Newsletter

November 2024

USCCB Statement:

Pregnancy Help Centers Ensure That No Woman is Left Alone in Her Own Hour of Need

WASHINGTON - Across the United States, approximately 2,750 pregnancy help centers offer life-affirming support to pregnant and parenting women in need. In recognition of their contribution to the common good, and in observance of Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, November 11-15, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued the following statement:

"During Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, we celebrate the thousands of pregnancy care centers providing life-saving help to the most vulnerable group in our society: pregnant women in need. As Advent approaches, we remember the Blessed Virgin Mary who in her hour of need found no room at the inn.

Our country’s network of pregnancy care centers and maternity homes work to ensure that no woman is left alone in her own hour of need. These centers provide a spectrum of resources including baby clothes and diapers, childcare and career services, referrals to homes where pregnant and parenting moms can live for free, and many other forms of housing, food, and financial assistance. Many pregnancy care centers also provide some medical services, including ultrasounds, prenatal and postnatal care, and referrals to hospitals for free or low-cost childbirth. Their loving service and profound accompaniment continues far beyond the birth of the child, with mothers reporting that their pregnancy care center ‘never let them go.’ We commend pregnancy help centers for their faithful love of Christ in serving vulnerable mothers."

PRESS RELEASE

VIDEO STATEMENT

In the News:

Four years after launch, Walking With Moms in Need is stronger, more fruitful

Gabriella Patti

Detroit Catholic

November 15, 2024

How local parishes are creating a network of support—not just resources—to show moms, 'We love you and acknowledge you'

"NOVI — Shelly Pozos Lule hadn’t planned for another pregnancy, but in early 2022, she found out she was expecting twins. She already had four children—two boys and two girls—and had recently unexpectedly become a single parent...

Because of the emotional toll, Pozos Lule lost her job. She moved in with her mom in a small trailer home and sent her two young boys to live with their father’s family in Mexico.

'I had hit rock bottom,' Pozos Lule recounted.

However, a year earlier, Pozos Lule, who lived in Milford at the time, had called dozens of churches and organizations for help avoiding eviction.

One of the parishes she called was Holy Family in Novi, where she spoke to Roxanne Hundsrucker, the parish’s Christian service director. Hundsrucker was able to recommend resources but couldn’t provide direct help because Pozos Lule was outside of her district.

Photos by Valaurian Waller | Detroit Catholic

'She said, 'If you don’t hear anything, give me a call back, and we will figure something out,'' Pozos Lule said. 'I did figure some things out (and) a year later, I ended up having the boys, and somehow she showed up at my doorstep with a whole bunch of baby stuff—double of everything. She stays in contact with me, makes sure I have diapers, food, gas cards—whatever she can do for me, she does for me. And it is because I reached out to her many years ago—I don’t know how we ended up getting back into contact, but we have been connected ever since.'

Hundsrucker and Pozos Lule have grown close, with the latter showing up at Hundsrucker’s office unannounced to talk about life, ask for advice or bring her girls to shop the parish’s bountiful clothing closet...

When the initiative was first announced, despite the lockdowns brought about by COVID-19, Hundsrucker virtually gathered anyone in the parish's circle engaged in pro-life activities or ministries for regular discussions about how to implement the vision into their parish life.

'We started with the parish inventory; we went into a year of things that we were going to do in the way of educating people and informing people of walking with moms in need in the parish,' Hundsrucker told Detroit Catholic...

'When we started, that was a good place (to begin). As we met women who had needs in our community or we encountered a pregnant woman, we would bring them in and show them that we really cared as a Catholic church,' Hundsrucker explained...

Hundsrucker and the parish's support means the world to Pozo Lule, who said she can't think of another program like Walking with Moms in Need.

'Just when you think you can’t, God shows you a different way. God puts somebody in your life for a reason, and they just show up,' Pozo Lule said. 'I don’t have any family—Roxanne is to me like a mother; I can call her and ask for advice—she became like a family. She will give me the best advice in the world, and then, as we move forward, she will check in with me.'..."

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Archdiocese of St. Louis:

Support for mothers to choose life

Jennifer Brinker

St. Louis Review

October 16, 2024

"Displayed on the wall of Latasha Taylor’s room is a brightly colored poster with images from her baby’s 20-week ultrasound. She’s looking forward to delivering a healthy boy, due at the end of October.

Taylor has been living at Our Lady’s Inn maternity home for the past month. There, she’s found her 'village,' a supportive team helping her to get back on her feet. She and her four children previously were living in a friend’s basement and for a short time slept in her van.

Photos by Jacob Wiegand

'We got here and it’s been amazing,' she said. 'They’ve helped with a lot. I’m a little overwhelmed, scared. It’s been stressful dealing with the situation of a new baby and then trying to get housing. This is only a test, a stepping stone to get me to where I need to be.'

For decades, maternity homes, pregnancy resource centers and other organizations offering alternatives to abortion have accompanied pregnant and parenting women in helping them make life-affirming decisions, not only for their babies, but themselves as well. The one-on-one approach is meant to provide a support network and help them overcome some of the challenges they’re facing.

... Maternity homes are an example where the Church continues its support of mothers in need and bears witness to the dignity of all human life, especially since the overturning of Roe, and now in light of Amendment 3, which seeks to reverse Missouri’s near-total abortion ban, Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski said.

'The Church not only speaks out on pro-life (issues), but the Church also follows through with support of women who are carrying their babies under difficult circumstances,' he said. 'If they feel they have support of a wider community, they will bring their babies to term and appreciate the gift of life that is given as well as the support of walking along with them.'

In 2019, the U.S. bishops developed a pastoral initiative called Walking with Moms in Need. The nationwide, parish-based effort helps raise awareness of the needs of pregnant and parenting mothers in their local communities. Walking with Moms in Need also has assisted parishes in communicating about the support services available to women who are thinking about whether to carry their child to term.

In St. Louis, the archdiocesan Respect Life Apostolate developed an extensive list of resources in the St. Louis area for women and men experiencing an unexpected pregnancy. A guide of organizations that offer financial, housing, emotional and/or spiritual support is available at walkingwithmomsstl.com..."

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Rochester bishop supports Walking with Moms in Need ministry

Mike Latona

The Catholic Courier

September 30, 2024

"... [Anne] Dziuba said this range of pro-life efforts reflects Schuyler Catholic Community’s commitment to Walking with Moms in Need, a national initiative the [community] has supported nearly from its beginning in 2020.

Endorsed by the U.S. bishops and the Diocese of Rochester, Walking with Moms in Need encourages parish volunteers to actively stand with and assist pregnant and parenting mothers facing difficulties.

A brochure created by United for Life features information about local pregnancy-resource centers, other social-service agencies that could benefit mothers and babies, and post-abortion support through Project Rachel...

'It is important for all Catholic Christians to advocate for life. The Walking with Moms in Need initiative is one simple, gentle way we can do this together,' Dziuba stated.

According to [Elizabeth] Johnston, St. Mary of the Lake and St. Benedict are among a handful of diocesan parishes that have implemented Walking with Moms in Need so far. She added that several more parishes are launching the ministry or are considering doing so.

Involvement with the initiative aligns with the wishes of Bishop Matano, who lauded Walking with Moms in Need in an Aug. 1, 2022, letter to diocesan parish leaders. The letter sought help 'in ensuring that mothers in need in all twelve counties of our Diocese see the Church as a place they can turn to for support and assistance.' He also noted that 'Walking with Moms in Need is a response to Pope Francis’ repeated challenge to go to the margins and bring hope and help to those in need.'"