Good Morning Friends,
This is something I have been reflecting on for a few months now as we are pregnant with our third baby and recently had the honor of participating in the rite of the Blessing of the Child in the Womb. For some reason, though, I have not been able to write about it until now. As I am sitting here, beginning this newsletter, I think I understand why the timing of it was so delayed. October is infant loss awareness month, a month where we honor those lives that will forever be hidden as they were physically only in the womb.
What I see in this rite of blessing, is the Church openly honoring the life in the womb and already acknowledging that life for what it is, a blessing, regardless of how long that life lasts.
If you have never heard of this rite, I highly recommend you look into it to see the full beauty of it, and for all my pregnant mammas out there, you now know you can go ahead and get that baby blessed.
With my first child, I did not know about this rite of blessing. It was in the midst of COVID lockdown and our church had a drive through blessing of the palms. I remember my husband being so excited to tell someone that we were pregnant that he told the priest through the car window as he was sprinkling water on the palms.
Our priest stopped and congratulated us and took the time to place his hands on me and pray over our child and I. It wasn’t the “official” rite, but I remember feeling so blessed (there isn’t another word for it), but even more importantly, I remember feeling like this tiny little grape-sized baby was seen, known, and loved in a way even I could not fathom.
For my second pregnancy, I did not find out about this rite of blessing until near the end of my third trimester. My husband and I had just moved to a new church from a church that was not very child friendly. We walked out of Mass, not even full members of this church yet, to the deacon welcoming us and asking us if our child had been blessed yet.
I remember almost bursting into tears at that moment. That particular pregnancy had been difficult in very different ways than my first and part of that was a constant feeling that the child in my womb was not seen. No one had acknowledged our growing family in the previous church we had attended and there was very little extended family excitement about this new little life. Yet, here we were, practically strangers in this church and not only were we being welcomed, but my little child was being seen, known, and cared for in ways I could not have imagined.
Our pastor scheduled a daily Mass around me receiving the Blessing of the Child in the Womb, Blessing of the Mother Before Childbirth, and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (which you can receive before any potentially medically dangerous event which includes labor). It was beautiful day of God reminding me through the hands of his servants that He never fails to show up and care for His children.
For our third child, we have been on it. We found out we were pregnant, and the next day we had a dear priest friend of ours over for dinner to do the Rite of the Blessing of the Child in the Womb. I could not shake the feeling that this child needed to be blessed asap. It’s kind of like Baptism, the more children I’ve had, the more insistent I have become that we should not wait.
This time, during the blessing, I was starting my pregnancy with the reminder that this child is not really mine, he is God’s, and he is loved and cared for beyond anything I could ever imagine.
The part that most stood out to me this time was the blessing of the parents within this rite of the Blessing of the Child in the Womb. (To avoid copyright, I am not pasting it all directly in here, but I have linked it for you to go and read.) Part of the blessing for the mother is a prayer for a healthy birth and also a petition to help her in her anxiety as she helps to guide this soul to heaven.
God, through His Church, wants to remind each of His children that they are seen, known, and loved.
For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. Psalm 139:13-14
Why I am I sharing all of these experiences with you?
Well, there are a few reasons. First, because as I was praying through this topic, I was reminded that sharing personal experiences is powerful and these have been powerful moments in my life.
Second, because I find that this rite is not very well known, and I want as many people as possible to be aware of this beautiful rite that is available to them and their children in the womb.
Third, because I wanted to highlight the little ways that God can show His love. None of these moments were necessarily earthshaking for anyone around me or even, necessarily, those involved, but they were life changing for me. That priest in the car line was just giving a blessing, probably something he does frequently. Our deacon was just being himself and living out his faith, yet he was tangible example of the Father’s love for me. Our friend just came over for dinner and did something that he sees as part of his vocation, yet it meant the world to me and my family. Never underestimate how God can work through your little acts and the acts of those around you to spread His love.
Fourth and maybe most importantly, because it emphasizes the Church’s respect for life in the womb and the life of the parents. I hear so often from poorly catechized Catholics and non-Catholics that the Church “doesn’t really care about babies and mothers. It doesn’t really acknowledge babies in the womb as humans.” This could not be further from the truth, and this rite null and voids those comments in and of itself.
Through this rite, the Church is acknowledging the miracle and dignity of this life in the womb and the dignity of each of the parents. The Church is showing the Father’s infinite love and care for each of His creations.
My hope with sharing this is also to bring some consolation to those of you who have lost a child. Even if you feel that child was unknown, the Church recognizes the dignity and gift of that life. Also, for those of you who may not have known about the rite, that is okay, it is not a requirement. It is a beautiful rite for future children, God willing, but the very existence of it, is a sign in and of itself of the dignity and beauty and blessing of your child no matter the length of his/her life.
If this is part of your story, I am praying for you today.
God bless you Friend.
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