This little piece of advice helped Amanda Montague evangelize the Gospel on a mission trip to Italy this March: Don’t tell anyone you’re a missionary.
In Florence, Italy, Montague, 21, of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, N.J., took a subtle approach while spreading the Gospel — in such an unlikely location. She and fellow members of Chi Alpha, a non-denominational Christian college group, gently introduced Jesus into their witness talks to students at local middle schools, high schools and universities.
For Montague, it was a deeply personal mission, which gave her opportunities to speak specifically about her Catholic faith, which gave her the strength to recover from a serious injury that almost sidelined her trip. Back in December, a grief-stricken Montague called on her faith, praying for —and receiving — Jesus’s comfort after her mother, Marcey Lea, died unexpectedly at 51.
“I felt compelled to go on the mission trip to share my testimony. My mother’s death tested my Catholic faith, but it grew stronger. Jesus had my back the whole time,” said Montague, who joined Chi Alpha while a student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. In May, she graduated there with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. “In bad times, Jesus is close to the brokenhearted,” she said.
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Montague took advantage of subtle opportunities to bring up her Catholic faith. When students were divided into groups after the missionaries’ presentations, she asked whether they attended church or celebrated Easter. She also started a conversation when she noticed a young lady wearing a crucifix pendant.
Florence might seem an unusual spot for a Christian mission trip, not an impoverished part of the world in need of assistance, such as Haiti. But Montague said only 20 percent of Italians today are active Catholics.
“Italy needs a huge spiritual renewal. They need Jesus and the Gospel,” said Montague, a native of Wantage, N.J., who studied abroad in Florence last year.
Montague’s spiritual renewal took time. An only child, she received her sacraments at St. Jude’s but didn’t feel connected to her faith. That changed when she went to James Madison.
“I missed church — the community, rituals, and prayers,” said Montague, who joined Catholic Campus Ministry along with Chi Alpha. “I love the Catholic saints. We honor them as role models who pray for us. I love the rhythm of the Catholic Mass — singing songs of praise and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. Through the Church, I have a personal relationship with Christ,” she said.
That relationship grew stronger late last year after Montague drove from Virginia to Morristown to visit her mother, who had been hospitalized in a coma after suffering a heart attack.
While praying in the hospital chapel, Montague and a friend encountered an unknown woman. This woman sat down and prayed with them, held Montague as she sobbed, and proclaimed, “Everything is going to be OK.”
“The woman was an angel — a blessing from the Lord who gave me an extra week with my mother, even if it wasn’t what I wanted to happen,” said Montague, adding that her mother died of another heart attack.
Early this year, Montague raised the $2,500 needed for the trip from St. Jude’s parishioners during a weekend she petitioned them after Masses. Her plans almost ended after she shattered and dislocated her right knee in a skiing accident. Coordinators originally prohibited her from going, but later relented. She hobbled around Florence’s cobblestone streets on crutches.
This month, Montague is moving to South Carolina to start an internship with a non-profit that provides mental health support to military personnel at a military base. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling for veterans and military personnel, with a concentration in Christian counseling.
A few years ago, Montague impressed Father Michael Rodak, St. Jude’s pastor, when she launched a successful coat drive for the poor.
“Amanda has great ambition as a planner and evangelizer. I think that throughout her life, she will continue to lead projects that do good for other people,” Father Rodak said.
