Celebrating 4 Years of

Walking with Moms in Need

March 25 will mark the fourth anniversary of the launch of Walking with Moms in Need. To celebrate this exciting milestone, we'll be sharing a series of weekly videos offering insight and tips on some of our most popular topics.

Each short video will provide answers to common questions and ideas for overcoming obstacles that we often receive from parish leaders and volunteers like you.

Keep an eye on your inbox for new videos to help your parish in its efforts to increase support for pregnant and parenting mothers in need.

Together, we look forward to the day when any woman facing a challenging or unexpected pregnancy—or parenting in difficult circumstances—can turn to her local Catholic Church to be connected with the resources and support she needs.

New Videos Featuring Stories from Moms

Two new videos feature the stories of moms whose lives were changed by their experience with Walking with Moms in Need. See how parish volunteers like YOU helped these moms find hope and a better future for themselves and their children.

The Inspiration for

Walking with Moms in Need

Walking with Moms in Need was launched four years ago on March 25, the anniversary of The Gospel of Life (Evangelium vitae). Learn how this prophetic encyclical by Pope St. John Paul II helped to inspire Walking with Moms in Need.

Share this article with your core team or parish to help celebrate these anniversaries!

Additional resources to help Catholics better understand the Gospel call to help mothers and their children can be found at walkingwithmoms.com/educational-resources.

In the News:

Diocese of Pittsburgh: Cranberry Twp. church introduces ministry for mothers

Patrick O'Shea

Beaver County Times

March 14, 2024



"CRANBERRY TWP. ― A new ministry within the Divine Grace Catholic Parish, Walking with Moms in Need, will host a community baby shower for expecting mothers and new moms from 2 to 4 p.m. April 14.

The event will be held in Oldenski Hall on the St. Ferdinand church campus. It includes free resource booths, games, welcome gifts, raffles, food and more to assist mothers who need a little extra for their babies. This event aims to help expectant and new mothers improve their babies’ health, offer a helping hand and publicize the existence of the new ministry.

'We are preparing to host up to 100 moms along with their guests,' event organizer Denise Slusser said in a release. 'We are hoping this event will showcase our love, support and commitment to these moms.'

Bill Slusser, chairman of the ministry, said, 'This community baby shower marks the culmination of more than a year’s worth of effort in establishing our Walking with Moms in Need Ministry. The shower is not the end, it is truly the beginning of our efforts to continually assist pregnant and new mothers.'

More than a dozen local resources and their representatives will be on-site to discuss issues such as food insecurity, housing needs, isolation, secondary education, mental health, counseling, child support, child safety and pediatric development.

Interested community members are also welcome to attend the shower. They are requested to bring an unwrapped shower gift as a donation. There will be babysitting services made available to guests and speakers will present pertinent topics for the new moms.

The goal of the ministry is to ensure pregnant women and new mothers, irrespective of their religious beliefs, are instilled with feelings of hope and support. Women who are facing unexpected or unplanned pregnancies and are struggling financially or emotionally are joined by our advocates in their journey. The advocates walk directly with them as they connect and guide them to the resources and support available within our community."

Stillwater parish, home for pregnant women hold baby shower for Moms in Need

Joe Ruff

The Catholic Spirit

March 4, 2024



"In a display of unity and assistance, St. Michael and St. Mary in Stillwater and a home for pregnant women who lack a home of their own set up a community baby shower Feb. 6 that drew more than 50 women.

Inspired in part by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Walking with Moms in Need initiative, the clustered Stillwater parishes’ Walking with Moms group and the Philomena House in St. Paul accepted donations for the gathering that exceeded expectations.

'We have a God of abundance,' said Nancy Kiolbasa, director of Philomena House and a parishioner at St. Michael, where the baby shower was held. 'We had more gift baskets and food than we could give away.'

Gift cards for shopping and gasoline, toys and games for children, baby clothes, diapers, blankets and diaper bags were among the items given away at the shower. Boxes of diapers, bath products, clothing and toys were stored for the next baby shower.

'You could feel the Holy Spirit,' Kiolbasa said. 'Oh my gosh, so much joy.'

Laura Marvin Nelson, a member of St. Michael and the Walking with Moms group, said the get-together was a huge success. It included handing out Our Lady of Guadalupe candles and explaining to the mothers that emails would go out alerting each of them when a mom among them was going into labor. The first email went out Feb. 26, encouraging the mothers to light their candles in prayer.

'I think it was such a work of the Holy Spirit,' Nelson said. 'We hope to do it again. We’ve got some energy behind it. We have more moms in need, and we are creating this safe, beautiful community where we’re all one.'"

Prayer Intention

May The Gospel of Life spark widespread zeal for serving expectant mothers facing difficult circumstances.



Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Our Prayer for Pregnant Mothers is available in English and Spanish for free download. It can also be ordered as a beautiful prayer card.

USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities

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