“I truly believed in how Mother Teresa lived: ‘a life not lived for others, is not a life.”
Renee Ott
When Renee Ott was a little girl, she wanted to be a nun like Mother Teresa, dedicating her life to the poor and sick.
“I said, ‘I’m going to be her someday,’” Ott remembers. “Mostly because of her compassion and kindness for the poor and neglected children. I wanted to save the world.”
God had another plan. The cradle Catholic married her high school sweetheart after college and was a stay-at-home mom to three boys for 12 years. But her original calling never left her heart. She earned her master’s degree in teaching and began work at a Title 1 school where more than 75 percent of the students are considered low-income.
As she served young students who sometimes face hunger and trauma daily, Ott felt she was doing what she was supposed to be doing.
“I truly believed in how Mother Teresa lived: ‘a life not lived for others, is not a life,’” Ott said.
The elementary school teacher, volunteer Eucharistic minister and sacristan was nominated to be Disciple of the Month for being “other-centered” in so many areas of her life.
“She always goes above and beyond with acts of love and mercy, whether the situation calls for condolence, a visit, support, prayer, celebration or just being present,” said Bob Kreger, a fellow parishioner at Light of the World.
Ott is other centered as she develops long-lasting relationships with her students. One troubled boy she taught was forced to leave the school three quarters of the way into the year and was placed into a foster care and needed state-supported health care for his anger issues. Ott was not able to maintain a connection with the boy for privacy reasons.
Years later, state workers asked the teenager, “have you ever felt cared for?” He replied that his third-grade teacher Mrs. Ott did. When Ott was informed, she jumped at the chance to become part of the teenager’s reunification program and was able to experience visits together and reconnect that special bond.
She lost touch with young man in recent years, but prays he feels safe wherever he is and would love to hear from him again.
Ott recently reflected on living her life for others like she desired to do as a little girl.
“I was called to support kids impacted by trauma, poverty and drug abuse … I really feel I am able to do the work that I wanted – what I am supposed to do,” she said.
Congratulations, Renee Ott, for being the Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal, “Disciple of the Month.”
If you know someone else who is courageously spreading the Gospel, please share his or her story with us at archden.org/give/nominate and they may become the next “Disciple of the Month.”
The Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal funds over 40 ministries that are sharing the Gospel every day.