By Maribel Marrero
In recent years Pope Francis has said, “the church is the family of families” and this quote is an accurate description of how many of us imagine the church to be as well. The Diocese, in its efforts to preserve the church as the family of families, has partnered with Olive Crest, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing child abuse, treating and educating children in crisis, and preserving the family, One Life at a Time. Olive Crest transforms the lives of children and families in crisis through the healing power of God, family, and community.
This story from Olive Crest is one of the many examples that show the Holy Father’s statement to be more than true.
Not so long ago, then 20-year-old Sara came to Olive Crest with her one-year-old child named Maria and was pregnant with her second child. She was very quiet and hung her head low as she shared the sad news that she did not have any support from her family and was nervous she wouldn’t be able to parent her children by herself. At the time, Sara felt that not only the best, but the only option for her children was adoption. Sara had endured a rough childhood full of trauma and abuse. At the age of 17, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. When she was released, she found herself homeless and soon after in an abusive relationship.
Sara became pregnant again and at that point, she knew she had to provide a better life for her children and decided to leave the abusive relationship. When Sara’s young daughter, Maria, came to Olive Crest, she was introduced to the Smith family. By coincidence the Smith family attended the same church as both Sara and her child, and the Smiths were, and are still, very passionate when it comes to serving single mothers and their children as a Host family for Olive Crest.
Sara was due to deliver her baby and the Smith family had agreed to open their home and voluntarily host Maria through Olive Crest’s Volunteer Hosting Program. The Smith family was overjoyed to care for Sara and Maria and were ready to be a support system to them as they entered this new hopeful season of their life. They were able to provide a safe home for Maria to stay while her mother gave birth to her new baby sister.
Through this network of support, Sara and her two daughters were able to remain a family and she has learned how to confidently parent them. The Smith’s and the church volunteers wrapped around this young mother and taught her life skills, and praised her for her willingness to accept help to provide her daughters a loving and stable home. Sara shared because of the Smith’s and Olive Crest’s Volunteer Hosting Program, she no longer feels alone and has a newfound hope for her and her daughters’ future. The Smiths were able to provide a safe home, which is more than a bed and a roof over their head; it was a place to experience healing, belonging, and the love of a stable family.
By providing Sara the time and space she needed to naturally grow into the role of a mother, she was starting to go down the path God had set for her and her children all along. Without the Smiths extending that olive branch, we would not know where they would be. The relationships that were shaped in the time the Smiths spent with Maria, Sara and the new baby continue to flourish as they often speak to each other and spend time together as a new extended family. This story showcases what Pope Francis shared, while Sara may have originally felt she had no family to support her, God knew all along there will always be a family to rely on in the Church.
By God’s design, true transformation comes through the healing power of family. Activating God’s family (the Church) will have an exponential effect reaching thousands more children and creating a lifelong safety and healing for them. There is a growing movement of God’s family connecting with their communities and retaking their place to care for the widows and orphans. God has uniquely positioned Olive Crest and the Catholic Church to serve His family in this effort. Church is where the true healing begins.
“God places the lonely in families.” Psalm 68:6
The Riverside and San Bernardino County Locations are Olive Crest, Palm Desert – 39830 Portola Avenue, Suite A Palm Desert 92260 and Olive Crest, Riverside- 555 Technology Ct., Riverside, CA 92507
If you would like more information or have any questions about our programs, please call or email: Maribel Marrero Gale @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 760.636.2499 (Hablo Espanol).
Maribel Marrero is the Development Manager of the Inland & Desert Communities at Olive Crest.