Help Mary Say “Yes” to God’s Call

Clearing Debt to in order to Live a Consecrated Life

TL;DR:

 • Mary is discerning a vocation to consecrated and religious life rooted in prayer, simplicity, and service.

 She carries $95,000 in debt from:

 • Earning an MA in Theology after two years as a missionary in Ireland.

 • Medical emergencies and chronic health issues requiring surgeries and hospital care.

 • A sudden job loss that forced her to relocate while still recovering.

  Several religious communities require this debt to be cleared before formal discernment or entrance. She currently works full time as a high school theology teacher and part time as a tutor, and volunteers with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.

 • Your support helps cover her debt and allows her to fully say “yes” to the Lord’s call

Dear friends in Christ,

My name is Mary, and I am asking for your help as I work to pay off $95,000 in student and medical debt that stands in the way of answering a call I believe God has placed on my heart—a call to a life of prayer, simplicity, and radical love in consecrated and religious life.

This debt is not the result of carelessness, but a consequence of faithfully responding to God over the years:

 • After two years serving as a missionary with NET Ministries in Ireland, I pursued a Master’s in Theology to deepen my formation and better serve in teaching and ministry.

 • A few years later, I endured a serious medical emergency that required surgeries and led to long-term hospital and care bills.

 • While recovering, I faced a sudden job loss, adding relocation and living expenses to the weight of my financial burden.

Despite these challenges, I have continued to pray, teach, serve, and discern. For over five years now, I have sensed a growing and deepening vocation to consecrated virginity and religious life.

I currently work full-time as a theology teacher, tutor part-time, and volunteer with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, accompanying youth, assisting with the poor, and giving spiritual support wherever I can. Yet this debt limits my ability to live freely and joyfully in God’s call. It also makes it difficult to travel for discernment visits or afford the medical care I still need.

Most religious communities require debt to be cleared before entrance or even extended visits. Organizations like the Laboure Society require an acceptance letter first—creating a discernment catch-22.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you. Your support would:

 • Free me to visit and seriously discern with religious communities.

 • Relieve financial pressure so I can better live a prayerful, missionary lifestyle even now.

 • Allow me to say “yes” with joy, freedom, and peace.

A Bit About Me

For those who don't know me, I'm Mary Molloy, currently serving as a high school theology teacher. I was blessed to grow up in a devout Catholic home where my parents instilled in me the importance of serving the marginalized and maintaining a rich prayer life. Some of my earliest memories include delivering food to the homebound, spending time with lonely residents in nursing homes, and sharing meals with people experiencing homelessness at the local soup kitchen my parents helped to run in Steubenville Ohio.

My faith journey deepened during a high school retreat when I experienced a profound encounter in Eucharistic Adoration. In that moment, I deeply knew that the Eucharist truly is Jesus, and that He loved me completely and personally. This awakening led me to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Catechetics and Theology with a concentration in Youth Ministry from Franciscan University. Following graduation, I embraced missionary work with National Evangelization Teams (NET) in Ireland, spending two years evangelizing throughout the country.

During my missionary service, I frequently met young people and adults yearning to know Jesus. Many expressed that had someone introduced them to Christ and addressed their questions earlier, they wouldn't have spent precious time disconnected from their faith. These encounters stirred something within me, revealing my need for deeper formation to serve more effectively. During this discernment period, my father's sudden passing intensified my desire to understand God as Father in my own life.

I returned to Franciscan University of Steubenville to earn my Master's in Theology. While there, I dedicated my spring breaks to missions in inner-city Chicago, working with homeless individuals—particularly survivors of trafficking and abuse. This profoundly moving experience shaped my following years as I led retreats and discipleship trainings nationwide.

Eventually, I accepted a wonderful teaching position in Texas, yet felt an internal restlessness regarding my vocation. I still longed to surrender everything to God while simultaneously wanting to follow my own path within my comfort zone. During my first year teaching, I experienced a medical emergency that nearly resulted in septic shock. Shortly afterward, when COVID lockdowns began, I developed long COVID, leaving me severely ill for months under the care of multiple doctors.

This health struggle deepened my prayer life beyond anything I'd previously experienced. During my recovery, I listened to an online parish mission by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal that resonated deeply within me, touching my heart in ways I couldn't articulate.

After recovering, I contacted Friars I knew, initially expressing interest in volunteering. These conversations evolved into regular spiritual direction and a growing awareness of my attraction to Religious/Consecrated life. I relocated to New York for closer accompaniment and formation. Just as I was settling in, I faced another crisis—unexpectedly losing my job and having to relocate quickly to maintain employment.

Through these challenges—or perhaps because of them—my time in service, struggle, and prayer has clarified one thing: I feel called to belong solely to God. I'm currently in conversation with a couple Orders, and the primary obstacle to my discernment and eventual entrance is the substantial debt accumulated from medical expenses, job loss, and student loans.

I humbly ask for your support through both donations and prayers to help me overcome this obstacle and pursue my vocation.

In His Heart,

Mary

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)