To mark Sanctity of Life Sunday in Brisbane archdiocese John Paul II Centre for Family and Life director RAY CAMPBELL and Centacare’s Care and Concern community development worker ROSEMARY WOODS have prepared this update on the Walking with Love outreach to pregnant women.
THIS Sunday is the day on which the Archdiocese of Brisbane observes its “Sanctity of Life” Sunday, a day when we give thanks to God for the gift of life and reflect upon the ways in which we are called to protect and nourish that gift. In particular the Sunday focuses upon how we protect the gift of new life in the womb.
This Sunday also marks the first anniversary of the launch of Walking with Love groups in the archdiocese.
These groups exist to offer support for pregnant women and mothers with new born children.
The groups grew out of the Walking with Love Symposium which was sponsored by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in various capital cities in 2008.
One of the aims of the symposium was to initiate a grassroots response to the needs of pregnant women.
At the Brisbane symposium we heard from three women who had different stories regarding unexpected pregnancy and how they responded.
But what all three had in common was that they said that their Church was the last place they would have thought of turning to for support. Walking with Love groups aim to help change that.
When launching the National Walking with Love Symposium Bishop Eugene Hurley said that it was “designed to be a ‘tsunami’ which the bishops hope will trigger Catholic communities to get active in supporting people in such difficult situations”.
We do not think it is a “tsunami” yet, but the wave is growing.
At a time when getting volunteers is not always easy the response to the idea of Walking with Love groups has been inspiring.
People who are in full-time work, part-time work and people working at home have all volunteered. There are professional people, tradespeople and retired people.
There are grandparents and young people. What they all have in common is a kind and compassionate heart.
Walking with Love groups offer a compassionate response to women who are anxious about the baby they are carrying. They are given practical support.
A phone call, accompanying the pregnant woman to ante-natal visits, assisting with the purchase of baby goods, may make a big difference to the way a woman feels about her pregnancy and the future for herself and her baby.
Walking with Love volunteers offer support, not counselling.
There are now more than 10 WWL groups across seven deaneries in the archdiocese. They have supported women in a wide range of circumstances. Many women have no other means of support – no family, no partner. Their very isolation is frightening.
Once again to quote from Bishop Hurley, “no-one should be alone in these circumstances”. We are called to be there for them.
“If that means providing housing, creches, we should be doing that – tailor made for each circumstance to allow women to make real, wise choices that are life affirming.”
One woman had escaped a domestic violence situation but wanted to have her baby. She had been let down by many people and was sceptical about Walking with Love. But a beautiful volunteer supported her and stuck by her. She will soon give birth to her baby.
Another pregnant woman needed to move house quickly.
Volunteers helped to clean up the unit she had been living in so that she was able to retrieve her full bond.
Even when groups are not assisting anyone their very existence is a witness to our love and concern for pregnant women and the babies they are carrying. They are a very simple pro-woman, pro-life statement.
Volunteers are initially invited to an information session on Walking with Love. If they decide they want to continue they will receive training and support through Centacare’s Care and Concern community development worker and the mission development officer for the John Paul II Centre for Family and Life.
The co-ordinators have established links with the major hospitals and several referrals have already come through them.
It is fair to say that the Archdiocese of Brisbane is leading the way in putting the Walking with Love symposium into practical effect.
Last week the co-ordinators Rosemary Woods, from Centacare, and Gwen Winterscheidt, from the JPII Centre for Family and Life, were invited to Melbourne to speak about our Walking with Love experience at a gathering for Melbourne archdiocese.
Other dioceses have also contacted the director of the JPII Centre to ask for more details about our initiative.
Walking with Love groups are one very good practical manifestation of our appreciation of the “sanctity of life”.
The words of Pope Benedict XVI could be applied to our WWL volunteers: “the fate of society depends on its creative minorities. Christian believers should see themselves as just such creative minorities, who because of their encounters with Christ place a different value on life. Through their persuasive capacity and their joy, they reach other people and offer them a different way of seeing things.”
To mark our first anniversary and Sanctity of Life Sunday all parish priests have again received information on Walking with Love groups.
Any parish, cluster of parishes or deanery wanting to set up a Walking with Love group is invited to phone Centacare’s Care and Concern community development worker Rosemary Woods on 3252 4371.
