Pro-Life Pastoral Care

In addition to assisting diocesan development of the U.S. Catholic Church's Project Rachel Ministry for post-abortion healing, the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities offers resources such as the following to assist with local pastoral care efforts.

www.HopeAfterAbortion.org

Stories of healing, letters, prayers, and local contact information for diocesan post-abortion healing ministries, and more.

Prayer Resources

The following selection of prayers may be particularly helpful for pastoral care relating to the gift of human life. Other helpful resources may also be found on the webpages for pro-life prayers and bereavement and funerals.

• Family Prayers from Birth to Death
• Order for the Blessing of Parents before Childbirth
• Right for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb
• Novena to St. Joseph: For Those on the Path of Adoption
• Holy Hour for Divine Mercy Sunday
• Anointing of the Sick
  
• Liturgical Resources for Prayer during a Crisis
  

Top Ten Articles

This "top ten" list of articles is a sample of the resources available. For more, please visit the topical sections listed in the navigation pane on the left-hand side of this webpage.

1. Seven Considerations while Navigating Infertility
   Primarily directed to couples struggling with infertility, this article seeks to provide compassionate guidance that is both practical and informative. Other readers may also find it helpful in better understanding this issue.
   
   
2. Solace and Strength in the Sorrow of Miscarriage
   Aided by a personal story, this article shows the heartache of losing a child through miscarriage and offers guidance on how to respond to those who are hurting.
   
   
3. Supporting Families Who Receive a Prenatal Diagnosis
   Introduces "perinatal hospice," a model of care for children--and the families of such children--who are expected to pass away before or shortly after birth. Provides practical guidance for friends and family, the parish community, and clergy and pastoral care workers.
   
   
4. 10 Ways to Support Her When She's Unexpectedly Expecting
   This article provides simple, concrete tips on how to provide loving, life-affirming support for a friend who is unexpectedly pregnant.
   
   
5. Accompanying Expectant Mothers Considering Adoption
   Drawing from the personal experience of a mother who placed her child for adoption, this article gives nine tips for offering ongoing support to expectant mothers considering adoption.
   
   
6. Bridges of Mercy for Post-Abortion Healing
   Real-life stories illustrate how an abortion might later affect someone's life. How can we be bridges of God's mercy for people suffering after abortion? Suggestions are directed to groups of people from all walks of life.
   
   
7. Healing within Marriage from an Abortion
   Drawing from firsthand accounts, this article illustrates that although many marriages suffer from the effects of one or both spouses' involvement in an abortion, healing and growth as a couple is possible.
   
   
8. Advance Medical Directives: Planning for Your Future
   This article discusses some concerns raised by various types of advance medical directives, which readers should be aware of.
   
   
9. Catholic Considerations for Our Earthly Passing
   As Catholics, we know that death is the door through which we must pass to gain eternal life. Several considerations are provided as starting points for understanding and preparing for our earthly passing in a way that respects God's gift of human life.
   
   
10. Caring for Loved Ones at Life's End
    When loved ones approach life's end, we may not know how to support them. Ten suggestions anchored in unconditional respect for human life help readers know how to provide authentically compassionate care.

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