A Sacred Yes: How FMS Shaped My Life of Mission and the Birth of Casa Rosa

Franciscan Mission Service has profoundly shaped how I view my lifelong call to mission—not as something I do, but as a way of being. When I first said “yes” to serve as a lay missioner, I didn’t fully know what I was stepping into, but that yes changed everything.

Through formation and mission, I learned the value of presence—the power of simply being with people. Not fixing their problems. Not rushing to offer solutions. Just showing up, time and time again, to let them know they matter and are worthy of love.

I also came to understand radical hospitality—not just opening a door or offering a meal, but opening my heart. It wasn’t about having much to give, but about offering the little I had—with deep love. FMS taught me that mission is about presence, humility, and solidarity. It’s about walking alongside others, honoring their dignity, and responding when a real need reveals itself. That spirit shaped every step of my journey.

It began nearly ten years ago when I first said yes to FMS, which eventually led me to Guatemala in 2017. I didn’t arrive with a plan—just a willingness to be present, to listen, and to love. Over time, a need revealed itself. While serving at Valle de los Ángeles, a Franciscan boarding school, I was especially drawn to the girls approaching graduation. These young women had grown up in a structured, loving environment. But when they left, many returned to families they hadn’t lived with in years. The transition was overwhelming—some lacked emotional or financial support, and many didn’t know their next step.

At first, all I could offer was my presence. So, I organized a retreat—no big program, just a sacred space to remind them: You are loved. The next year, the girls began sharing more. Some couldn’t continue studying because they couldn’t afford tuition or transportation. Others lived hours from the nearest university or felt pressure to work instead of pursue their dreams. I carried their stories to prayer, and one phrase kept echoing: transition house.

What if there was a safe, stable place where girls could live after graduation? A home where they could keep studying, work part-time, and receive mentorship as they transitioned into adulthood? A place where they could continue becoming the women God created them to be?

That vision—rooted in their stories—was the seed of Casa Rosa.

It stayed with me. Over the next few years, as I returned to the U.S., I kept discerning—carrying that same spirit of presence into every role I stepped into.

While pursuing a degree in Organizational Leadership at Creighton University, I held onto the belief that leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about service. It’s about being a compassionate presence that creates safe spaces where people can truly flourish.

Later, as house manager of a Catholic Worker home for migrant women and children, I learned presence in an even deeper way. It wasn’t just about offering shelter—it was about building a home. A place where every person who walked through the door felt safe, seen, and accompanied. A place where someone went the extra mile to say: You matter. We’re with you.

That same spirit followed me into youth ministry at my home parish. The program had lost momentum, but I didn’t focus on numbers. I focused on the youth in front of me—reminding them their voices, questions, and faith mattered. That they had a place to grow and belong.

All of this led me—slowly and beautifully—back to mission. I loved walking with young people in their faith, but deep down, my heart remained tethered to Guatemala. I knew there was still more for me.

In April 2024, I took a leap of faith. I stepped away from my job and returned to Guatemala. And immediately, I felt it: peace, clarity, home. Reconnecting with the girls, hearing their stories once again, I knew I couldn’t just visit anymore. The vision returned—with full clarity. And I said yes, again.

In November 2024, I founded EmpowerHer Guatemala, a nonprofit committed to supporting and empowering young women, and dedicated to the mission of Casa Rosa. Casa Rosa is a transition home designed to give young women the holistic support they need to step into adulthood with confidence, independence, and spiritual strength.

Casa Rosa was never just an idea. It was a call. A whisper that became a fire. What began as a quiet tug on my heart grew into a home—rooted in love, fueled by faith, and carried forward by community.

Now, after nearly eight years in Guatemala, that steady presence has grown into deep relationships—built on trust, mutual respect, and shared purpose. These aren’t just partnerships.

Finally, I want to share one final story that embodies the spirit of Casa Rosa and the transformative power of accompaniment that FMS taught me. As I begin this new mission, I find myself in awe of God’s faithfulness. It may begin with the very girls who were just third graders when I first came to Guatemala—the same girls I tutored every afternoon.

While we don’t yet know who the first official residents of Casa Rosa will be, I often think of Isabella,* who reflects the very heart of this mission.

I met Isabella* in 2017, shortly after arriving in Guatemala. She was in third grade then—a gentle soul with a quiet joy, always by my side whether we were braiding hair, playing cards, coloring, or simply sitting together in silence.

Isabella* lives nearly five hours from the city and is one of six siblings, most of whom have also attended Valle. She’s the second oldest, and in many ways, she reminds me of myself. When she was younger, she’d often stay with me in the afternoons because she needed a little extra help with her schoolwork. She wasn’t the fastest learner, but she was determined and hardworking. She never gave up and always gave her best, earning good grades. Even now, she may not be the quickest in her class, but she is every bit as intelligent and capable as anyone else.

We share a special bond.  We joke around often, but beneath the laughter is a deep love and mutual respect—rooted in years of walking together, and caring not just for her, but for her family. Watching her grow into a young woman with a clear vision has been a gift—and a true testament to accompaniment and God’s timing.

When I reflect on this mission, four words continue to guide me: vocation, accompaniment, community, and surrender. These values, learned through Franciscan Mission Service, now shape everything I do with Casa Rosa—walking alongside young women with love, building a supportive community, and trusting God’s plan. FMS didn’t just send me on mission; it formed me for a life of mission. For that, I am deeply grateful.

*name changed for privacy

Question for Reflection: How has God revealed your call to lifelong mission?

Photos from Erin McHugh