Today, Lady Justice has turned her attention to the cry of the unborn child hidden in the refuge of his or her mother’s womb. Today, justice has not abandoned that unborn child and his or her capacity to feel pain, but there is still more work to be done.

Together with many throughout our country, we join in prayer that states are now able to protect women and children from the injustice of abortion. The Catholic Church has had a vested interest in this matter – the dignity and sanctity of all human life.

The church has a long history of service to those who are most vulnerable and remains the largest private provider of social services in the United States. Through its charity agencies, and the independent efforts of its members, the Catholic Church is supporting all women in addition to the child in the womb.
The church will continue to accompany women and couples who are facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies and during the early years of parenthood, through initiatives such as Walking with Moms in Need.

With our brother bishops, we renew our commitment to preserving the dignity and sanctity of all human life by:

• Ensuring our Catholic parishes are places of welcome for women facing challenging pregnancies or who find it difficult to care for their children after birth, so that any mother needing assistance will receive life-affirming support and be connected to appropriate programs and resources where she can get help.

• Helping fellow Catholics recognize the needs of pregnant and parenting moms in their communities, enabling parishioners to know these mothers, to listen to them and to help them obtain the necessities of life for their families.

• Being witnesses of love and life by expanding and improving the extensive network of comprehensive care including pregnancy help centers, and Catholic health care and social service agencies.

• Increasing our advocacy for laws that ensure the right to life for the unborn and that no mother or family lacks the basic resources needed to care for their children, regardless of race, age, immigration status or any other factor.

• Continuing to support and advocate for public policies and programs directed toward building up the common good and fostering integral human development, with a special concern for the needs of low-income families and immigrants.

In all of these ways and more, the Catholic Church witnesses to the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death, and continues to work to build a culture of life in our nation.
Our respective dioceses continue to collaborate with organizations such as Her Plan, Pro-Life Mississippi and many others to bring vital services to support mothers and the unborn.

The community can immediately accompany women and couples who are facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies through the Walking with Moms in Need initiative in the Diocese of Jackson. For more information on how to get involved or offer support to women in need, please contact the Office of Family Ministry coordinator in the Diocese of Jackson at charlene.bearden@jacksondiocese.org. In the Diocese of Biloxi, contact Deacon Jim Gunkel, director of the Office of Family Ministry and Family Life at jgunkel@biloxidiocese.org or Margaret Miller, coordinator of Walking with Moms at mrmiller@biloxidiocese.org.

Additionally, there are Catholic Charities Community Outreach Centers located in the Diocese of Biloxi in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Waveland and Pascagoula. These centers provide confidential pregnancy testing; Medicaid pregnancy confirmations; life-affirming options counseling; case management (including budgeting and goal setting); basic needs assistance; car seats and safe sleeping spaces for infants; diapers formula, clothing, blankets, socks, etc.; and representative payee services. The Diocese of Biloxi is also sharing the pro-life message through its Pro-Life Billboard initiative.

The Diocese of Biloxi will also be resuming adoptions and foster parenting services in the near future, complementing existing programs in the Diocese of Jackson that have provided those services through Catholic Charities, Inc. for over a half century.

Again, we are grateful for the Supreme Court’s decision but are also mindful that the battle to uphold the sanctity of life is an ongoing effort. Let us pray and continue to raise our voices both in our churches and in our communities in defense of human dignity and justice.

Stewardship paths
By Julia Williams
JACKSON – I once read in a parish bulletin a reminder that we should not use irreverent phrases such as “we’re serving wine at Mass,” because after the consecration during Mass, the wine is no longer wine — it is the Precious Blood of Jesus!

The Precious Blood of Jesus is Power! The power of the blood is enough to overcome everything coming against you. This is how you live a life of victory in Christ. It’s the life Jesus died to give you.
The life of a Christian steward models the life of Jesus. It is challenging and even difficult in many respects; yet intense joy comes to those who take the risk to live as Christian stewards. Women and men who seek to live as stewards learn that “all things work for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28)

The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus, spilled on the Cross for us. It is your opportunity to focus directly on this topic … Read about it … Pray about it … Frequent the sacraments, (including confession), so you can receive Him with a clean soul!

Be Blessed, and Remember … “Jesus is Lord!”

Excerpts: catholic-link.org; and Stewardship, A Disciple’s Response, USCCB.

(To subscribe to the monthly Stewardship PATHS newsletter, scan the QR code or email julia.williams@jacksondiocese.org.)

By Sabrina Simms The Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — The Knights of Columbus recently presented an approximately $20,000 donation to a new pregnancy center slated to open this month at 4951 U.S. 84 in Vidalia.

The new Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center will be a satellite center of the non-profit Cenla Pregnancy Center, which has other locations in Alexandria and Marksville.

The donation, made possible by the Knights of Columbus organization’s fundraising efforts with area churches, will be used to buy the center’s first ultrasound machine. Both Vidalia and Natchez members helped raise the funds and another $13,000 donation will be given by the national organization, said Steve Neilson, Faithful Navigator of the Natchez post.

“It was great because we saw how two communities could help each other,” Neilson said. “A lot of people from Louisiana contributed and a lot of people from Mississippi contributed.”

“That’s why it’s called Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center,” added Kevin Friloux, a Vidalia member of the Knights of Columbus.

Neilson said the organization has plans to continue supporting the new center, which is much-needed for both communities.

“We have the Caring Hearts Pregnancy Center in Natchez, which is very limited,” Neilson said. “There is no medical staff. It’s more or less just a resource and referral point.”
The next closest pregnancy centers are an hour or two hours away.

Claire Lemoine, executive director of Cenla Pregnancy Center, said their focus is providing confidential services to women who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy in a judgment-free environment.

There, they will have access to pregnancy tests, an initial ultrasound, post-abortion support, consultations with trained professionals, educational classes, baby items and referrals to other care facilities — all at no charge.

“It’s a place where anyone in an unplanned pregnancy can go if they need support. If they’re considering abortion, if they’re considering parenting or whatever state of life they found themselves in with their pregnancy, they can come to us to talk about their options. We talk about life-affirming options for them. We do talk about abortions but we don’t refer them for abortions or provide abortions. We talk about what that decision may mean for their life if that is what they choose,” Lemoine said.

She added the ultrasound machine that area churches and individuals helped pay for with their donations would be used for most of their initial screenings for mothers who haven’t seen any other physicians yet.
“We give them verification of pregnancy and have prenatal vitamins for them and we also do an ultrasound … which serves to make sure that the pregnancy is in the uterus and verifies how far along they are in their pregnancy. It also helps to make that connection. … They say the ultrasound is the window to the womb. It’s a good way to connect their mind and heart to this new reality.”

Kimberly Butler will be the director of the Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center, which will initially be open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until it is fully staffed. The new center will also need volunteers to help receive clients, file records and teach classes, Lemoine said.

Inside the facility will be a boutique-like area where participants of educational programs can spend vouchers on baby items such as car seats, baby bottles, clothing, formula and diapers.

The pregnancy center is sustained entirely by donations and fundraising efforts, she said.

The annual Gift of Life Fundraising Banquet, one of the largest fundraisers for the organization, takes place Sept. 13 at the Randolph Riverfront Center on 707 2nd Street in Alexandria, Louisiana, and features actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron as a keynote speaker.

To find out more or make a donation, visit cenlapc.com.

For more information on the Miss-Lou Pregnancy Center, or to volunteer, call (318) 314-3061.

(Reprinted with permission of The Natchez Democrat)