More than 50 moms came together Oct. 15 at Mariah Hills in Dodge City for the first ever "Mom to Mom" gathering, a two-hour evening of prayer, sharing, and a good dose of socializing, as well.

"We think women can sometimes share better without the distractions of children -- and men," said Coleen Stein, laughing. Stein serves as director of the Interactive Television office for the Diocese of Dodge City. She and Sister Gemma Doll, OP, Coordinator of Cultural Formation, formed the group in hopes of creating a relaxing atmosphere where "moms could share their life and their faith."

The two-hour gathering starts with an ice breaker such as "babble," in which participants break into pairs and each person speaks for 30 seconds based on a single word. "It’s a way to get to know each other without being subconscious about yourself," Sister Gemma explained. "After each person speaks for 30 seconds, you switch partners. We used the words ‘mother,’ ‘family,’ ‘holidays,’ and ‘joy.’"

Then there is prayer, in this case, the Word Working form of prayer, which was particularly inviting to those non-Catholics who attended. Word Working involves reading the same scripture passage three times, each time reflecting on the passage in a different way, including discerning "what the passage is calling us to do or change as Christians."

"A lot of women weren’t Catholic, and they have a stereotype of what a Catholic is," Stein explained. "When we did Word Working, they said, ‘Wow. You’re taking Scripture and talking about how we can use it in our daily lives.’ They saw Catholicism in a new light."

"They also saw those of another culture in a new light," Sister Gemma added. As Coordinator of Cultural Formation, Sister Gemma was delighted with the mix of Anglo and Hispanic moms in attendance, saying that the event became a bridge between cultures.

"Just sitting together and eating and having casual conversation, they began to see each other as individuals," Sister Gemma said. "I think it was generally felt that we need to do more to be open to another culture."

The group ate together, they played bingo, and they talked – not about any pre-subscribed topic, but about … well, whatever anyone wanted to discuss. Being a mom apparently provides more than a little fodder for conversation.

For their first meeting, Stein and Sister Gemma chose to invite moms from Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Dodge City. While future gatherings won’t necessarily focus on a single establishment and may instead be open to any mom who wishes to attend, having the first meeting focus on school moms allowed participants to "build more trust, collaboration and involvement in the children’s school," Stein said.

Their hope is that "Mom to Mom" groups will form around the diocese, and will eventually culminate on a diocesan-wide, day-long "Women to Women" gathering.

"It was almost like moms were wanting something that was social," Stein said. "I think everyone really enjoyed it. Many who didn’t come said that they wished they had."

The date of the next "Mom to Mom" meeting has not yet been set. In the mean time, those wishing to form a "Mom to Mom" gathering in their area should call Stein at (620) 227-1538, or Sister Gemma at (620) 227-1542.