Sixty women join in prayer with ‘millions of Monicas’ in first St. Mary’s gathering

Maura Baker

Staff Writer

In 2021, three Michigan mothers founded “Millions of Monicas” — a movement of Catholic women coming together to pray, through the intercession of St. Monica, for the return of their children — and young people as a whole — to practicing their faith. Now, with over 100 individual communities worldwide, St. Mary Church, Alexandria, is joining with these other women in prayer as the second Millions of Monicas (MOM) group in the Diocese of Covington, following in the footsteps of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Burlington.

Meeting for the first time, May 4, around 60 women came together to pray hopefully for their children’s return to the faith. Carol Ernst, who coordinates the group at St. Mary’s, was inspired to bring MOM to St. Mary Church after attending the diocesan hosted “Return” workshop last fall with hopes to “learn more about motivating (her) girls to come back to the Church,” said Ms. Ernst.

Intrigued by Immaculate Heart of Mary’s incorporation of the program, as she learned during the workshop, Ms. Ernst recalled that it was “wonderful to be in the company of other women praying for the same thing … It was a form of support by just coming together.”

Now, after having their first gathering, Ms. Ernst and the other women behind St. Mary’s MOM group plan to host time in prayer monthly — on the first Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Judy Schilling, who helped to plan the meeting, reflected on the meeting’s success. “We all have someone that we’re praying for,” said Ms. Schilling. “I just thought it was beautiful to share that and to see so many other women that have the same concerns and want to bring our children and family members back into the faith that we raised them in.”

“It’s a quiet, prayerful ministry,” said Ms. Ernst, who encouraged women across the diocese to join either St. Mary’s or Immaculate Heart of Mary in this ministry of prayer.

“We’re hoping that more women will get involved and attend,” she said.