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Find resources and updates local to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis by visiting the Office of Human Life and Dignity.
Office of Human Life and Dignity
Learn about our local participation in the movement "Walking with Moms in Need," and see how your parish or community can support mothers in difficult pregnancies.
The Indiana Catholic Conference (ICC), the public policy voice of the five Catholic dioceses of Indiana, advocates for and against state and federal legislation based on Catholic social and moral teaching. The protection of human life, along with advocacy for policies that support mothers and family life, are always priorities in the Conference's legislative agenda. The ICC supports Catholics with the language and tools to communicate with their elected officials during the legislative session and throughout the year. You can follow ICC updates and receive action alerts by joining the Indiana Catholic Action Network at indianacc.org/register.
Find advocacy and action alerts from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on their website, Respect Life.org.
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Springs of Love encourages, educates and equips Catholics to discern and live out the call to foster and adopt, while creating communities of support to help cultivate a culture of foster care and adoption in our parishes. Springs of Love hopes to convey both the beauty and the challenges of fostering and adoption with attention to such issues as adoption after infertility, the impact of trauma on children, parenting a special needs child, the adoption triad, navigating relationships with birth families, the language surrounding fostering and adopting, the role of the Church in caring for children in need of parents, and more.
To watch the video stories of Springs of Love families, go to: https://springsoflove.org/video-stories/
Considering Fostering or Adoption?
Have you wondered if God might be calling you to open your heart to foster or adopt a child? Register for a virtual “retreat” and receive a code for free access to our “Be Not Afraid” discernment video series. In this self-paced series, you will hear beautiful testimonials from couples who have answered the call to foster and adopt. Talks address fostering & adopting after infertility, adopting a child with special needs, international & domestic adoption, adoption from foster care, grieving when foster children leave, adopting older children, what to do when only one spouse feels called, and more. Link to the retreat is below.
What can your parish, school or community do to help?
Take a look at these resources for support teams, service projects, and awareness events.
To learn what your parish or school can do to form a team that supports Foster and Adoptive families, go to: https://springsoflove.org/parish-ministry/
To learn all about the Springs of Love ministry, visit the link below.
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The Fruitful Hollow
A Catholic resource and community for those who struggle with infertility. They publish weekly blog posts, create monthly resources, and host a mentorship ministry. They help couples feel heard, find understanding, dive into Church teachings, and be inspired by stories of fruitfulness in the wait.
Springs in the Desert
Infertility is a burden most couples don’t expect to carry. It can affect your marriage, your relationship with family and friends, and your relationship with God. Infertility often feels like a long and lonely path. But you are not alone! As a Catholic infertility ministry, Springs in the Desert is more than just a ministry; they are a place of respite, solidarity, and encouragement – wherever you are on the path of infertility, or in the experience of pregnancy loss. They have created a community built on faith in Christ and His good plan of fruitfulness for each one of us. They hope that you will find encouragement from blog posts, podcast episodes, resources, and virtual and in-person events. If you need to talk or have a prayer request, let them know.
Springs in the Desert "Women at the Well" Prayer Group
Zoom | Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Do you need a little spiritual “boost” in the middle of your week? Are you looking for some fellowship with others on the path of infertility and loss? We’re here for you! In an effort to create a deeper sense of community, help women from around the country (and the world) to get to know each other, and just have some time together with the Lord, we’re launching the virtual Women at the Well Prayer Group! We’ll meet every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern, starting May 10, 2023 through May 1, 2024. We’re keeping it casual: drop in when you can or when you need some extra support or prayer. There are no sign-ups, no “small group” structure or break outs; just time to pray, share, and be encouraged. We’ll use Johnette Benkovic-Williams’ book Grace-Filled Moments as a guide, but you don’t need to own the book to join. We hope to “see you at the Well!”
To join this virtual prayer group, visit the Springs in the Desert event page at: https://springsinthedesert.org/events/
PLEASE NOTE that there will be no Wednesday prayer group meetings during Lent (2/14 through 3/27). We will be back 4/3 for a time of prayer and fellowship. God bless you!
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Covenant Resources Miscarriage MinistryCovenant Resources is a Catholic non profit located in Greensburg, IN that serves families experiencing miscarriage, and equips pastoral leaders and medical personnel to assist and respond to families with dignity and excellence of care.
Welcome to Covenant Resources Miscarriage Ministry. If you are here because you have experienced a miscarriage, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. We hope this site is a source of comfort for you and your family. If you have not experienced a miscarriage but are here to assist someone you love who has, we hope that this site will equip you with what you need to help your loved one navigate through the sorrow that can accompany a miscarriage.We Exist to:
- Raise awareness that there are options for burying your miscarried baby.
- Provide personalized Little Souls Memorial Ornaments.
- Create a national website listing of cemeteries with dedicated areas for the burial of miscarried babies.
- Create a national website listing of facilities that have miscarriage supplies available for same day pick-up.
- Be a resource for churches and facilities to guide staff on how to help families during and after a miscarriage.
- Help cemeteries start Little Souls Cemeteries devoted to the burial of miscarried babies.
- Get Miscarriage Supply Totes in doctor offices, OB units, emergency rooms, pregnancy resource centers, funeral homes and free standing ultrasound clinics.
A Prayer After Miscarriage
from the Marians of the Immaculate ConceptionO my Jesus, my life has changed forever. I'm separated in this world from my beloved baby [name]. I beg for Your mercy for me, and for all who mourn. I rely on Your promise that all who mourn will be comforted (Mt 5:4). Help me to persevere in faith, so that one day I may praise You in the company of my baby and all of the saints. Please accept my suffering and unite it with Yours for the salvation of all souls, and fill my emptiness with Your mercy that I may continue to love and serve others in my life. I surrender to You all my needs, doubts, and anger. You are the Source of my strength, hope, and consolation. Even when I don't understand what is being asked of me, help me to live in imitation of You and Your Blessed Mother in acceptance of the Father's plan of loving kindness. Lord, thank You for hearing my prayer, even at times when the depth of my sorrow won't allow me to speak it aloud. I entrust my baby to Your mercy, as I entrust my life to You. Amen.
Red Bird Ministries
Red Bird Ministries is a non-profit, pro-life, and pro-family, Catholic grief support ministry serving individuals and couples who have experienced the loss of a child from pregnancy through adulthood. They help ordinary families who have been given an extraordinary cross to carry. The organization was formed to help people understand grief, how to navigate through it, and most crucially, how to begin the healing process. It is Catholic because of the critical role the Church’s Sacraments play in conjunction with the other disciplines in their approach.
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Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb
This Rite is available in a booklet called “Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb” which was approved by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments in 2011 and promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2012. It is not found in the current edition of the Book of Blessings, but hopefully it will be included in a future edition. The booklet can be downloaded for free below as a PDF or purchased from the USCCB store to keep on your shelf and use year after year.
Imagine your parish on Mother’s Day, where all the pregnant women in the parish who wish to participate are invited to step forward to receive a blessing from the pastor and the prayerful support of the parish community… This is the Rite to use for that occasion! It can be used during Mass, outside of Mass, with just one mom or a group of moms. It is available in English and Spanish.
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