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Michigan Catholic Conference
Focus, Spring 2022
...The Church’s concern for mothers is reflected in its leadership: In 2020, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched the Walking with Moms in Need initiative. The idea is to ensure every Catholic knows where to refer a mom in need.
“Our goal is not only to identify gaps or areas with insufficient resources, but then to take concrete steps to expand the help available to mothers, not only during the pregnancy but for months and even years after the child’s birth,” said Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, who spearheaded the launch of the initiative as past chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Since its launch, the call to walk with moms in need has reached the diocesan and parish levels in Michigan.
For St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Portage, for instance, that’s meant compiling a list of the local pregnancy centers. It also spurred the parish to formally support pregnancy centers with fundraisers.
A similar process of creating an inventory of resources available to moms is occurring in the Archdiocese in Detroit, which will improve how efficiently Catholics will be able to connect moms with help.
“Walking with Moms in Need is about supporting both mother and child. In fact, it’s supporting the mother first, and then the child indirectly through supporting the mother,” said Andrea Spankie, coordinator for Walking with Moms in Need for Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, which operates in the Archdiocese.
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