PROVIDENCE — The women and families who approach the diocese’s St. Gabriel’s Call outreach in the midst of crisis pregnancies have important physical needs.
Diapers, blankets, baby clothes, cribs and bottles, to name a few.
Even more important are their spiritual needs.
“I believe I have a responsibility for their moral well-being in the Catholic faith,” said Marissa Kelly, the program’s assistant in the Diocese of Providence’s Office of Life and Family Ministry.
With Kelly’s gentle encouragement and guidance, dozens of families who have received assistance through St. Gabriel’s Call in recent years have also had their children baptized in the Catholic faith. Many of them have returned to attending Mass on Sunday.
“I think we are all called to evangelize,” said Kelly, 60, a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Coventry who has been involved with St. Gabriel’s Call for about four years. She has been known to hand out Miraculous Medals, Bibles and Rosaries in addition to baby blankets and bibs.
“Bringing souls to the faith, into the Catholic Church, for me, that is the best thing,” Kelly said.
Lisa Cooley, the coordinator of the Office of Life and Family Ministry, said Kelly often helps the families connect with the parish closest to them. Sometimes Kelly calls the parishes herself and arranges for the families to meet with the pastors.
“She goes out of her way, beyond her job description, to help (the families) learn their faith,” Cooley said.
Kelly grew up in Michoacán, Mexico. She recalls her parents leading her and her siblings for family evening prayers every night around the kitchen table before bedtime. Her parents made sure the children went to Mass every Sunday and to confession once a month.
“I love my Catholic faith,” said Kelly, who credits her parents’ example as being pivotal to her own spiritual life.
Kelly said she was driven to pro-life ministry to help expectant mothers choose life for their babies and to immerse them into the life of the local Church.
“I want them to know there is something better for them,”
Kelly said.
The St. Gabriel’s Call program assists women and families facing crisis pregnancy. The ministry is not only dedicated to protecting the unborn, but also to helping their mothers and families by providing a message of hope, encouragement, support and friendship.
“I feel in my heart this is like a mission for me. I like to have these people close to the faith and to the Church,” Kelly said, adding that the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist and Mass is vital to a vibrant faith life.
Some of the families who approach St. Gabriel’s Call are Spanish-speaking immigrants from Latin and Central America. Most of the time, they were baptized in their home countries, but fell away from practicing the Catholic faith. In the United States, those Latino immigrants are often drawn into Pentecostal or other evangelical protestant churches.
When interviewing families, Kelly often asks if they’re Catholic, and, if so, whether they have a parish and if their children have received the sacraments of initiation.
“That’s how she gets the conversation going,” Cooley said.
Her Spanish language skills help Kelly to connect with Latino immigrant families, and to determine if they need help connecting with their local parish. She takes time to speak with them about the faith and the importance of bringing children to Mass.
“Setting an example is the best way to teach, especially for their own children,” said Kelly, who often gives her phone number to the expectant mothers and families.
“When they’re ready, they call me,” Kelly said.
As of mid-December, at least five families had their newborn babies baptized in the Church in 2020 through Kelly’s help. She has often assisted parents obtain baptismal gowns, and has stepped in as a godmother for babies that she helped make possible be brought into the world.
“If I can help in any way, I’ll do it,” Kelly said. “Helping these children to have a good life in the Catholic faith, that’s my goal.”
