Lily of the Valley Catholic Ministry

Experiencing pregnancy or infant loss is an incredibly painful and isolating journey for parents. As friends and loved ones, it’s important to offer support in ways that are sensitive and meaningful. Here are five thoughtful things you can do to help someone who is grieving such a profound loss:

1. Acknowledge Their Loss on Infant Loss Awareness Day (October 15)

On Infant Loss Awareness Day, take a moment to reach out. Send a text or message letting them know you are thinking of them and their precious baby. Consider lighting a candle in memory of their child and share that gesture with them. You can also invite them to join in prayer on Zoom with us on October 28, where we will gather to pray and remember together.

Begin your weekend with Christ-centered self-care in the form of faith, wellness and community at our Fall quarterly event! Participants are invited to attend the 8 am daily Mass in the “Our Lady of the Americas’ Chapel at St. Raphael Catholic Church where the first and second class relics of St. Gianna Molla are installed. We will then participate in a Soulcore class lead by Estela Giroux to pray the rosary combined with light functional movement, followed by fellowship and a light breakfast. All are also welcome to take a moment of prayer and veneration of the relics. Prayer cards will be available.

The picture below looks pretty generic. No faces. Just a mix of arms and legs and bodies. For me, this picture is my heart. My husband and I didn’t know it but I was newly pregnant with our second child when we took these family pictures for our daughter’s 1st birthday. We also didn’t know that our baby would be born into heaven just a few weeks later.

Lily of the Valley Catholic Ministry, in collaboration with Hope’s Garden, will sponsor this six week series hosted by instructor Nicky Verna, M. Th. This event is being offered for free. Please consider making the suggested donation of $60 for the series.

We are all familiar with suffering, but as Catholics, we are encouraged in Christ to see the immense beauty in the suffering. In this course, we will unpack the beautiful Apostolic Letter by Pope St. John Paul II:

Salvifici Doloris
(On the Christian Meaning of Suffering)

Monday Evenings 7:30 – 9:00 PM EST
September 16 – October 21
Location: Zoom

One of the most treasured items in our Prayer Care Packages is the hand-crafted bracelet. This bracelet usually contains the initials of the children in the family. Alternatively, some of bracelets we have sent out in the past have contained a short word or phrase to inspire faith such as “Fiat,” “Hope,” or “St. Gianna.” We have gradually adjusted the bracelet over time to include a St. Benedict medal. We have learned a lot about the protection that this medal is said to provide for the wearers, making the bracelet even more special.

We are excited to share that Lily of the Valley was chosen by The Little Rose Shop to be their “Charity of the Year” for 2024! This is a beautiful online store that brings the Catholic faith into everyday life. Lizzy, along with several of our Prayer Ambassadors nominated us for this honor and we cannot thank those individuals enough! Lily of the Valley will receive a donation from Little Rose at the end of the year. Until then we will continue to serve families through the generosity of our followers and donors. We are so grateful that God is so good.

At various points in my life, I have been encouraged to “let go” and allow the Holy Spirit to move. I didn’t fully appreciate what that phrase meant until 2021 when my wife, Whitney, and I became parents to Colin, our third son. This was not a “normal” pregnancy. At 12 weeks, we learned that Colin had a life-limiting diagnosis and, at 34 weeks, his heart stopped and he was delivered stillborn. Despite being the youngest of 7 children with 5 sisters and 1 brother, I tend to try and control things more so than “let go.” When Whitney and I received this news in November 2020, our world was rocked. Prior to Colin, we were blessed to be parents of two healthy, rockstar children, Liam and Emmett.

Infertility is a journey that challenges not only the physical and emotional well-being of couples but also tests their faith and resilience. For Catholic mothers navigating the difficult path of infertility, the journey is intertwined with profound spiritual considerations. In this blog post, we’ll explore the unique perspective of a Catholic mom facing infertility, highlighting the importance of faith, hope, and the unwavering support of the Church community.

Dear Friends,

I wanted to express my profound gratitude for the incredible support we’ve received from our community, especially during the challenging moments in Philip’s journey. While various organizations touched our lives briefly, one ministry stood by us through every twist and turn: Lily of the Valley Catholic Ministry.

From the moment of Philip’s diagnosis to his birth, hospital stay, and eventually his passing, Lily of the Valley provided unwavering support. They walked with us through grief and continue to be a source of strength as we navigate the delicate path of pregnancy after loss.