Walking with Moms in Need

As director of the bishop’s Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities for our diocese, I am honored to serve the bishop and grateful for the trust placed in me. I am blessed and grateful to my wonderful parents who instilled the beauty of our Catholic Faith. We were a Faith-filled Catholic family always supporting our parish in Crofton. I can never recall Mom and Dad saying anything about being pro-life and using the term “abortion.” I think back to my years at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the Newman Center as I witnessed the impact of Roe v. Wade. It was a pivotal time when I came to realize what it meant to be pro-life and the “abortion” word became part of my vocabulary. I could not fathom the concept that someone would want to kill an innocent human being in the womb, much less make this action legal. That is when you could say that I became a pro-life advocate.    

Today, and as many of you know, we are still fighting the same abortion battles. I consider the battle today to be more nuanced. It's just not about being ANTI-abortion. It’s about how our culture values life and family. We must do all we can to value life  from conception to natural death.   

I sometimes receive comments about our work at the Pro-Life Office. They follow a common thread, such as:  “We are just pro-birth, not pro-life”; “We need to not limit our focus on abortion only”; and, finally, “We need to be more than just about aborting babies.” 

My response to comments like this is provided by our Bishops. There are many grave threats to the life and dignity of the human person, including, but not limited to,  euthanasia, assisted suicide, IVF, death penalty, immigration and human trafficking.   

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" affirms that abortion remains a preeminent priority due to its direct impact on the most vulnerable. Our Pastoral Plan emphasizes that undermining respect for life in one context affects all others. 

Shifting the message 

Recognizing the broader scope of our mission, the U.S. Bishops launched the “Walking With Moms in Need” (WWM) initiative in 2020, inspired by St. John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae. Statistics show that most abortions involve young, unwed mothers, many of whom feel pressured and lack support, with 24 percent self-identifying as Catholic. (USCCB) 

WWM calls on parishes to be “islands of mercy,” offering tangible support to pregnant and parenting women facing difficulties. Every parishioner should know how to refer a mom in need and communicate available resources. The goal is to ensure that mothers turn to the Church for help, fostering hope and compassion.  

This initiative is not about abortion; it is about affirming and supporting mothers. WWM is parish-based, focusing on service and practical assistance, and aims to move the conversation from political division to pastoral unity.  

WWM is not just saying “NO” to abortion. It is saying “YES” to our moms. When moms with unexpected and/or under-supported pregnancies come to our parish doors, our message to them must be filled with hope and love. We need to build them up, so they choose life, instead of an abortion. 

Vulnerable moms need to know that the Church is a place where they can receive help. We can do this through this wonderful initiative. WWM is a parish-based initiative that asks us to respond to moms in need. It is about service and is focused on providing real, tangible support to pregnant moms. It is intended to move the conversation from political division to pastoral unity. 

Implementing WWM in your parish. What can you do?

-Go to https://www.walkingwithmoms.com/ and click on the “Get Started” button. 

-Pray for discernment and visit with your pastor about starting WWM in your parish. 

For a rural diocese, like the Diocese of Grand Island, here are few suggestions: 

-Work with your neighboring parishes within a particular deanery, banding together for unified support and coordination with the local life-affirming pregnancy help organization in your area. 

-Develop a “Resources Brochure” (an inventory of service providers) for your deanery area. There are already parish-based outreach efforts taking place in Kearney and Grand Island. Brochure examples for these areas are posted at www.gidiocese.org/pro-life.   

-Consider having a parish mentoring mom in your parish. This is a “Mom” who knows how to be a “Mom.” She can use her life experiences to help a young mom.  

Each of our parishes and deaneries has unique strengths. By working together, we can better support mothers in need. Please pray for guidance and consider how you can contribute to this important initiative. For more information or questions, contact me at [email protected].