9 Days to Life - Day 6

I hope you're still praying out there.  If you didn't catch much of the coverage from the March for Life in Washington DC, here is something new you can pray for - an increase in adoption.  I'm not talking about people who are willing to adopt - there are 500,000 waiting.  I'm talking about an increase in the number of birthmothers - heros actually - who will make the choice to give their child a chance at life.  Not all birthmothers can be good or willing parents.  There is no sin in knowing that you can't parent a child.  Adoption could again be the best option to abortion for parents who cannot or will not raise a child.  Here is Ryan Bomberger of The Radiance Foundation and speaker at the March for Life:

I know exactly what it feels like to be "in line" to adopt a baby.  Some people would say there is only a "line" for people waiting to adopt healthy white infants.  That's not true.  Even people who have expressed interest in adopting a child with handicaps, exposed to prenatal drug use and of a different race will wait in that line, usually about 2-3 years.  Is that surprising given that for every adoption in this country there are 64 abortions?  That statistic includes adoptions of children who are not infants.

I have a dear friend who is in the process of adopting a beautiful toddler who is almost 3.  His birthmother is not married, is addicted to drugs and is currently awaiting trial on serious criminal charges.  The child's father is not in the picture.  Despite these issues, the birthmother made a choice to let her son live.  The birthmother's family tried very hard to help raise the baby, but it just wasn't possible.  They contacted friends who contacted friends and a miracle happened - a boy found his parents.  It is an open adoption so the birthmother's family will still be in this boy's life.  It's not surprising that they want to have him in their lives - he is a ray of sunshine to everyone who sees him with his carrot top and stunning blue eyes.  His birthmother may have problems but she is a hero.  If you want to see more about Riley's story, visit Songs Kate Sang.

To continue your novena for life, visit the USCCB website.

Tomorrow - we're just getting started out here on the West Coast!

CC

p.s.  If you are following me on Facebook, sorry if it seems like I'm bombarding you with multiple posts in a day.  I'm still getting used to the timing and with a post each day during this novena, I'm a little inconsistent about timing.

9 Days for Life - Day Five

Today is Day Five for me, but there is a bit of a disconnect because if you're following along on the USCCB website you know that Day Five was actually yesterday, January 22.  The reflections and reparations are geared toward the actual anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the March for Life.  That's not going to stop me from moving forward; everyday is a great day to pray and make reparations to end abortion.  If you are interested in seeing Day Five prayers, go HERE

As part of the March for Life events, a Vigil Mass held on Tuesday night included a homily from Cardinal Sean O'Malley.  It was very moving and maybe not in the way you might think:

"The Pro-Life Movement needs to be the merciful face of God to women facing a difficult pregnancy.  Being judgmental or condemnatory is not part of the Gospel of Life."

Wow.  But there's more

"We are all here because we want to save the thousands of innocent children who are being executed by the very people whose mission should be to heal and protect life.  The truth is that we can save those babies only by saving the mothers.  When they experience God's loving mercy then they will become capable of showing mercy to their children.  The Pro Life Movement has to be about saving mothers.  We need to focus on the women to try to understand what they are suffering."

The entire homily is well worth your time to watch or read.  You can do both at Salt and Light.

Mother and Child by Pablo Picasso

Personally, I would love to see more adoption to take the place of abortion.  I'm really not sure why, but adoption has become a dirty word in American society.  The idea that a mother could give up her baby to strangers seems cruel to many.  Is that worse than if she had never given that child an opportunity to be born?

Mothers who carry their babies to term despite the obstacles - poverty, shame, rejection or lost opportunities - they are the heroes.  We need to celebrate them.  We need to find ways to help them, whether their choice is to raise the child or their choice is to give the child an opportunity to be loved by another family.  Those are the real choices.

Tomorrow I want to tell a few stories about adoption.

CC