‘Walking with Moms in Need’ implemented on the Iron Range

The Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade will be looked back on as a turning point in American history. Now, more than ever, all eyes will be on the church to see how we stand by women going into this new chapter. It is with this in mind that Blessed Sacrament in Hibbing, St. Joseph’s in Chisholm, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Buhl have joined forces to bring Walking with Moms in Need to their parishes. 

Supported by (approved by) the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Walking with Moms in Need is a process implemented at the parish level, which seeks to arm each parishioner with the tools and knowledge they need to confidently stand with, and be of service to, any mother who may be in need of a helping hand. This is the first time the program has been used in the Duluth Diocese, and there is much anticipation over how it will unfold and what fruit it will bear. 

The Hibbing-Chisholm-Buhl team is currently in the research phase, learning of all the resources currently available in the area. They’ve toured pregnancy centers to better understand how they operate and what kinds of support are offered. They are learning more about shelters and food assistance in the area and deepening their understanding of Minnesota’s Safe Haven law, which protects women who need to surrender their newborns, and Catholic adoption in the state. 

The next phase of the mission is to convey all they have learned to the parishioners as the goal is to create churches filled with parishioners ready to help a mother in need, making the church family a refuge and source of strength. 

Another objective while implementing the process is to identify weak spots in the support system. Those will also be presented to the parishes, which can then decide how best to address them. 

The team has been pleasantly surprised to discover just how much help is already available. By reaching out to various organizations, Walking with Moms in Need has stimulated networking between groups. 

Our parishes, as Pope Francis reminded us, are called to be “islands of mercy in the midst of the sea of indifference.” Walking with Moms in Need is an attempt to answer that call.