St. Paul community serves moms and babies

By Christina Galeone
CFP Correspondent

Cardinal Joseph Bernardin wrote, “If one contends, as we do, that the right of every fetus to be born should be protected ... then our moral, political and economic responsibilities do not stop at the moment of birth.”
That statement, which was part of the late cardinal’s “consistent ethic of life” philosophy, was discussed in St. Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School’s “Living in Peace and Justice” class. And, along with this year’s USCCB Respect Life Program’s theme of “Called to Serve Moms in Need,” it inspired the school’s theology department to organize a school-wide service project for October.
“As a team, we discussed sharing with our students the importance of helping mothers after their babies are born,” said Candace Callahan, a St. Paul campus minister and theology teacher, noting that the department wanted the project to help support area babies who are most in need.
She added, “Our campus ministry researched local programs and selected two as the focus. First is Visitation House, which gives support, love and a home to babies and their moms, who find themselves in homeless life situations. The second is the Catholic Charities “Little Bottoms Diaper Program” – supplying diapers for the littlest members of one-in-three families in our community who cannot afford to buy them.”
As Respect Life Month ends, the school’s “Baby Needs Collection Drive” is wrapping up as well. But the success of the service project should have a life-affirming impact for years to come. The drive has collected a wide range of infant items, including receiving blankets, swaddle blankets, baby bottles, night lights and snacks. It has also collected diapers and infant clothing, which are especially needed now by Visitation House and CatholicCharities.

 “The house manager at Visitation House was just thrilled that we had chosen to help them,” Ms. Callahan shared. “When asked what one thing they would really love –in addition to practical items, bottled water and juices –she said new infant clothes. They have four new babies living in the house with a fifth arriving soon.”
Ms. Callahan said that photos of the collection site show how successful the project has been materially. But it has been successful in other ways as well.
“What the pictures do not show is the joyful enthusiasm this project has brought to our school,” Ms. Callahan explained, noting that some individual students volunteered to help display the collected items, while student clubs volunteered to make promotional posters.
“Then there is the simple joy that comes from knowing there will be new moms able to enjoy our gifts with their newborns and still other moms that will not need to worry about how they will afford to buy diapers,” she noted.
 That joyful celebration of life has been contagious among the students and their families.
“Even before we formally announced our baby item drive, we had gift cards, clothing and diapers delivered,” Ms. Callahan said. “The collection spot, outside Campus Ministry, became a conversation area about all the cute baby items displayed, with one of our students, who works after school at TJ Maxx, proclaiming she was going to use her discount to buy more gifts,” she added.
The USCCB Respect Life Program theme reminds all Catholics to faithfully serve and support mothers in need by bringing Christ’s love to them. But the people serving those moms are equally enriched by that love.
“This has been such an incredibly positive experience for our entire school community,” Ms. Callahan assured.
 “Our school’s motto is ‘Fortior Unus,’ and we are truly ‘Stronger Together.’”