By Kathy-Ann Gobin
NORWALK – When Immacula Bercy felt alone, the soon-to-be single mother found Malta House. It not only changed her life for the better, but put her son on the road to success.
That was 12 years ago. Now, her son Rafael will be attending Notre Dame High School in Fairfield on a partial arts and academic scholarship.
“I was blessed to find Malta House and to experience good people at Malta House,” said Bercy, who immigrated from Haiti many years ago. “Malta House is where I gained the skills to survive in the United States.”
Bercy said having a child without family support was tough.
“Malta House was that family for me that supported me and my son,” she said.
Malta House is a welcoming place of refuge, empowering homeless and at-risk pregnant and parenting mothers of all faiths, and provides a nurturing home environment, support services and independent living skills.
Malta House is a non-profit organization supported by the generosity of volunteers, communities, donations and fundraising efforts.
Next month, award-winning Christian music artist Mark Schultz will perform a benefit concert for Malta House at Fairfield University’s Quick Center on March 15 at 7 pm.
The contemporary Christian music artist has ten #1 hit singles and has sold more than two million records in a career that spans two decades. Schultz, adopted at the age of two weeks and raised by loving parents, has performed more than 200 concerts to benefit crisis pregnancy centers, orphanages and adoption agencies across the country.
Schultz will be playing new music along with his many hits, which include “He’s My Son,” “I Am,” “Remember Me” and “Everything to Me.” His hit single, “Everything to Me,” is about his life and gratitude to his birth mother.
“I wanted to write a song for birth mothers, so that they could hear how grateful I am to my own birth mom and how she made the choice to give me life,” he has stated in previous interviews.
Schultz performed at Fairfield University last year on an invitation from Deacon Stephen Hodson, of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Weston.
Hodson, who enjoys Christian music, happened upon Schultz’s music while searching for other Christian artists on YouTube.
“Mark is more than just a performer,” Hodson said. “His story aligns so perfectly with what Malta House does,” adding that Schultz’s efforts have raised awareness and financial support for crisis pregnancy centers.
Hodson invited Malta House Founder Michael O’Rourke to the concert last year and the two decided to collaborate for a benefit concert this year.
“Mark told a story about every song,” O’Rourke said. “He was engaging. He was real. He makes it easy for you to listen to him.”
Both O’Rourke and Hodson hope the concert will bring awareness to Malta House and the need to help pregnant women and their children in crisis.
Malta House has helped hundreds of mothers and their children, much like Bercy and her son Rafael, on the path to healthy successful life.
“She’s always been devout,” O’Rourke said of Bercy. “She’s always been a beautiful woman inside and outside, and it doesn’t surprise me that her son is turning out to be a wonderful young man.”
The concert fundraiser for Malta House focuses on music about faith and family.
That family of support is growing for Bercy and her son as he prepares to graduate All Saints Elementary School in Norwalk and attend Notre Dame High School in Fairfield.
“I understand what a blessing Malta House has been to this family, and we are thrilled Raphael wanted to come to Notre Dame,” said Notre Dame principal Dr. Christopher Cipriano, adding that he met Rafael at an honors reception and was impressed with the eighth-grader’s maturity and professionalism.
“He is the type of student we love to have at Notre Dame,” he said.
Cipriano said about 20 percent of the incoming freshman class receive an academic scholarship and about 10 percent receive an arts scholarship. It’s that scholarship and financial aid assistance that has made all the difference for Bercy.
“I thought it was impossible and it happened,” Bercy said. “For me, it was a dream, but there’s nothing God cannot do.”
Reflecting on her journey, Bercy said, “Things were very difficult for me. I said, ‘I will not have an abortion. I will raise my son so people can count on him.’
“Malta House is a place God wanted me to go and experience,” Bercy said. “That experience impacted my son and the world.”
Mark Schultz will perform a Christian music benefit concert at Fairfield University’s Quick Center on March 15, 2024 at 7 pm. There will be a private Meet & Greet for sponsors from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the Green room within the Quick Center. Tickets cost $50 for general seating and $30 for seniors, veterans, & students at https://fairfield.evenue.net/events/REN0315 or by phone by calling 203.254.4010.
