments’ on the women’s faces when I facilitate the class. We are a varied group from different backgrounds and educations and I love the women in my group, they have taught me so much – love of God and Mary, devotion to their families, humility and charity in action.”
Recently the family moved into a new home and Miriam says, “My husband and I consecrated ourselves and family to Jesus through Mary and at the same time enthroned our home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary last Aug. 15th. This all included a beautiful house blessing with Fr. Rocky Hoffman, CEO of Relevant Radio and many friends. Sean and I promised our Lord that whatever house he gave us we would do all we could in it for His honor and glory. So far we have done many beautiful things featuring Endow studies including Girl Genius, Mulieris Dignitatem and in the fall, The Christian Meaning of Suffering.
In the future, maybe this ardently pro-life physician will take on Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical upholding the Church’s ban on artificial contraception. She feels the tug to the right-to-life movement and she has been face to face with the opposition. It’s not always pretty, but Miriam is peaceful in the tempest, fingering her rosary and speaking the truth. Her credentials as a medical doctor, especially one devoted to women’s health care, are a plus. She easily pokes holes in the “pro-choice” arguments.
“I’ve worked at two Catholic hospitals and I can tell you the ob-gyn’s don’t know the truth of Catholic teaching. I tell the women in my group who have questioned certain practices of local Catholic doctors, ‘Pray for them. They just don’t know.’” Maybe educating them is part of her calling. Certainly praying for them is.
July 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Shannon Siemens
Leading Endow groups at the University of Colorado at Boulder is the fulfillment of a desire that was planted in Shannon’s heart years ago. Her father was a Navy pilot who was killed when Shannon was only two. For years she held onto the rosary that was in his pocket when he died.
Fortunately for Shannon and her siblings, their dad was a Knight of Columbus (as was his father) whose mission it is to look after widows and orphans. Thanks to the Knights, Shannon received a full scholarship to the Catholic college of her choice and she chose Franciscan University at Steubenville. There she majored in nursing, with minors in theology and biology.
One thing Shannon loved about Steubenville was how accessible her professors were and how attentive they were to their families. Even from a distance, Shannon was moved by the women. They were wives and mothers and lovers of God, accomplished in their own right but immersed in the caretaking of their loved ones. She was thrilled to sit at their feet and watch and listen and learn. It was then that a droplet of inspiration fell on her soul: “I wanted someday to be in position to mentor college girls, to visit with them about the ‘important things’ just as these women were ministering to me.” Being in their company sparked something. “It got me wondering about what life as a Catholic wife and mother would be like.”
Enter Bob Siemens. A fellow student majoring in history and theology, he caught Shannon’s eye and they eventually married and moved to the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Today, after 17 years of marriage, they are the homeschooling parents of five: Rebecca, 16, Jonathan, 13, Benjamin, 12, Joseph, 8, and Marin, 4.
It was at a Catholic Women’s Conference in Sioux Falls that Shannon learned about Endow and was trained as a facilitator. She remembers thinking with joy, “This was just what I had been looking for.” A short time later, when Bob accepted the position of Director of Evangelization for CU Boulder he realized the importance of getting Endow on campus. Shannon jokingly boasts that her husband is the first male to be trained as an Endow facilitator. The training has helped him understand how important it is to share with young adults the message of human dignity and authentic womanhood.
Shannon agrees. As a facilitator at the campus parish, she treasures her time with these girls and insists she gets more out of it than she gives. Recently she led her college women through Humanae Vitae, the 1968 encyclical that upheld the Church’s ban on contraception. “No one struggled with the teaching,” said Shannon, “they ate it up.” She says, “They want to know what it’s like to live Catholic marriage and use natural family planning. Endow provides a springboard for such rich conversation.” She adds a little sheepishly, “And we never finish in eight weeks.”
Things have come full circle from Shannon’s time at Steubenville. Now Shannon is the experienced one sharing what God has given to her, and in the process receiving much. “These girls have brought me life. I’m so humbled by them. They are so in love with God!”
June 2011: Facilitator of the Month: Denise McElvogue
Denise McElvogue (Far left, Bottom row) with Brigid Sweeney and Kate Sweeney (Far right, Bottom row)
and seven potential Endow Facilitators in Ventura, CA.
Things are really shaking in California and no, it’s not an earthquake! It’s Denise McElvogue a nurse by profession and an Endow facilitator by the grace of God.
On a recent weekend, Endowstaffers Kate and Brigid Sweeney paid a visit to the West Coast where they attended Sunday Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption in Ventura with Denise, followed by a leisurely lunch. Other Endow women – mostly new to the program – were on hand too, and hours passed talking about transforming the world, one heart at a time. About her Denver visitors, Denise enthused, “They are so young and full of energy!” She adds that one thing she loves about Endow is that “you feel so supported by real people. Endow is not just a book and a faceless organization…but real women who care.”
“Our priest, Father Steve Davoren, is so excited about Endow”, says Denise. “His excitement spread to me. I had been praying about ministry because I felt called, but did not know exactly where. After a parish information night on Endow, it became clear.”
Denise has always been involved at her parish – it helps that she lives right next door – but wanted something more than garden-variety Bible studies that were non-denominational. When someone handed her John Paul II’s Letter to Women, it spoke to her heart. “Women need to hear this!” Denise reflects that her prayer was answered over time but she is sure Endow is her calling and she is not shy about saying it. “When the Holy Spirit moves me, get outta the way, ‘cause I’m not stopping!”
That kind of enthusiasm seems to be what many parish women are responding to. And Denise knows that this bodes well for society. She is a registered nurse and currently works in home health care, and is part of an organization called California Nurses for Ethical Standards. She says, “The values Endow teaches fit so perfectly with other facets of my professional life.” Denise’s hope is that Endow will become a major part of the Los Angeles archdiocese.
Denise is married to Connan and they have a 19 year old son, Jesse. This California girl’s roots go deep and after living all around the country – plus two years in Turkey – she declares she is never leaving. “I love this place. I love the weather.” But most of all, she loves her church, and she wants other women to feel that as well. To other women she would say, “We are worthy of love; it is how we should live…knowing that, and thanking God.” She’d like them to feel at home in the church setting. Says Denise, “When I walk into church, I’m home.”
May 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Margaret Merrill
There are many benefits to being raised in a good Catholic family and Margaret Merrill knows them all. In her family, kids were taught the truths of the faith from babyhood and family worship was a given. One of twelve children, Margaret was used to seeing her mother scrub the pews and beautify their hometown church and learned early on that there is always something useful to do and one shouldn’t wait to be asked. “See what needs doing and do it” was advice that was bred into her from the cradle.
When ENDOW came calling in the Knoxville diocese, Margaret met Executive Director Terry Polakovic and Youth Coordinator Brigid Sweeney and things clicked. While Margaret had been a stay-at-home mother raising daughters Tara, 26, Kelly, 24, Casey, 21, Deirdre, 19 and Mary,12, she has also been called into a youth ministry position at her parish, St. Mary’s in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Every year Margaret puts on the high school retreat – one weekend for girls, one for boys – and the idea to invite Brigid to speak at this year’s retreat hit her like a thunderbolt. “I don’t know what possessed me but I jumped right in,” said Margaret, “My heart was so on fire!”
Margaret laughs as she recalls that plans were well underway when it dawned on her that there was no funding for expenses that the weekend would incur. “Fortunately,” says Margaret, “the CCW, [the local Council of Catholic Women], loved ENDOW and gave us a check to cover the costs.”
“I take the first step and then let things happen,” trusting in the Holy Spirit. Margaret says she knows where her gifts are and adds, “I think mine is to make connections. Maybe I am not the person to teach specifically, but I can invite people who do that and I can set up a beautiful room for them.” And she did. Over the weekend, in many ways and through many lessons, Brigid taught the girls that their dignity is given to them and they don’t have to work for it, just live in a way that honors God. One woman even set up a traditional high tea and the girls reveled in the new experience.
Margaret tells of one girl who was reluctant to come and was sullen and withdrawn. By Sunday, her face was filled with peace. “That’s the best measure of success”, says Margaret, who adds that a special part of the weekend was when the girls prayed with the Dominican Sisters in their chapel. Many girls had never experienced the quiet beauty of holy hour, vespers, and the sung prayer that filled the space with heavenly sounds. Said one girl, her voice tinged with awe, “I didn’t know you could make your voice do that!”
Margaret Merrill sees opportunities for ENDOW study abounding in the future and anticipates many good things for women and girls in the Knoxville area. Thank you, Margaret, for sharing your feminine genius with the world.
April 2011: Facilitator of the Month
Aileen Blachowski
It was only a week after St. Patrick’s Day that we visited with this daughter of an Irish immigrant mother and a New York City firefighter dad. Aileen Blachowski, nee Cashman, started life out in a devout Catholic family from Staten Island, New York. After her father’s retirement, they moved to the west coast.
Sunny California is a long way from the Emerald Isle but Aileen’s mother carried the faith traditions of home in her heart. She shared with her children stories of the “old sod”, men coming in from the fields and praying the rosary before sitting down to dinner. “We may have been on the periphery but from that distance we shared Mom’s experience of her faith.”
Aileen says she always sensed a gentle nudging from the Spirit that kept her from straying too far from her faith roots. But things really took flight during her college years. When her sister and brother-in-law were dealing with a hotly contested adoption, it made national news. Aileen, majoring in public relations, dove in to help with media interviews and press releases. She recalls, “It was during this time that God made Himself present to me! Miracles abounded, I saw kindness from strangers, money was left on the doorstep to help with our fight.” According to Aileen, things were in flux; she was worried about coming up with tuition for herself, not to mention the struggles her sister and nephew were embroiled in. “But I saw God’s hand in the world; it was undeniable to me. When you know how much God loves you, you have to ponder the question: how much do I love God?”
Aileen pondered that very question during her remaining college years. “What I heard was the message from God, ‘The way of the world is not fruitful for young women. Be pure. Be chaste. Be a girl after my own heart.’” She followed that voice. Fortunately, she met a young man who seemed to be waiting just for her, and she and Tim have been married now for almost fifteen years. They are the parents of five children: Claire, 13, Kevin, 10, Nolan, 8, Kate, 5 and Logan, 3.
So how did she come to learn about Endow? Interestingly, it was the same sister, Peggy, whom Aileen had helped during the adoption crisis. Peggy, now an employee of Catholic Answers in San Diego, forwarded news about Endow to Aileen, thinking that mothers of teen girls need all the help they can get. As Aileen perused the literature, her heart began to race. She had read Letter to Women previously, on her own, but after receiving Endow facilitator training and understanding the document in depth, she wondered why more women don’t know of these treasures. “Endow presents things so well. This is a great way to learn – no year-long commitment, no homework. This is too good!” Aileen thinks she probably set a record for speed in signing up to become a facilitator. She laughs, “My first inquiry was January 3, I received the training kit a week later, and I was approved by the end of the month!”
She assembled some friends and women from the parish and launched her group. At the moment, there are 13 women in her study group and she says it’s great to see the changes taking in place. “They don’t know they’re hungry for this and when the lights go on, I can almost see the burdens lifting.”
Next up is the task of getting Endow’s youth study, True Beauty Revealed into the local high school. Aileen is confident it will happen; she has already visited with the principal and there is lots of interest. Young girls need this message so badly and Aileen guesses she is the one in her area to spread it. “The Holy Spirit really put the wind in my sails!”