Gift of Mary
The Heart of our Mission
Guided by the humility of Mary and her trustful surrender to God’s will, Gift of Mary seeks to advance the work of Move A Mountain by embodying Christ’s compassionate presence in the heart of the city. By serving as a safe haven for vulnerable women, forming missionaries with hearts modeled after the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and leading others to transformative encounters with Christ through friendship with the poor, we strive to make Mary’s “yes” a living reality today.
HOW WE SERVE
Day Center for Vulnerable Women
The Day Center for vulnerable women operates in collaboration with the Red Door Ministry of Divine Mercy Parish, which provides the physical space, meals, and other essentials to care for the women. Gift of Mary, staffs and animates the ministry through our missionaries and the TOR Sisters, who extend hospitality, prayer, and practical support. The center serves women experiencing homelessness, poverty, or other vulnerabilities, meeting immediate needs while building enduring relationships that affirm dignity and foster hope. It is a place of renewal, where woman are reminded that they are the beloved daughters of God.
Urban Immersion Mission Trips
Gift of Mary hosts short-term urban immersion experiences for high school, college, and parish groups. These multi-day trips combine hands-on service, prayer, community and encounter with those living on the margins. The experience will also include an opportunity to visit and worship in Pittsburgh’s most beloved Sacred places. Through serving at the Red Door, Women’s Day Center, and other local ministries, participants gain a deeper awareness of Christ’s presence in the poor and return home with a renewed missionary zeal. Participants will stay in our Mission Center located in the heart of the city which can accommodate up to 26 mission team members.
Women’s Missionary Program
The Gift of Mary Missionary Program is an intentional formation and service community for women discerning a call to missionary discipleship. Missionaries live together in a formation home leased by Gift of Mary from Regina Coeli Parish, where they share daily prayer, community life, and ongoing formation. From this base, they serve in the heart of the city, operating the Women’s Day Center and leading Urban Immersion Mission Trips. Their formation emphasizes Eucharistic spirituality, Marian devotion, servant leadership, and solidarity with the poor—shaping them into missionary disciples who carry this charism into their future vocations and ministries.
Friendship with the Most Vulnerable
Friendship with the most vulnerable is at the heart of the Gift of Mary. In these encounters, we discover Christ’s presence — tender, healing, and transformative — for both those who come to serve and those who come seeking love. These voices share what that friendship looks like — moments of grace and transformation that reveal how service, prayer, and compassion draw us closer to one another and to God.
“Gift of Mary is a place of being ‘on mission’ for the Lord.”
-Mission trip participant
“What is Gift of Mary to me? It means hope.”
-Day Center participant
“This is the most impactful mission trip that I have experienced, truly transformational.”
-Mission trip participant
