Being Maternal Outside the Home

Taryn DeLong shares some ways women can be spiritual mothers to others beyond their own families.

As CatholicMom.com readers, we are all most likely mothers of children. But how often do we consider ways in which we are spiritual mothers as well—how we can be maternal outside of our home, with people beyond our immediate family?

Here are just a few examples:

Mothers as Entrepreneurs

In a recent article for Catholic Women in Business, economist Clara Piano wrote that maternal creativity can spur women to create solutions to problems that women (mothers or not) face in their daily lives. As examples, she pointed to Natural Womanhood, Amma (creators of stylish nursing covers), and WildBird (which sells baby slings).

Similarly, my co-president at Catholic Women in Business, Elise Crawford Gallagher, has written that her path to entrepreneurship began with hearing God’s voice tell her, “You are my little mother.” Starting a business or other organization provides women with a channel to live out their feminine creativity and leadership.

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Mothers as Community Leaders

Other forms of leadership are open to women. In fact, throughout much of modern history, mothers have been critical leaders of civic, philanthropic, and educational organizations. Once their children are in school, many stay-at-home mothers, rather than returning to full-time paid work, use their newfound free time to volunteer their skills in service to others. One 2016 survey found that almost one-fourth of full-time moms volunteer in their community.

When I was in elementary school, my mom and younger sister were constantly in and out of my brothers’ and my school. My parents led the PTA, splitting the tasks between them based on time and skill. Far from “staying at home,” my mother was just as much a leader as my father was when he went into the office. Seeing her volunteer gave me an example of feminine servant leadership.

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Mothers as Mentors

In 2021, soon after my daughter was born, a woman I knew online moved to my area. She is also a Catholic mom and writer, but her children are grown. We started getting together periodically for breakfast or coffee. Our conversations always leave me feeling comforted, encouraged, and more confident as a mother.

Of course, I have my own mother to look to for advice and love. But there is something beautiful about having a mentor as well—a spiritual mother to help you along the rocky road of motherhood. If nothing else, the fact that she doesn’t share my blood makes her mentorship all the more generous.

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How often do we consider ways in which we are spiritual mothers outside of our home, with people beyond our immediate family? #CatholicMom

Edith Stein (later Sister, and now Saint, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) wrote in “The Significance of Women’s Intrinsic Value in National Life":

Everywhere the need exists for maternal sympathy and help, and thus we are able to recapitulate in the one word motherliness that which we have developed as the characteristic value of woman. Only, the motherliness must be that which does not remain within the narrow circle of blood relations or of personal friends; but in accordance with the model of the Mother of Mercy, it must have its root in universal divine love for all who are there, belabored and burdened.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us!

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