Respect Life Month

There is a remarkably high chance that you will meet someone facing an unexpected pregnancy. As Catholics, we are called to be advocates for life. One of the most effective ways to do that is by sharing positive, personal stories that highlight the beauty of choosing life.

I know of two very different adoption stories. In the first, a couple in their late twenties and early thirties were struggling in life and already had children. When they became pregnant, they decided their son would have the best opportunity with an adoptive family. They chose adoption out of love and were overjoyed to place their son with a childless couple ready to become parents.

The second story involved two 17-year-old high school juniors. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, they carefully considered their options and ultimately chose adoption for their daughter. They found a loving family and remained confident in their decision.
Years later, neither set of birth parents has ever regretted or second-guessed their choice.

The story does not end with adoption. It continues through the lives that followed. I remember the joy of holding my six-minute-old son and feeling him tightly grasp my pinky. I remember my daughter, only a week into being a Brownie, selling an entire fundraiser sheet on her own by visiting every house on our street. I remember her smile as she realized she was leading a race at the high school stadium.

Think of all the Christmases, birthdays, family vacations, laughter, and memories that these children have experienced because their birth parents chose life. Their courageous decisions created opportunities for two children to thrive and brought immeasurable joy to families who longed for children of their own.

Millions of childless couples hope for a story like mine.

A fellow parishioner