How One Woman Helps Women in Guatemala Bloom at Casa Rosa: GIVEN Alumna Erin McHugh

“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”

–St. Thérèse of Lisieux

One of the GIVEN Institute’s main objectives is to accompany young women on their path to flourishing. GIVEN ’24 alumna Erin McHugh has applied this objective directly into her Action Plan, Casa Rosa, a mentoring community for young women in Guatemala and a ministry under her non-profit organization, EmpowerHer Guatemala. Erin explains how Casa Rosa is “a transition home where young women live in a safe and nurturing community while receiving mentorship, educational support, life skills training, and spiritual formation.” Through the fellowship provided at Casa Rosa, Erin helps these young women blossom into confident and capable daughters of God.

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Erin served with Franciscan Mission Service from 2015 to 2020. Her mission journey included several unexpected twists. Erin was first sent to Jamaica, where she served for four months before contracting Dengue fever and the Zika virus, forcing her to return home. After a six-months recovery, Erin returned to mission -this time in Guatemala. From January 2017 through 2019, Erin served as a lay missioner at Orfanato Valle de los Ángeles, a Franciscan boarding school in Guatemala City.

During this time, she built deep relationships with the girls at the school and embraced the Franciscan ministry of accompaniment, walking alongside others with presence, humility, and love. When the Covid-19 pandemic brought her mission to an unexpected pause, Erin returned to the United States. From 2020 to 2024, she completed her B.S. in Leadership from Creighton University. During this time, she also served as a house manager at a Catholic Worker house for immigrant women and children and worked for two years as a youth minister at her home parish.

While in Guatemala, she began to notice a need for accompaniment in the young women she served at Orfanato Valle de Los Angeles. The idea for Casa Rosa began to blossom as Erin observed the need for structural support and mentorship for these women after they graduated from the boarding school. She shares:

“The vision grew out of my years serving as a lay-missioner with Franciscan Mission Service in Guatemala, where I accompanied young women at Valle de los Ángeles, a Franciscan boarding school. I formed close relationships with many of the girls there, especially those preparing to graduate. As I walked with them, I began to see a difficult reality: after leaving the school, many young women had very few resources or support systems to continue their education or pursue their dreams.”

In 2024, Erin applied to participate in the GIVEN Catholic Young Women’s Leadership Program, including the GIVEN Forum in Washington, DC, to realize her dreams for her community back in Guatemala. She attended the GIVEN Forum to gain mentorship, leadership training, and spiritual formation to prepare for the founding of Casa Rosa. There, Erin met her GIVEN Mentor, Sister Mary Ignatius Skipper, who helped Erin materialize her Action Plan. Erin elaborates:

“This action plan came with many challenges. Some practical challenges included building something from nothing basically alone, starting my new nonprofit, EmpowerHer Guatemala, navigating this work in a foreign country, and forming trustworthy local partnerships while trusting God to provide for the mission…She also reminded me that what I was doing could only be possible through God’s grace and encouraged me to remain true to the unique calling God placed on my heart for this mission.”

In October 2025, Casa Rosa opened its doors to four residents. St. Thérèse of Lisieux is the namesake for Casa Rosa – “Rose House” in English – and Erin shared that the French saint’s guidance inspired the idea of a transition house. Erin explained that one day while praying in the chapel, the phrase “transition house” kept coming to mind. Erin then decided to pray a nine-day novena to St. Thérèse, who is often called “the Little Flower,” requesting a pink rose at the end of the novena as a sign to start Casa Rosa. Erin concluded that on the final day of the novena, she was given a pink rose.

As the patron saint of missionaries, St. Thérèse has played an influential role in Erin’s spiritual life and the development of Casa Rosa. She reflects:

“I am drawn to the word of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and particularly this quote: ‘The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.’ This reminds me to recognize the beauty and worth in every person, and especially in each young woman who steps through the doors of Casa Rosa.”

While Casa Rosa currently has two residents living in the community, Erin plans to invite up to four new women in the Fall ’26. So far, all of the residents have come from Orfanato Valle de Los Angeles, the boarding school where Erin served as a Franciscan missionary. In order to participate as a Casa Rosa resident, the women must go through an application process which includes a written application, letters of recommendation, and several rounds of in-person interviews.

Once accepted as a resident, they can live at Casa Rosa while pursuing a university degree or technical trade. As long as residents maintain their studies and respect household expectations, they can remain in the community until graduation. During their final year, Erin and the Casa Rosa volunteers – a team of Guatemalan locals – work with each young woman to create a transition plan to help prepare for the next step after leaving Casa Rosa.

Erin emphasizes that the heart of Casa Rosa’s mission is accompaniment for the residents and to create a community of empowerment. Residents share meals, participate in prayer, and divide up household responsibilities such as cooking and cleaning. Erin also adds that Casa Rosa provides logistical support so the residents can continue their education like academic scholarships and transit stipends for school commutes.

Erin reflects on one resident’s experience at Casa Rosa that made an impact on her. Josie came to Casa Rosa from a rural part of Guatemala and was very intimidated to move to Guatemala City for her nursing degree. Erin has known Maria since she was a little girl and was able to help her grow in confidence over time through tireless encouragement and mentorship. She says:

“It has been beautiful to witness Maria grow every day and see her leaning into her strengths. It reminds me why Casa Rosa exists. I feel deeply grateful to continue accompanying her and watch her bloom into the young woman God is calling her to become.”

Erin’s call to mentor young women mirrors the mission of the GIVEN Institute to “equip a new generation of female Catholic leaders for service to the Church and the world.” Erin’s leadership in Guatemala exemplifies GIVEN’s mission to help young women understand their God-given potential and use their talents to serve the needs of their communities. Please pray for Erin and the residents of Casa Rosa as they continue to reach their goals!