Walking with Moms in Need is a nationwide—yet parish-based—initiative to increase outreach and support to pregnant and parenting mothers in need that is greatly supported by our diocese! As Pope Francis has shared, “Our parishes NEED to be islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” WWMIN is a deliberate process and whole-church response whose purpose is to help facilitate the accompaniment of mothers in need at the parish level. The goal of Walking with Moms is not to reinvent the wheel or turn parishes into pregnancy centers; rather, it is about building relationships with and enhancing referrals to these helping agencies. This initiative is unique in that it asks every Catholic parish to prayerfully place themselves in the shoes of a mother in need and walk with her through the difficulties and challenges she faces. Walking with Moms in Need seeks to answer St. John Paul II’s call to evaluate how the Church serves mothers facing difficulties: “With great openness and courage, we need to question how widespread is the culture of life today among individual Christians, families, groups and communities in our Dioceses. With equal clarity and determination we must identify the steps we are called to take in order to serve life in all its truth.”  (EV 95)

Melissa DiFini is building a core team of women and men interested in serving in this ministry by sharing their God-given gifts with mothers in need. WWMIN at St. Christopher Parish wants to support women emotionally and spiritually while guiding women to existing community resources and supporting these resources with fundraising efforts and donation drives.  For more information, please get in touch with Melissa at mdifini@stchrisparish.com.