Talk to Mother Seraphina Marie of the Franciscan Daughters of Mary. She knows where to find them.
The Franciscan Daughters of Mary take a vow of poverty, pledge to uphold the dignity of human life and place their trust in the Lord to provide everything they need. Since moving to Northern Kentucky from New Jersey eight
years ago, they have opened a pregnancy center and food pantry. They soon will move into a mission home and open a free medical clinic.
“We put our trust in the Lord, and he never lets us down,” Mother Seraphina told Florence Rotarians. “He is always very generous and always very faithful.”
Mother Seraphina outlined the services of the Rose Garden Home Mission in Covington at a Rotary Club meeting on Monday, Oct. 24. This new community of Catholic sisters primarily offers outreach to the poor and support for pregnant women. Because the sisters took a vow of poverty, they depend on donations for food and supplies they distribute.”
“When we opened … people just started dropping off food,” Mother Seraphina said. “We never solicit food. It just shows up.”
Sometimes, it shows up in bunches, she said. For example, a donation of 144 boxes of lunch meat fed 275 families. The Rose Garden Home Mission also fed more than 1,800 over three days with a huge gift of frozen pizzas.
The Rose Garden Mission provides counseling on making good choices as well as assistance for pregnant women. “We pray with them,” Mother Seraphina said.
“We want them to know God is with them, first of all. We help with the rest.”
The mission gives each expectant mother a basked filled with “things they would usually get at a shower” at eight months, Mother Seraphina noted. The sisters distribute food and infant formula every day, clothing twice a week and diapers once a week.
The Lord helps the sisters with the rest, too, Mother Seraphina said. With the help of benefactors, they purchased property at 2040 Madison Ave. in Covington in July for a home for the mission. They expect to open the free health clinic in a couple of weeks.
A nurse practitioner offered to help first. Then nurses and doctors began to volunteer. Equipment from a hospital that shut down surfaced, Mother Seraphina said, and now they have a building for the clinic.
“We dreamed of opening a free health clinic, but the Lord kept saying, “Not Yet. Not Yet.”” she said. “Now we’re only waiting for a state license … any day now.”
For information about the weekly meetings, guest speakers, and community service opportunities of the Florence Rotary Club, contact Pat Moynahan, president at amoynahan@insightbb.com or 859-802-0242. Visit the group’s website at www.florencerotary.org. Florence Rotary meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Florence.
Article submitted by Pat Moynahan.
