I stumbled on this painting “To the Unknown Land,” by Edmund Blair Leighton and find it so comforting. A grieving mother weeps on the shore as an angel safely carries away her child. Isn’t it stunning? I found this painting via Restored Traditions, who collects and digitally restores beautiful works of art and makes them available […]
Friends, the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Ministry resources for our diocese continue to expand. We are grateful to announce yet another opportunity for couples who have experienced any type of pregnancy or infant loss. A healing retreat for couples will be held in Des Moines on Saturday, October 4 @ St. Pius X Catholic Church […]
How should parishes and dioceses enter into the grief of post-abortive parents? How should the local Church recognize and remember the lives lost to abortion?
“Open your hearts to life!” has become a recurring theme in Pope Francis’s pontificate. It’s also the theme for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2013-14 Respect Life Campaign that kicked off in parishes across the nation on Respect Life Sunday.
The phrase “Open your hearts to life” can be a difficult one for many couples who are quite open to life yet find their hearts overflowing with grief due to pregnancy/infant loss or infertility.
This is one area that seems to be a bit off the radar screen and weighs heavily enough on our hearts to call us to action.
Several months ago, Joel and I were put into contact with RyAnne Carr, a Catholic wife, mom, and Peoria, IL citizen who understands well the pain of pregnancy loss. She has developed a ministry for others experiencing a pregnancy or infant loss, and now together with her husband, RyAnne has organized A Mother’s Love Couples Retreat for parents who have experienced a pregnancy, stillbirth, or early infant loss.
Does your diocese or parish offer a healing Mass for those who have suffered perinatal loss (miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and infant death)? This week on Catholic Women Now, Julie and I welcome my husband Joel Schmidt who has been working hard with Adam Storey, director of our diocesan Marriage and Family Life Office, to initiate such a Mass. Julie and I also welcome Maria Campbell, parishioner at All Saints Catholic Church, Des Moines, who discusses her experiences with pregnancy and infant loss.
Holy Mother Church has a duty to be there with comfort, mercy, healing, and hope every time a member of her flock suffers the loss of one of our Holy Innocents. Does your diocese or parish offer a healing Mass for those who have suffered perinatal loss (miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and infant death)? We walk through why it’s important to grieve the loss of a pregnancy.
Editor’s Note: In honor of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week, please welcome Renee McGuire to The Practicing Catholic. Renee and husband Kerry are parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, Iowa, where they teach Natural Family Planning classes. This is Part 1 of Renee’s testimony. Part 2 is 5 Steps to Embracing Natural […]
We recently asked for input given Joel and I are working on developing a new miscarriage/stillbirth/perinatal loss support group for our diocese. Wow, ask and you shall receive! I shouldn’t be surprised. 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Many of us have been emotionally jolted by the loss of a child (or grandchild/niece/nephew, etc), and feel passionate […]
We are seeking your input in order to help others My husband Joel and I are collaborating with others to form a diocesan-wide support program for families experiencing the loss of a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or other type of perinatal loss (more info here). Joel is currently in deacon formation, and this work is […]