Holy Family Services
Holy Family Services: Celebrating the Future
From the beginning it was the story of a dream fulfilled.
In 1983, Sr. Angela Murdaugh and sisters from three other religious orders began Holy Family Services Birthing Center in Weslaco, Texas. They envi- sioned a place where women, especially poor women, could have their babies in a safe, comfortable setting. A place where bringing a child into the world could be celebrated as a beautiful, natural event, the blossoming of new life. A place where families would welcome their newest members with joy. Sr. Angela, director of the center from its beginnings until 2007, built a place where “what we did fed how we lived and how we lived fed what we did.” Holy Family attracted certified nurse midwives, nurses, students, and others who wanted to be part of this wonderful ministry to women and babies. For one brief shining moment, as Sr. Angela would say, there was Camelot.
At a Crossroads
Nothing, however, can remain the same forever.
In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s La Morte D’Arthur, the dying King Arthur says of Camelot:
The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfills himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world."
And those words ring true not only for the knights of the Round Table but for all of us.
For more than 25 years the Franciscan Sisters of Mary have been a strong presence and support for Holy Family Birthing Center in Weslaco, Texas. For more than two decades Sr. Angela provided vision, passion, and leadership. Some, like Srs. Kathy Buchheit, Jeanice Speidel, and Mary Chaudet, have served as nurses and midwives. 
The yellow buildings are enriched by memories of Sr. Veronica Boss creating her lovely cakes and Sr. Damien Francois tending her goats. Some sis- ters served on its Board of Directors. The Franciscan Sisters of Mary are part of the heart and soul of this ministry in the Rio Grande Valley.
But by the end of 2008 no Franciscan Sisters of Mary remained on staff at Holy Family Services. Sr. Angela had retired in 2007, moving into a new ministry to prisoners. The other FSM had also been summoned in new directions.
It was time to accept the changes that had been taking place—and to leave Holy Family Services in the capable hands of those who will carry on.
A Celebration of Gratitude and Hope
On Saturday, September 19, 2009, about fifty people gathered at Casa Montaña on the grounds of Holy Family Services in Weslaco to celebrate this joyous ministry and the close involvement of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary in that service for so many years. Fourteen Franciscan Sisters of Mary—many of whom had been directly involved in this ministry—were able to attend.
The assembly also included current members of the Holy Family Services Board of Directors, doctors and other professionals who serve as consultants for Holy Family, staff members and volunteers.
Sr. Rose Mary Dowling, president of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, extended a warm welcome. She thanked current Board President Nivia Fisch, who has been a steadying hand during the transition and whose skill as a certified nurse midwife has been called into play on many occasions over the years at Holy Family. Sr. Rose also acknowledged Dr. Stan Fisch, pediatric consultant and a wonderful support for the center.
Also present was Dr. Elizabeth Krishnan, who has served as obstet- rical consultant for Holy Family and has been an excellent mentor for the midwives there.
But releasing a ministry so dear to the hearts of so many is never easy.
“The Franciscan Sisters of Mary have been delighted to be part of Holy Family Services from its very beginnings,” Sr. Rose said. “As much as Holy Family Services will always be deeply rooted in our hearts and in our history, and as grateful as we will always be to those who brought this magnificent dream to birth, we recognize that both we and Holy Family Services have reached a crossroads.
“The Board of Directors of Holy Family Services has guided this ministry for many years and will continue to do so in the future, and our ministry as co-sponsor of this good work is now completed.”
A Gift of the Heart
Holy Family Services Birthing Center will always have a special place in the hearts and prayers of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary. As a token of that deep connection, the FSM presented the board and staff of Holy Family Services a lovely picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe titled Our Lady of Compassion by Jan Oliver.
Sr. Jeanne Derer, who found the artwork, summed up the gift and its appropriateness for Holy Family with these words:
This image, a painting by Arizona artist Jan Oliver, gently and playfully portrays Our Lady of Guadalupe under the title Our Lady of Compassion. Jan has great devotion to La Guadalupana and has interpreted her in many ways. In this image, she shows Mary as a young, loving woman enjoying her role as young mother, cuddling her energetic son. She looks out at you, the viewer, and smiles, gently assuring you of her attention and affection. She is so fitting an icon for the women com- ing to Holy Family Services: she understands. She’s been where each prospective mom is now. She knows both the joy of anticipation and the worry of new motherhood. Love, a hope, a dream, a desire, took flesh in her just as it has in each woman anticipating the birth of God’s miracle. May all who gaze on this Mary feel her presence, her understanding, and her love as they journey to their own Bethlehems!
The lovely picture was unveiled and presented by Srs. Sandy Schwartz and Susan Scholl of the FSM leadership team.
Sr. Susan also presented to the director and board of Holy Family Services a monetary gift on behalf of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, acknowledging their deep gratitude and con- tinuing oneness with the purpose and goals of Holy Family.
The FSM present, in the name of all the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, then extended a spe- cial blessing to all those who would be involved in carrying this valuable and much needed ministry into the future.
Fiesta!
And then it was time to celebrate—with food and drink, laughter and visiting!
Srs. Rose and Jeanne served up the cake decorated with the image of Our Lady of Compas- sion. Cold soda and ice water took the edge off the heat of the summer’s day.
There was time to visit and share the wonderful memories and stories of Holy Family Services.
Sr. Anne Darlene Wojtowicz, one of the original founders of Holy Family Services, was on hand to celebrate. Molly, one of the new nurse midwives, revealed that she had been born at Holy Family. Maria Peña, who has been with Holy Family for many years, in- troduced several of her children who had been born there. It was a wonderful time of rejoicing, of sharing, of renewing old friendships and making new ones.
And while the celebration of gratitude was taking place in Casa Montaña, just across the way in one of the birthing suites at Holy Family, a mother rested for a little while with her new baby before they would get ready to leave for home.