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.
The solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord on March 25 will mark the fifth anniversary of Walking with Moms in Need and the 30th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s pro-life encyclical Evangelum Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”) that inspired it.
Walking with Moms in Need is a nationwide parish-based initiative that works “to increase outreach and support to pregnant and parenting mothers in need.”
Parishes participate in the initiative according to the USCCB’s Parish Action Guide, beginning with a yearlong process that includes making an inventory of available resources to mothers in the community and creating a plan by which the parish may fill any leftover gaps. Parishes are encouraged to take steps such as creating new ministries and reaching out to mothers in the community.
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.
