In the News:

Respect Life Month in the Diocese of Madison

Julia Kloess

Catholic Herald

October 15, 2026

"October is Respect Life Month for Catholics in the United States.

Everyone is encouraged to pray and work for the respect of human life and dignity, from conception to natural death.

Parishes across the Diocese of Madison have opportunities to pray, volunteer, and contribute in order to help those in need and build a culture of life.

One of the programs in the diocese that offers support to women and children is Walking with Moms in Need.

'Our goal is that any pregnant or parenting woman who reaches out to a Catholic parish in our diocese can find the help, support, and accompaniment she needs,' said Melissa Kelley, program supervisor at Walking with Moms in Need for Catholic Charities of Madison.

'Walking with Moms in Need helps us work toward that goal by equipping people at the local parish level to recognize a need, respond with compassion, and help connect women and families with appropriate resources and support.'

Walking with Moms in Need is a national initiative from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), but it operates through local parishes, run primarily by lay volunteers, with the pastor’s approval.

In this diocese, resources and support for volunteers are available through Catholic Charities of Madison.

'Volunteers would not be expected to figure this out on their own,' said Kelley.

'The materials and resources are already in place, and Catholic Charities accompanies parish volunteers throughout the process. While volunteers serve women and families at the local level with just a few hours per month of their time, they are also part of a much larger ministry and network of support... Our goal is to be with our volunteers every step of the way, so no one has to feel overextended or as though they have gotten in over their heads.'

It’s also a program that can be tailored to the specific needs of the parish.

'It doesn’t have to look exactly the same in every community,' said Kelley.

If you’re interested in volunteering with Walking with Moms in Need, check if your local parish has a group, or reach out to Kelley at 608-826-8003 or psm@ccmadison.org to find out ways you can help."

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‘Walking with Moms in Need’ Life Gala, a heartwarming event at LiGreci’s Staaten, is a resounding success

Carol Ann Benanti

silive.com

September 18, 2026

"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The 'Walking with Moms in Need' Annual Life Gala unfolded to perfection Thursday evening at LiGreci’s Staaten, where more than 200 community leaders, members of the religious community, and friends, came out to support the cause...

Organized through Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, as well as other churches, and 40 Days for Life Staten Island—a local, peaceful pro-life campaign that holds community prayer vigils and outreach—the evening also lauded community and religious leaders that included, Rev. Brendan Gormley, pastor of St. Clare R.C. Church, Rev. Michael Martine, pastor of Holy Rosary R.C. Church, Patricia Grace Ward, a church minister, volunteer, and retired special needs teacher on Staten Island, and Michael Cosentino, principal of St. Peter’s Boys High School.

A keynote speaker from the Sisters of Life, a movement founded in New York in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor, addressed the crowd in support of Pro-Life.

Super basket raffle prizes were up for grabs, with proceeds benefiting local Pro-Life and family assistance programs like the Cross Road Foundation, Good Counsel Homes, and Staten Island March for Life transportation.

In moderating the evening’s program, Bishop Peter Byrne, Episcopal Vicar of Staten Island, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, and pastor of Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, offered welcoming remarks and introduced guest speakers and honorees, which included a dissertation from Sister Luca Benedict of the Sisters of Life.

'I have the privilege of being a Sister in a convent in Manhattan where pregnant women living on their own can come,' said Sister Luca Benedict, before going on to relate the story of a woman who was uncertain, but ultimately decided to keep her baby.

'Your presence here tonight is a sign that every women is loved and love is what remains into eternity,' she said. 'God gives us the gift that we are loved by Him. I have a vocation and and my vocation is offering help and love. When we feel afraid we can ask Jesus to give us the gift of His love.'...

In introducing Rev. Martine, Rev. Jerome said he didn’t need any introduction.

'He is everywhere. He’s a native Staten Islander and a Monsignor Farrell High School graduate.'...

'Thank you to all who have given their time, resources, voices and prayers in defense of human life,' [Martine] stated. 'Every human life has a dignity and worth from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. That dignity does not depend upon age, ability, circumstances or ability to speak for themselves. Our work is sometimes difficult and challenging. There are times when we feel our voices are small given the challenges we face. Nights like tonight remind us that we are not alone in our work, others are here with us.'

He added: 'I believe the most powerful way to advance the cause of life is not only through what we oppose but also through what we offer: compassion instead of judgment and practical support instead of abandonment. Thank you all for choosing hope when things are difficult.'"

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Diocese of Cleveland: ‘Mary, Mother of Life’ is theme for 2026 Respect Life Month

Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

September 5, 2026

"As Respect Life Month gets underway, the diocesan Office for Human Life launched a resource page and Tony Dipre, office director, spoke at the kick-off rally for the annual 40 Days for Life fall campaign at St. John Vianney Parish in Mentor...

In his Sept. 21 presentation to 40 Days for Life, Dipre shared information on two important ministries in the diocese: Walking with Moms in Need (also called WWMIN) and the Gabriel Project, both of which support pregnant women, mothers, fathers and their children. He said the parish-based ministries embody Jesus’ example in the Gospel of seeing someone in need and offering help.

'Christ saw the person first. He saw someone who was a beautiful gift from God … That same outlook guides those called to serve in our Walking with Moms in Need and Gabriel Project ministries,' Dipre said...

In the Cleveland Diocese, there are eight active parish ministry teams: St. Mary, Wooster; St. Ambrose, Brunswick; St. Raphael, Bay Village; St. Christpher, Rocky River; St. Julie and St. Peter, North Ridgeville; St. Mary, Hudson; St. Joseph, Cuyahoga Falls and Holy Family, Stow. A ninth team, a collaborative effort among multiple parishes in Lake County, is being developed.

'Across our eight-county diocese, they form one unified mission serving any pregnant or parenting mother or father facing a challenging or unexpected situation,' Dipre said. 'For us as a Church to witness fully and faithfully to the Gospel of Life—to embody our vocation of being pro-life—we cannot only voice our condemnation of the evil of abortion. We must, at the same time, be willing to extend our hands in support of those who feel as though abortion is their only option.'

He said the broader culture, referred to as a 'culture of death' by Pope St. John Paul II and the 'globalization of indifference' by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, reinforces individualism and choosing whatever seems easiest. 'It convinces too many people that the way to deal with an unplanned pregnancy is to discard the life of the unborn,' Dipre added.

Sometimes these decisions are shaped by difficult socioeconomic circumstances, he said, and having a person willing to give time and to journey alongside another will make a difference.

'Walking with Moms in Need and the Gabriel Project are all about seeing the person, not merely ‘the issue’ or the sin,' Dipre said. 'That can lead to a powerful moment—not only for the person being helped, but also for the one helping.'

He encourages people to continue praying outside abortion clinics—or in their homes if that’s not possible—for the next 40 days. 'Pray for more help and more volunteers. Share this ministry with the mothers, fathers and grandparents you encounter. If you have a business, service, skill or area of expertise that could be useful in serving others, consider sharing that gift … Volunteer to assist with the mission,' Dipre said. 'You never quite know what the needs of a particular mother might be … We cannot do it all, but we can do something.'"