Building a Culture of Life in California
We rejoiced with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It was a victory for LIFE! In the first 100 days after Roe v. Wade was reversed, at least 66 abortion facilities across the country halted abortions—and 26 of those facilities completely shut down.
Yet in California, we just passed Prop 1. Prior California law included protections for certain preborn children after the arbitrary point of viability, but Prop 1's passage means California law will offer no protections for unborn children at any point during pregnancy. While this is tremendously disheartening and not the outcome we have been working toward and praying for, it gives us the opportunity to step up and do all we can to support pregnant women and families with young children. This is how we will build a culture of life in California.
At the beginning of this year, the California Catholic Conference of Bishops stated their resolve “To commit to our sisters that we, the Catholic community of California, will be by your side as you walk the journey of motherhood.” They pledged that the Catholic community, through our parishes, would be here for every mom and dad and family through a network of resource centers, pregnancy clinics, maternity homes, and call centers.
Now is the time for us all to reinvigorate our support for women, children, and families. We have many tools and resources available to enable us to do this work. The California Catholic Conference provides us with We Were Born Ready, https://www.wewerebornready.com/. This website gives us many ways we can help, including information we can share with pregnant women and young families. Here are a few ideas:
We can donate to or connect women with a local pregnancy resource center or maternity home. You can support or join St. Luke St. Vincent de Paul, since the Society of SVdP helps families with rental assistance and other challenges. Help and support for pregnant women and for young families is readily available from many compassionate and dedicated people and organizations. But do we know all the resources available, and are we effective at communicating that help directly to women in desperate situations?
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a nation-wide initiative, Walking with Moms in Need, to help local parishes compile such resources for pregnant and parenting women. The St. Luke Life, Justice and Peace Ministry has already begun this important work and is forming relationships with resources in the community to provide a personal connection to support women and families in crisis. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please leave your name and phone number with the Pastoral Office.
Life is sacred and has a purpose, from conception to natural death, no matter the circumstances in which life came to be. God is the giver of life. We can promote LIFE and help mothers in crisis by connecting them with resources.
A PRAYER FOR PREGNANT MOTHERS
O Blessed Mother, you received the good news of the
incarnation of Christ, your Son, with faith and trust.
Grant your protection to all pregnant mothers facing difficulties.
Guide us as we strive to make our parish communities places
of welcome and assistance for mothers in need.
Help us become instruments of God’s love and compassion.
Mary, Mother of the Church, graciously help us build
a culture of life and a civilization of love,
together with all people of good will, to the praise
and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life. Amen.
-Cf. Evangelium vitae 105 © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City.
~St. Luke Life, Justice and Peace Ministry
