My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Greetings in the Lord! On Jan. 20-21, parishes will conduct the collection for Opportunities for Life. The four Kentucky dioceses hold this collection near the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade (Jan. 22) as part of the Kentucky bishops’ unified message advocating for a pro-life culture in our Commonwealth.
In our Archdiocese, this collection provides resources to pregnant women and families in crisis, including through material assistance and programming at Catholic Charities of Louisville and the Office of Family and Life Ministries.
The 2023 Opportunities for Life collection funded $42,000 for programming to support new and expecting parents. Catholic Charities stewards the Opportunities for Life collection. The Community Support Services department administers the Lifeline Fund, which assists pregnant or new mothers experiencing financial distress (rent, utilities, medical bills) who are referred by Catholic Charities, partner agencies or parishes. This department also provides programming for expecting (Mother-Infant Care) and new parents (Mama Matters) and extends professional social work guidance to parish volunteers who are supporting expecting parents.
In addition to programs already in place to assist new and expecting parents, Catholic Charities and the Office of Family and Life Ministries oversee the “Walking With Moms In Need” program, a local iteration of the national program through which Catholic parishes and communities “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women in need. During the past year, the Lifeline Fund assisted parish “Walking With Moms In Need” groups with funding requests. (The webpage www.walkingwithmoms.com provides more information about this national initiative.)
Walking With Moms In Need rolled out in multiple parishes in early 2023, with a new training program and support system in place. Parishes were provided with assistance and connected to mothers and families assigned to them by Catholic Charities, which receives referrals from partnering agencies throughout the areas served by the Archdiocese. With the tender love of Christ expressed in a real and effective manner, participating parishes and entities brought hope and a brighter future to those in most need.
For stories and more information about these programs, see www.therecordnewspaper.org. As you consider your gift, please pray that those experiencing an untimely pregnancy will have the courage to seek help and affirm life as we pray that our culture strengthens its resolve to support both unborn children and their parents. Please know that I remain,
Sincerely in the Lord,
Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre
Archbishop of Louisville
