By The USCCB
Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the beautiful vocation of motherhood and the gift of human life. It calls us to cherish the gift of life that we receive from our mothers and to pray for all women to whom God has entrusted life in a very special way. As we pray in thanksgiving for the gift of mothers, we remember mothers experiencing difficult pregnancies and pray they may find support and encouragement in choosing life for their children.
While Mother’s Day is not a liturgical or Catholic observance, many parishes still use this holiday to honor and pray for mothers. The month of May has traditionally been dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus. Mother’s Day provides an opportunity to pray for mothers while honoring and seeking the intercession of Our Blessed Mother.
The Diocesan Office of Respect Life and Pastoral Care ministry held its annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale to celebrate the gift of motherhood, raise awareness of life affirming centers in the community, and fundraising for their continued outreach. The assembling of the roses took place at designated parishes within each of the six vicariates of the diocese on May 10. The roses were then distributed to participating parishes, where they were sold May 10-11.
In our efforts to celebrate the vocation of motherhood, it is also important to remember that Mother’s Day can be a difficult holiday for many people: married couples struggling with infertility; parents who have lost a child; those who have lost their own mothers; couples longing to welcome a child through adoption; and women and men who are suffering because of their participation in abortion. Consider honoring mothers while showing sensitivity and compassion to all who find this holiday particularly challenging.
To help highlight the gift of mothers in your diocese, please visit RespectLife.org, a project of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. There is an action guide that features activity ideas that can be used in the parish or at home, and more, to assist with honoring and praying for mothers in your parish community. The action guide can be found at https://www.usccb.org/resources/respect-life-action-guide-mothers-day