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 Indeed, all things are possible with God, and the Silence of Mary Home, is proof of the pudding. Never did Mrs. Sue Rudy and her husband Vern, ever dream that they would own and run a home that provided sanctuary, food, and a family structure with stability, morals, and Christian values to homeless and at-risk teens.
Sue Rudy was no stranger to this way of life, for as a child her parents fed the hungry and gave shelter to the homeless. The seeds were well planted, and when she married, it too was a natural way of life for both her and her husband Vern, to help others. They are a deep faith filled family, with three children of there own. Both Sue and her husband Vern worked in their parish's Caring Community Outreach Program. It was at this time they began to take homeless people, young and old, into their Lewisberry farm home.
More and more teens found there way from Allison Hill section, (known as one of the poorest and most crime-ridden neighborhood of Harrisburg), to the Rudy's farm. Due to the fact that these kids come from a different county, and they could not get the assistance needed from social service agencies, so they prayed and consider looking for a home to buy in the Allison Hill area of Harrisburg to house these children. In 1999 on pure faith and trust in God they bought a house using their own money. The Rudy's were not a wealthy family (monetarily) and took a leap in faith, knowing that our Lord never abandons us and He would find the way. The kids far out weight any Risk. The Holy Spirit would lead the way. And so in April of 1999, The Silence of Mary Home was born.
Word got around and before you knew it people began to come, young, old, mom's with their babies. Castaway, runaway, youth from broken or troubled families. Young immigrants and refugees newly arrived in the United States. Many of those who come to the Silence of Mary Home are victims of physical or emotional abuse. They come because they have only known the foster system and don't have family members in a position to help them, and some have been in the juvenile detention system.
There are those too, who suffer from serious illnesses and come to the home to die in dignity. Others are mentally challenged or have behavioral problems that make it impossible for them to stay in the city shelters.
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