Novena Inspired by St. Gianna: April 19–27

We invite you to pray a special novena with us for moms in need, in preparation for celebrating the feast day of St. Gianna Beretta Molla on April 28. By signing up, you'll get the novena emailed to you each day.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla is a powerful patron for pregnant and parenting mothers.

We look forward to praying with you, and with St. Gianna, in support of mothers in need.

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New Clergy Video:

Empowering Parishioners to Serve

This new video is designed to inspire clergy to embrace Walking with Moms in Need in their parish communities. It is a great resource for diocesan and parish leaders to share with pastors as part of their conversation about beginning Walking with Moms in their parish.

Clergy and volunteers share their experiences of serving mothers in need, offering encouragement and highlighting that priests can rely on the unique gifts, talents, and generosity of lay men and women to accompany mothers in their parish communities.

WATCH

In the News:

U.S. bishops call for Walking with Moms in Need program to become staple in ‘every parish’

Madalaine Elhabbal

Catholic News Agency

March 19, 2025

"Ahead of the fifth anniversary of its program supporting mothers in need in the United States, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a call for parishes across the country to magnify efforts to 'put the gospel of life into action' by opening up and offering help to vulnerable women and children...

Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, oversaw the program’s launch in 2020 while at the time serving as the chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

'Since the launch of Walking with Moms in Need, Catholics in dioceses and parishes across the country have put the gospel of life into action, uniting in a shared mission to surround pregnant and parenting mothers in need with loving support and personal accompaniment,' Toledo, Ohio, Bishop Daniel Thomas, the committee’s current chair, said in a statement Wednesday .

'Heroic volunteers have stepped forward to make our parishes places where a mother can be connected with meaningful resources and assistance and, most importantly, know that she and her baby are not alone,' Thomas said.

'The Annunciation reminds us that Our Lord Jesus came to earth as a vulnerable child in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary,' the prelate continued.

'Every parish has something unique that God is calling them to contribute to the Church’s efforts to transform our society into a culture of life and civilization of love,' he added.

The bishop concluded his message by asking for prayers that the ministry will continue to become established in every parish and diocese across the country. 'May every mother know that she can turn to her local Catholic parish for help in her time of need,' he said."

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Vatican’s “Life is Always a Good” Affirms U.S. Bishops’ Initiative “Walking with Moms in Need,” says Bishop Thomas

USCCB

Office of Public Affairs

March 25, 2025

"WASHINGTON – On the release of the pastoral framework, 'Life is always a good' from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities welcomed the framework that proposes a methodology for pastoral planning and synodal discernment.

Bishop Thomas stated that the framework affirmed the U.S. bishops’ nationwide and parish-based initiative, Walking with Moms in Need, which is marking its fifth anniversary:

'... This framework affirms our own ‘Walking with Moms in Need’ nationwide and parish-based initiative which also celebrates its fifth anniversary today. Inspired by the Gospel of Life, the Walking with Moms in Need process follows the same approach as proposed in the framework: listening to needs at the local level; surveying available resources and gaps; discerning an appropriate response; launching a pastoral response; and evaluating and adapting that response to best accompany those in need. As noted in the framework, all of this involves the formation and engagement of the laity, with the encouragement of their pastors.'"