Impact Stories

Introducing The Word Among Us Partners Hardship Ministry

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
—Matthew 25:40

God calls us to care for those in challenging circumstances who long to hear a word of hope or experience his comfort. So then, when the Lord meets us following this earthly life, we will be judged by the deeds of mercy that we did for the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters.

For the past several years, The Word Among Us Partners has received many requests to send The Word Among Us to those in the most difficult situations—people in homeless shelters, addiction treatment centers, hospitals, and senior living and healthcare centers. Directors and volunteers in these facilities share with us the desperate need for individuals they serve to come to know God’s love through our publication.

Because of these requests and generous donors like you, we created our newest ministry to fill this need: The Word Among Us Partners Hardship Ministry.

In 2021, we began sharing the Gospel of good news with Catholics facing homelessness, illness and injury, and addiction, as well as those in need of long-term healthcare assistance. Our goal in 2022 is to send The Word Among Us to 10,000 Catholics who live in these shelters and care centers.

We are grateful to bring God’s light to those who may be facing their darkest times. With your prayers and support, this new ministry will continue to grow!

Prison Ministry, Mass Editions

“In prison, I lost my motivation to follow God. I asked him, ‘Do I matter to you anymore? Please, show me a sign.’ One day, I noticed a booklet on top of a trash can but paid it no mind. But halfway to my cell, I walked back and grabbed it. I turned it over—it was The Word Among Us. Suddenly, I realized I had received my sign! I have read it ever since.”
—Tommy, California

Thousands of people like Tommy find forgiveness, find God, and often convert or deepen their faith in prison. The Word Among Us Partners and its generous donors help restore hope to 84,000 men and women in prison every month with the gift of The Word Among Us!

To reach our incarcerated brothers and sisters, we created a Special Inmate Edition of the magazine that we distribute across the United States and Canada.

In 2019, many chaplains brought to our attention that inmates rarely have access or have minimal access to a Bible. So, we decided to try to include the daily Mass readings in all future editions.

Thanks to generous donors like you, we were able to start sending the Mass editions to inmates. We continue to raise funds and are so grateful for the outpouring of support we receive.

We’re so blessed to bring Christ’s love and daily Mass readings to men and women in prison. With your prayers and support, this outreach will continue to grow!

Pregnancy Hope and Healing Ministry, Support After Abortion Booklets

“I was thinking about ending my life after my abortion. Support After Abortion really helped me realize that I was not alone.”
—Client, Support After Abortion

Recent research has shown that 90 percent of women and men do not know where to go for healing after an abortion and that nearly 70 percent of people seeking support after an abortion are not looking for a faith-based approach to healing. This startling statistic prompted The Word Among Us Partners to join with Support After Abortion to create a resource to meet this large percentage of women and men where they are.

Because of our generous donors, we republished faith-based after-abortion prayer booklets and created new a steppingstone to faith booklet series. The Support After Abortion: Keys to Hope and Healing booklets are an approach to connecting with women and men who desire healing but may not be ready to hear that they are loved and forgiven by God.

We believe that when we meet people where they are with a resources like Keys to Hope and Healing, we can serve as a steppingstone to healing and the spiritual awakening that is likely to follow. Because of your donations, the first printing of these booklets has topped 50,000 copies. They are being sent out to pregnancy care centers and ministries all around the country and beyond.

Various ministries report that the booklets change lives and bring people into God's love and forgiveness, no matter where they are in their journey.

Military Ministry, Global Pandemic

“Thank you for supporting our troops! Donations like yours serve as a reminder to our troops that people back home are always thinking of them.”
—U.S. Army

Because of legacy gifts and donations, The Word Among Us Partners sends The Word Among Us to more than 33,000 Catholics in the military. During global unrest and global pandemics, the light of Jesus Christ shines brightly among our brothers and sisters in the armed forces.

Donations make is possible for Partners to meet the ever-changing needs of the military, particularly those deployed oversees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, we supplied The Word Among Us to our young men and women in an aviation unit. They had 20 catholic parishioners in the battalion as well as soldiers from a partnering brigade that would accompany them at Mass and other Catholic celebrations. 2020 was a difficult time for many, but the soldiers deeply appreciated the words, support, and hope found in the magazine's pages during deployment and time away from their families.

During a lot of their time in theater, the Chapel was closed. Many soldiers, no matter their religious preference, had no place to go for faith needs. In times like these, The Word Among Us was a source of spiritual food and comfort for our troops. We also heard from the chaplains who used the teachings and guidance from the magazine as they performed spiritual care and counseling to soldiers. We are honored to support these brave men and women who serve and give so freely.