Helping Moms in Need: Diocesan Pro-Life Leadership Conference
Beth Griffin
Neighbors Newsletter
"... Erin Younkins is the director of Life, Justice, and Peace for the Institute for Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. On a panel of diocesan leaders, she described her experiences implementing the USCCB Walking with Moms in Need initiative.
'It’s really a paradigm shift in the way Catholics address life issues,' she says. 'Instead of offering money, diapers, and a good luck wish, Walking with Moms in Need provides a hand to grasp. It acknowledges that the woman is a sister in Christ and belongs to our community.'
'It asks parishioners to be in conversation and look at what moms really need,' Erin adds. 'The program asks people to inventory what is available locally by way of pregnancy centers, medical facilities, food, housing, and immigration assistance.'
'After that, we ask them to identify gaps, such as day care, housing, and service to fathers. We say, ‘pick one gap and be creative,’' she explains.
One successful model—developed by the Maryland-based Gabriel Network—establishes Angel Friend teams, in which individuals accompany a woman through her pregnancy and the first two years of her child’s life. The Angel Friends help with parenting training, infant care, and access to community resources. Many establish lasting relationships with the women they befriend.
'We know that 80% of the women we serve feel that abortion is their only choice. We are looking to build a culture of life and create opportunities for women and families to thrive,' Erin says.
'We did a tremendous job for 20 years with pregnancy care centers, but moms need community,' she says.
The conference reminded Erin that the pro-life ministry is one of evangelization. 'We’re not just about advocacy and anti-abortion; we’re evangelizing families who are new or outside a parish community and letting them know we honor all life,' she says.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Erin says, 'We have to refocus efforts at the parish level toward service and building a culture of life and away from a hyperfocus on laws. We have to be a field hospital serving people who are currently in crisis.'
Jayne [Stefanic, director of Marriage, Family, and Respect Life for the Diocese of Savannah,] says the conference demonstrated that implementing Walking with Moms in Need is not as complicated as it initially seemed to her. She is already sharing ideas with her counterparts in the Archdiocese of Atlanta to see how Savannah might replicate some initiatives."
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