As Catholics, we are pro-life for the whole life. This includes caring for women and their children holistically. Mater Filius, a new maternity home in Colorado Springs, has just opened with that mission in mind.
In September 2020, pro-life activist Lisa Schmitz was praying for her next step when God told her to bring a maternity home to Colorado Springs. As it turned out, three more members of the pro-life community had also experienced the same call in prayer. So the four of them began the work of bringing Mater Filius to town.
Mater Filius is an independent Catholic non-profit apostolate of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. The home is based on the model of the international Mater Filius program. Mater Filius of Colorado Springs is also in the Catholic Directory as a certified Catholic organization.
When explaining the approach taken at Mater Filius, Schmitz said “We are beyond housing, we are a full program.” Women who come to stay at the home are encouraged to work or attend school, and they can come at any point during their pregnancy and stay until their baby is eight months old.
The home also welcomes pregnant women with children ages five and under into the home and provides a Christian children’s education program for kids aged six weeks to three years old.
The women attend three workshops a week on topics like spirituality, parenting tips, and life skills. Each woman also receives a mentor to help form her and create a personalized plan. “We really try to help them find their own goals,” Schmitz said.
Mater Filius relies on members of the Diocesan community for support but is seeking the support of the broader pro-life community. It is a volunteer-driven ministry so there are few paid positions, which helps to keep operating costs low. Ultimately, Schmitz said, the Lord is their support and will provide for them. “We know that it’s Our Lady’s house and we pray and we know that she and the Lord provide what we need.”
While building the home, the Mater Filius team said they often saw their prayers answered in nine-month increments–fitting for a maternity home. Though construction lasted two years longer than anticipated, many blessings were found in the delay. More volunteers were trained than otherwise would have been possible, and they became better prepared to serve the women they would finally encounter.
Mater Filius has seen an immediate change in women who arrive at the home since its opening in March 2024.
The women finally find themselves in a safe place. They start opening up to the future again and begin creating new goals for themselves – which Mater Filius helps them achieve.
“We’re dealing with real women with real-life problems and they’re heroes,” Schmitz said, “they chose life for their baby.”
Lisa Schmitz
Though Mater Filius is a Catholic organization, the staff meet women where they are in their faith journey. The women often explore the faith they were raised with and lost, discovered at a later age, or have had their entire lives. Over time, many women become curious about Catholicism and begin asking questions and seeking more from the Church.
One of the most beautiful parts of women’s experience in the home is the sisterly bond they form with one another. Schmitz told an inspiring story about when the women came together in support of another resident. One of the women in the house was preparing to take her GED test, and when the day came, the rest of the women gathered together in the chapel attached to the house to pray for her success. It was an incredible example of increased faith and love for God and each other.
Looking to the future, Mater Filius hopes to help each woman it serves to become self-sustainable with her family going forward. “We want her to be whole and happy and self-sufficient and a good mother for her children,” Schmitz said. If women believe in themselves, it will change the community for generations to come.
To help with their mission, Mater Filius is looking for recurring monthly donors to increase its reliable income. If you are interested in supporting this mission or learning more about it, please visit the home’s website here.
“Our Lady wants the whole community involved,” Schmitz said.
Photos and final home design provided by Make it a Home.
