Mothers find 
fellowship in Catholic Moms Group

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

OXFORD – Less than two weeks before Mother’s Day, children sat or lay in the center aisle of the dimly-lit St. Roch Church, quietly coloring.

Between attempts to pray, their mothers tried to engage them with religious books or toys.

Simon Nash, age 1, seemed to take pleasure in waving his little arms - or a book at hand. At one point he crawled over to the step leading to the altar and looked up towards the Host in the monstrance.

It was May 1. Catholic Moms Group, which meets at St. Roch’s, was having its monthly Eucharistic adoration, during which mothers and older children can avail themselves of the sacrament of penance.

“It’s really nice to have a priest who sees the value of having kids and moms have access to adoration and confession,” said Gina Hamwey, who started the group in March 2023 with Father James J. Boulette, then associate pastor of St. Roch and St. Ann parishes in Oxford and now the pastor of both.

After moving to Oxford in August 2022, she and her husband, Ronald Hamwey, told Father Boulette, “We’d like to do something in the parish,” she said. “I was open to a moms group.” (Their son, Zion, was born in October 2022 and their second child is due in September.) Asked if it was her idea or the priest’s to form a group, Mrs. Hamwey credited the Holy Spirit.

“I could do this if there seems to be a need for it,” she decided. “And there is.”
What is the need? “I think the need for community, to be connected with like-minded” mothers.

“We wanted to get to know other young moms outside of St. Roch’s,” explained her friend and fellow-parishioner Caroline Nash, whom she asked to help start the group.

Mrs. Hamwey said they publicized it through announcements they sent to area parishes for the Sunday bulletins.

“We’ve also successfully gotten a few moms in by grabbing them in person after Mass,” added Mrs. Nash.

There are now 10 mothers and 26 children, from five or six parishes, though not all come each time, Mrs. Hamwey said.

Any young woman may come, with or without her children.

“We’re open to anyone who wants to draw closer to the Lord,” Mrs. Hamwey said. Catholic devotionals are used, though mothers wouldn’t have to be Catholic. All that’s required to join is “have a child” – or be expecting one.

The mothers meet every other week on Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m. in the parish center or the church at 332 Main St.

They chat about a topic as their children play. Mrs. Hamwey said she or Mrs. Nash start the discussion and others also share their experiences. A recent topic was “Prayer life as a mom.” An upcoming topic is “Praying with Mary through the month of May.”

Discussion doesn’t go too long, since the mothers are simultaneously tending to their children, Mrs. Hamwey said. Some are babies; the oldest who come are age 10.

Sometimes interactive activities are used with the children; “Father Jim’s actually washed the kids’ feet,” to teach them about what Jesus did at the Last Supper, she said.

Once a month the group has eucharistic adoration.

“We try to say, ‘Father Jim’s going to come out and bring Jesus,’” to explain exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to little ones, Mrs. Hamwey said. The mothers try to teach them reverence, telling them to be quiet and giving them activities to keep them quiet, such as religious coloring books or adoration journals.

“That’s their form of prayer,” she explained.

On May 1 a couple of the youngest ones spent a little time with a silicone one-decade rosary with poppers (a sensory fidget toy). Some children walked around the church at will, basically in silence, during the 45 minute-prayer period.

“We definitely don’t limit the movement,” Mrs. Hamwey said.

“I’m really thankful for the group,” said Megan Messenger, of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Dudley, explaining that she appreciates having a community that understands “that your kids are not going to be quiet,” or sit quietly, for a long time during adoration.

“I like to see my friends, and I like that we get to play a little,” said her daughter Lucy Messenger, 10, who carefully copied the monstrance on paper and colored it during adoration.

“I’m not a big fan of adoration,” said Mrs. Nash’s 10-year-old, Adam Olen. “But I feel like every time I come here, something happens that I wouldn’t want to miss, and I’m glad my mom forced me to come.”

Father Boulette said the group is a safe place for mothers to encourage each other and raise their children in the faith.

“We’ve seen great fruits come out of it,” he said, citing family adoration nights for anyone interested, and new parishioners he thinks the group helped bring in, if indirectly.

“The more we welcome young families, the more young families are going to come,” he reasoned. When he baptizes babies, he mentions the group.

He said another fruit is the family retreat the group is hosting for interested parents, and their children age 18 and under, from any parish, whether or not they are group members. The retreat is May 18 at St. Roch’s, beginning at 9 a.m. and concluding with the 4 p.m. Pentecost Lord’s Day vigil Mass “with maximized kids involvement.”

The day is to include sessions about Catholic family life for mothers and fathers, child-friendly activities, adoration, confession, prayer and fellowship, Mrs. Hamwey said.

The $25 per family, regardless of size (including single parents  and pregnant women), helps to cover the cost of snacks and printed materials. Families are asked to bring food for a potluck lunch.

“We understand that little ones need naps, time to run around, and frequent snacks, so we’ve built that into the schedule, along with activities that cater to older children too,” says an announcement about the retreat. Families can come for part of the day and return later if needed.

A Pentecost party with pizza, and cake for the Church’s birthday, is planned after Mass.

Those interested in signing up can do so at bit.ly/family-retreat-day or email Gina Hamwey at catholicfamilies.ma@gmail.com.