Altus family shines through its blended parts

National Stepfamily Day is celebrated annually on Sept. 16

There are few, if any, examples of “perfect families.” Even the New and Old Testaments reveal all sorts of family issues – divorces, deaths of spouses, adoptions, stepparents and blended families are detailed throughout the Bible.

In 1893, Pope Leo XIII designated the Holy Family as a model for Catholics to emulate. Pope Benedict XV designated the Feast Day on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day, celebrated this year on Dec. 28.

The feast honors the Holy Family for placing God at the center of their lives and serving as the "domestic church" or a sacred place where family life is nurtured. It encourages all families to embrace virtues like mutual support, prayer, and trust in God, even amidst modern challenges.

National Stepfamily Day was launched in the U.S. in 1997, a day to recognize and honor the unique bonds within stepfamilies and blended families.

Due to his role as the head of the Holy Family, Saint Joseph is the principal patron saint of families, as well as fathers, workers and the Universal Church. Saint Eugene de Mazenod is a patron for dysfunctional families and families experiencing upheaval or crisis. Saint Eugene is also the patron saint of children of divorce.

In Altus, the Mutchler family offers an example of a blended family taking up its cross and following Christ. Active members of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Christ and the Church provide the foundation during a challenging stage of this family’s life.  

Anthony and Linda Mutchler have four children – Shannon, Jimmy, Richard and Daelin. Their children have followed them into the Catholic faith. In addition, they are blessed with eight grandchildren and a great granddaughter. 

Linda began showing signs of slurred speech in 2017 and eventually was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Anthony retired and became a full-time caregiver.

Jimmy Moncada is a 44-year-old, hardworking, married father of two boys. Earlier this year he found out he had stage-five kidney failure and had to start dialysis. Jimmy’s wife Liz (Elizabeth) and his stepdad, Anthony Mutchler, take turns giving Jimmy his four-hour dialysis treatments.    

“My biological Dad is out of the picture. However, my ‘stepdad’ – real ‘Dad’ – came into my life when I was 15 years old and he followed the path of Saint Joseph,” Moncada said. “He comes over, cannulates my arm, sits with me during my four-hour treatment, and then makes a meal for me.

“He is the pillar on which this family sits on, and it is strong because of his faith and love for God. He is also taking care of my mother, volunteering at the church and is at all my kids’ events. I am proud that I named my oldest son after him.”

Moncada said he leans heavily into his faith.

“Perhaps some people would lose their faith over something like this, but I have got closer to Christ because of it,” he said. “I asked Jesus to deliver me from all this. However, I went to church on Ash Wednesday, and then I asked God to make the pain tolerable. Ever since then, Jesus has answered that prayer for me, and the pain is tolerable.”

Anthony said he admires Moncada’s faith through so many challenges.

“I am just so impressed,” he said. “His wife Liz is an angel. Giving Jimmy those treatments is rough. We must insert two 15-gauge needles into him, one for fluid going in and the other to go out. He is handling the unbelievable pain and discomfort of the four-hour ordeal extremely well.

“My biggest concern as you can imagine is missing the poor kid’s veins and making him go through it repeatedly.” 

Moncada is on the list for a kidney transplant at University Oklahoma. His siblings have volunteered to give up their kidneys if they are matches for Jimmy.  

“Father David and I are inspired by the family’s faith and their willingness to help our parish,” said Judy Cosway, parish secretary of Prince of Peace Catholic Church. “Jimmy, Anthony, Linda and the whole family are prayer warriors. Instead of the parish helping them, they always want to help other people. There is no self-pity for their challenges.”

Charles Albert is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

Photo: The Mutchler and Moncada family. Photo provided.