Every March since 1911, International Women’s Day has been held around the world. This is a very important and necessary recognition of the needs and struggles of women and girls. As women of faith we need to recognize the important qualities we bring and the essential contributions we can make to the Church’s mission and to God’s people, especially to other women and girls.
When thinking about women who have made a big impact by helping God’s people, one that is fresh in my mind is the story of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. A movie about her life, called Mother Cabrini, is being released in theaters starting on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024.
Mother Cabrini was an Italian Sister who was sent to the United States by Pope Leo XIII in March 1889 to serve the Italian immigrants and orphans. And serve she did! Even though Mother Cabrini faced many disappointments and difficulties upon arriving, she was full of hope and anticipation for her missionary work. For example, shortly after her arrival she was off on a daring mission to convince the Mayor of New York City to provide housing and healthcare for hundreds of orphaned children. Mother Cabrini embodied the true spirit of missionary work without counting the cost. What a powerful example of women’s contribution to the church and to society in general.
A Different Story For Women and Girls
On the one hand we have come very far in helping women overcome the oppression they have experienced throughout history—seeing their value and helping them achieve their full potential. Unfortunately, on the other hand, women are still the most mistreated demographic. Never before have we seen so much violence toward women. According to the United Nations, one in three girls and women around the world has been subjected to sexual and/or physical abuse at least once in their lives. The numbers are so disturbing that Pope Francis has referred to this crisis as “almost satanic.” Studies show that women who have been through abuse (of all types) have higher levels of fear, are more isolated, and face greater mental health problems.
Women are suffering and struggling in unprecedented ways. Teenage girls and young adult women are among the groups who are hurting the most. And sadly, in the aftermath of any of these traumatic events, women will sometimes resort to hurting themselves through cutting, eating disorders, and addictions. The darkness can go on for years if the women don’t receive proper care and healing from their traumas.
Having been molested and sexually assaulted at the tender age of eight years old while growing up in Brazil, and having suffered alone for many years, I can say that the darkness I lived in for most of my life was as dark as you can probably imagine. By the grace of God and with the assistance of my amazing holy priest, Father John Putnam, I have received healing that has completely changed my life. And now I feel a strong responsibility to help other women who are still hurting.
Responding To A Need
Healed and Restored was created in 2020 to fill a void and respond to a need that has been long overlooked in our society. It is a program that is 100% dedicated to helping women heal their bodies, minds, and spirits in the aftermath of abuse and other traumas. Our goal is to reach these young women as quickly as possible after they have gone through trauma. We help them realize that God desires to heal every single one of His beloved children. We teach them that the enemy is a master manipulator. As soon as a person gets hurt, the devil begins to plant all kinds of lies in her hurting soul. Some of these lies are: God doesn’t love you, everything that happened is your fault, you should be forever ashamed, and you will never find happiness.
Each of us has a story and our stories matter. You matter! The women we serve at Healed and Restored matter. Many are being inspired and compelled to share their stories with others. We are committed to sharing stories of hope and transformation so that women will know that lasting healing and full restoration is possible, because Christ is the One who provides this freedom.
The Mission
The Healed and Restored mission is to transform female victims of trauma and assault into strong survivors who positively impact the world, believe their worthiness, and feel God's love. The vision is to strengthen women who are suffering after physically and mentally traumatic experiences through therapy, workshops, and retreats. Grounded in Catholic teachings and holistic programs, women are being transformed and experiencing God's tremendous healing power as they learn to embrace their identity as beloved daughters of God.
Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe, faith-filled home for women to reside for a period of time and receive mind, body, spirit and soul care, free of charge. We are currently looking for a house to rent in the Charlotte area in North Carolina so we can get our residential program up and running.
As of now, women in need of our services come to us through various different sources—clergy, other ministries, social media, and word of mouth. Since 2020, Healed and Restored has offered women a path to healing by way of therapy sessions, at no cost to them, and with healing-focused retreats both locally and in other states.
Women Helping Other Women
As someone who was very far away from God for a long time, believing in the lies the evil one instilled in me in the aftermath of the sexual abuse I suffered, I know how other victims of abuse often feel the same way. Living in a broken world such as ours, it’s hard to find a person who hasn’t gone through some type of trauma that has left scars in need of healing.
Christ is inviting us to be still and process our pain so that we may find healing for those hurting places of our hearts. And after we find healing, He asks that we may go forward in faith to spread it to others by allowing God to use us as wounded healers to a world that is in desperate need of God’s mercy and healing hands.
The many challenges women are facing in today’s society have made me realize a lot of different things. One of them is that we were never made to walk through the wilderness of our hurts and pain alone. At Healed and Restored we are building a community—a special sisterhood of women who are passionate about helping other women on their healing journey. Healed and Restored is assisting in the transformation of women’s lives. What a blessing and a privilege!
God has taken something the evil one meant for my destruction and is making it into something beautiful. When we find the type of community that welcomes us with love and provides us with a safe place to share our stories, that in turn becomes the encouragement we need to open up about our wounds and allow the perfect Wounded Healer Himself to heal us and remake us into the people He created us to be—before the wounds from trauma took over our bodies, minds, and spirits.
This past January, Healed and Restored hosted our Annual Bilingual Healing Retreat for Women at our Saint Mark parish in Huntersville, North Carolina. We had close to 140 women from all different ages and backgrounds join us for this important day. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully in all the speakers to bring the message of hope and healing to all the women present.
In many ways I am left amazed and in awe when witnessing how God is leading the mission of Healed and Restored in different ways as we support women in their healing journey. To be a part of God’s plan and to witness the enormous ripple effect that Healed and Restored is having in our communities makes my heart sing with joy.
Never could I have predicted that I would be where I am right now, dedicating so much of my time and energy to something that used to be my worst nightmare with such painful memories.
All of this has convinced me that there are times when God uses our deepest pain to propel us on the path to our greatest calling!
He only asks that we cooperate with Him by allowing Him to use our broken pieces so that He can make something beautiful out of it.
If you or someone you know could use the assistance of our highly trained and compassionate Catholic Therapists/Counselors and money is an issue, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by emailing info@healedandrestored.org for more information and guidance. Or if you feel called to be part of this mission by volunteering your time, talents, or treasures, we would love to hear from you. Together and guided by the Holy Spirit, we can make a difference in the life of those around us who are suffering.
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.”
// Matthew 11:28-29
Elza Spaedy grew up in Brazil in a large family of 7 brothers and 3 sisters. Since finding healing and restoration from the painful childhood trauma of sexual abuse, Elza has been on fire for the Lord, ready to let Him use her and her story to help heal others.
Elza is the author of three books- Freedom Through Christ; Healed and Restored; and Spiritual Mentoring, as well as a retreat leader. Elza founded Healed and Restored over 4 years ago- a non-profit ministry that helps women heal from all types of trauma and assault. Elza loves to entertain and enjoys preparing and sharing a great meal with family and friends. She lives with her family in Charlotte, NC. Find out more about her here www.healedandrestored.org
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