Catholic Moms' group offers fun and support

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Members of St. John the Baptist Parish's Catholic Moms & Kids Group are shown during a field trip to a local fire station.

DRAPER — Ah, summer: that much-anticipated time of the year, with long days and nice weather, with flowers blooming and outside activities for all. A group at St. John the Baptist Parish that aims to support families in the Catholic faith has already been taking full advantage of the season. The Catholic Moms & Kids Group is meeting regularly throughout the summer at parks and splash pads every Wednesday.

“The goal of the Catholic Moms group is to support each other and our families in our faith and motherhood through weekly play groups and monthly Moms Night Outs,” said Teresa Harke, the group organizer. Members of the Catholic Moms & Kids Group also provide baby showers and meal trains for expectant families in the Saint John the Baptist Parish community.

The parish’s Catholic Moms & Kids Group has been around a long time.

“I have been involved since I moved to Utah four years ago,” Harke said. “We have members who have been involved for over 10 years, and they know moms who were around before that.”

On June 8, 14 families got together at the first splash pad meetup for this summer.

“On any given week, we can average between four and 15 families,” said Harke. “There are over 60 families signed up for our weekly email updates.”

A group of this kind is important in making connections and feeling part of a community, she said.

“When I first moved to Utah, finding this amazing group of Catholic women and their families was a lifeline – which has been true for many of us,” she said, adding that the majority of the women who participate in the group moved to Utah from out of state and “made their first significant connections through this group.”

Being part of the Catholic Moms group also can deepen the faith of participants.

“We inspire one another to dig deeper into our Catholic faith and find strength through our relationships and support of one another,” Harke said.

In the Catholic Moms & Kids Group, the women can also find support as they share the experiences of motherhood and marriage, along with their struggles and their joys.

“We hope to establish a community of friendships that embrace our common faith, for both our children and ourselves,” Harke said.

Although the participants of the Catholic Moms & Kids Group attend St. John the Baptist Parish, “we welcome any moms, dads, and caregivers looking for support and friendship,” she said.

For information about the Catholic Moms & Kids Group, email catholicmoms@sjb-parish.org.