Through the CMA, so many people are touched, often in unexpected ways we can’t even imagine.

For almost two decades we have received amazing testimonials from those who have studied, worked, volunteered or benefitted from one or more ministry, but every so often comes a story that stands out, surprises, and clings to our hearts. Below is one of those stories.

This Spring, our team met Wendy – a single mom struggling to raise a teenage boy on her own. In today’s culture, that’s a monumental task.

Here’s what she shared:

“I thought I often told my son, ‘I love you,’ but when I stopped to think about it, it wasn’t very much at all. I’ll bet you don’t say it as often as you think you do.
My son, Jason, started getting into fights at school and hanging out with the wrong crowd. And when he didn’t come home one night, that’s when I realized I was going to need help. When he finally came home, he didn’t realize how much I had been worried about him. From that point on, he didn’t talk to me; he yelled at me.

The next time, he was gone for a whole week. I nearly lost my mind. What could I do? After he came back, I tried to talk with him about it in the car. I thought that would be a safe place to talk. He didn’t yell at me. He jumped out of the car! We were going 55 miles an hour. Who does that?

He was gone for a month that time. I cried myself to sleep every night, thinking I was a terrible parent. I didn’t want to risk fighting with him, but I sure didn’t want him to disappear again. Finally, Jason took things too far, and he ended up in court. I thought this time I would lose him forever. Instead, the judge made us attend a Parenting Program through Catholic Charities. What could I do? It was better than Jason going to juvie (juvenile detention center). Neither of us really wanted to go. But the threat of being locked up forced Jason’s hand. The car ride to our first class was so quiet.

As soon as we walked into the room, the air cleared. We saw other people just like us, struggling with the same things. Then we learned how to function as a family. We said, ‘I love you.’ We started having game nights. We met with other people from class. We learned how to handle stress. We learned how to talk with each other. Patsy Bolden ran the Parenting Program class. She’s a miracle worker. We got a workbook in this class, and I now carry it with me all the time.

Jason now has a good group of friends. He’s out of school. He has a job. He has his own place. We get together a couple of times a month. If it weren’t for Patsy Bolden and Catholic Charities, I could have lost my son forever.”

Your support of the CMA impacts people like Wendy every day. Please consider renewing your support with a year-end gift by making a gift online here.