Walking with Moms in Need
Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods.
As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need.
Towards the end of March, Bishop Bonnar wrote to all pastors and associate pastors encouraging the implementation of Walking with Moms in Need in their parishes. This initiative from the USCCB is to help parishes come alongside and accompany pregnant and parenting mothers facing difficulties.
The Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Life is already piloting Walking with Moms in Need in the Eastern Stark County Region of our diocese and would be happy to help establish this important effort in other parishes, regions or deaneries. Interest has been shown in Mahoning and Stark Counties so the following meetings have been set and are open to anyone interested in helping moms in need make life-affirming decisions:
– Thursday, July 7, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Christine Parish, Youngstown (3165 S. Schenley Ave) in the Parish Center.
– Tuesday, July 12, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Michael Parish, Canton (3430 St. Michael Blvd., NW) in the St. Michael Room in the lower level of the Church building.
For more information contact Dave Schmidt at dschmidt@youngstowndiocese.org or 330-744-8451 ext. 272.
Into Life – Love Changes Everything is a 12-part original series on accompanying a woman into life. The Sisters of Life and the McGrath Institute for Church Life teamed up with CampCampo Films to create an original 12-part video series based on the work of the Sisters serving women who are pregnant. Journey with the Sisters of Life as they explain what it means to walk with a woman who is pregnant and vulnerable. Learn what it means to deeply listen to and understand the heart of another, how to rejoice in the beauty of the individual person, and what it means to truly accompany someone into God’s life and freedom.
Into Life can be instrumental in establishing Walking with Moms in Need throughout the Diocese of Youngstown (see above) by training those who seek to assist moms in need make life-affirming decisions. Arrangements are being made to present the Into Life series this fall in the Alliance area.
For more information go to https://intolifeseries.com/
