Above: Kathy Schultz (center) meets with ministry members Christine Dennis from Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (left) and Paula Hils (right) from St. Mary Magdalene Parish.
Kathy Shultz became a pro-life advocate at age 16 after attending her first national pro-life march. Energized, she formed a pro-life group in high school. Over the years, she attended more marches, wrote letters to the editor and served on various pro-life committees.
Yet she felt more could be done.
In 2023, Shultz, a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes in Raleigh, heard about a program called Walking with Moms in Need, which supports at-risk moms through their pregnancies.
She wondered why there wasn’t one at her parish and began working with Christine Dennis, the WWMIN coordinator at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral.
“I like to think with my background as a nurse that I’m more comfortable talking to people about medical things,” Shultz said, “But you learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, because these are some really sad situations.”
In February 2024, OLL started its own WWMIN chapter. In just a year, the program has grown from five to 15 volunteers. But the ministry also depends on broad support from parishioners, other ministries and the wider community.
Parishioners provide financial support and donate items like clothing, diapers, furniture and car seats.
One pregnant mom was going to be evicted from her home, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society covered the rent. Another mom with children faced living
in a home with no utilities. A BirthChoice volunteer worked with different ministries to get the heat back on. The Knights of Columbus pitches in to help, too, and Catholic Parish Outreach is a source for food and children’s clothing.
“We’ve been blessed with this great group of volunteers who are ready to do anything,” Shultz said. “[And] the parish community has been fantastic.”
But once again, Schultz felt more could be done.
“I just figured there’s got to be other churches doing this,” she said. “Why don’t we put our heads together and see how we can standardize things?”
Now five parishes have formed a regional group to help pregnant moms: HNOJ, OLL and St. Raphael the Archangel in Raleigh, St. Michael the Archangel in Cary and St. Mary Magdalene in Apex. Volunteers meet every two months to share experiences, address challenges, and discuss how to involve other parishes. They access resources across parishes through a shared computer drive.
“We’re all doing the same thing, so that a pregnant mom could go to any of our parishes and see the same services, the same support,” Shultz said. “We try to get what they need to be safe, have a successful delivery and be able to care for their baby.”
Shultz believes the Holy Spirit moves to provide when the need arises. She remembers one couple in particular that was experiencing homelessness. The mother was three months pregnant, and the couple had only a tent for protection against a bitter January cold spell. Schultz was worrying about what to do when the phone rang with a call from the parish office. A $2,000 check had been dropped off for WWMIN. That resource was used to help the couple.
St. Mary Magdalene has helped 33 moms since 2023, with seven active now. The OLL team is now actively serving eight mothers, St. Michael’s three. HNOJ is helping seven now and has served 13 since the ministry began. St. Raphael has helped more than 20 over time, and two moms currently.
Yet Shultz believes still more needs to be done.
“We’re representing the Catholic Church,” she said. “We don’t care what religion you are, or if you don’t have any religion; it doesn’t matter. We want to help you. It’s not just another social program. We are called to be Jesus’ hands and feet.”
Interested in starting a WWMIN program?
Contact Kathy Shultz by email at walkingwithmomsoll@gmail.com or visit walkingwithmoms.com.