“Pastoral care encompasses a broad range of services provided with competence, compassion, and dignity. It includes spiritual assistance and essential material help, and may include supplementary services beyond those available in the community. Providing pastoral care to those in need is a primary way that the Church expresses its love for all God’s children.” U.S. Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities Pro-Life Pregnancy Services Respect for human life compels us to reach out to those with special needs. With the support of the faith community, Catholic organizations and agencies provide pastoral services and care for pregnant women, especially those who are vulnerable to abortion and who would otherwise find it difficult or impossible to obtain high-quality medical care. Resources Local Catholic Charities Adoption Services Catholic Charities Adoption Services provides services in 25 counties within Florida to all members of the adoption triad including birth parents, adoptive families, and adopted persons. Florida Confidential Helpline Florida confidential helpline: 1-877-767-BABY (2229) Natural Family Planning (NFP) The Catholic Church supports the methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP) because they respect God’s design for married love. In fact, NFP represents the only authentic approach to family planning available to husbands and wives because these methods can be used to both attempt or avoid pregnancy. For Natural Family Planning (NFP) diocesan resources and information, click here. Pregnancy Resources Pregnancy Centers can be found all over Florida and are staffed with compassionate professionals who provide counseling, training, and free resources. For additional pregnancy centers vetted by the Culture of Life office, click here. Walking With Moms in Need (WWMIN) Pregnant and parenting moms in need are in our parishes and our neighborhoods. As Pope Francis reminds us, our parishes need to be “islands of mercy in the midst of a sea of indifference.” Everyone in the parish community should know where to refer a pregnant woman in need. The 25th anniversary of Evangelium vitae gave us a wonderful opportunity to begin to assess, expand, and communicate resources to pregnant moms and families in need. Parishes are invited, through the support of their bishop and pastor, to join this nationwide effort entitled, Walking with Moms in Need. For a complete listing of parishes in the Diocese of Orlando who have an active WWMIN ministry, click here. For a Spanish version of the listing of parishes in the Diocese of Orlando who have an active WWMIN ministry, click here. National A Safe Haven for Newborns A Safe Haven for Newborns is dedicated to saving the precious lives of newborns from the dangers of abandonment and assisting pregnant girls and women in crisis. National Helpline: 1-844-767-2229. USCCB – Natural Family Planning (NFP) Natural Family Planning helps married couples to deepen conjugal love and achieve responsible parenthood as part of the Church’s total pastoral ministry to Catholic spouses. Walking With Moms in Need (WWMIN) Walking With Moms in Need (WWMIN) is a USCCB initiative for Catholic parishes and communities to support and “walk in the shoes” of local pregnant and parenting women in need. Everyone should know how to help moms in difficult circumstances. While not trying to turn Catholic parishes into pregnancy centers, we can support local pregnancy centers where they exist, and we can also find and share other resources with pregnant and parenting women. Post- Abortion Healing and Reconciliation “The Church offers reconciliation as well as spiritual and psychological care for those suffering from abortion’s aftermath primarily through diocesan-based programs, most often called Project Rachel. Such ministries utilize specially trained priests and professional counselors who provide one-on-one care. Other post-abortion ministries that involve support groups and retreats are also available in many areas. Every church-sponsored program and identifiably Catholic organization and agency should know where to refer those in need of post-abortion healing. Special resources to assist priests in this ministry are available from the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities and from many diocesan pro-life offices.” —U.S. Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities National – Project Rachel Project Rachel offers post-abortion counseling for both women and men who have been emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually impacted by an abortion. Call 1-888-456-HOPE (4673). All calls are confidential. Diocesan – Project Rachel Helpline There is hope, healing and forgiveness after having an abortion. The Diocese of Orlando Project Rachel ministry provides healing to both women and men who are suffering spiritually, emotionally, and/or psychologically after being impacted by an abortion. Confidential Helpline: call/text (407) 222-8584 or EMAIL. For Project Rachel free resources that may be downloaded, printed, and reproduced for use in your parish, school, or ministry click for English and Spanish. Local Support If you wish to sponsor someone who could benefit from a post-abortive retreat, click here to donate. Please select Culture of Life as your ministry support. Care for Those Who Are Chronically Ill, Disabled, or Dying Euthanasia and assisted suicide can appear a reasonable and even compassionate solution to the suffering of individuals and families struggling with illness or the dying process. Yet these are not real solutions—they do not solve human problems, but only take the lives of those most in need of unconditional love. As Christians, we are called to help build a civilization of life and of love, in which seriously ill persons and their families are never abandoned, but are supported with services, friendship, and love. —U.S. Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities Resources Local Catholic Cemeteries of Central Florida – Kingdom of Heaven Ministry Kingdom of Heaven Ministry at Queen of Angels cemetery accompanies families who have experienced the loss of children through miscarriage or those who have tragically passed away within their first year of life including assisting them with proper Catholic burial at no cost. For more information, call 407-246-4919 or email dbranson@orlandodiocese.org CCCF Behavioral Health Services The Healthcare Services and Behavioral Health Services Ministries provide the connective research and support to engage individuals and families in services to support and enhance their recovery. They can provide services to connect clients to all healthcare and mental health needs. If they cannot serve the individual or the family directly, they work to find an appropriate referral to someone who can. Please call: (407) 658-1818 Ext. 1069 State FCCB End of Life Care The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) provides information and resources related to end-of-life care, addressing topics such as palliative care, advance directives, and ethical considerations. Orlando Catholic Physicians Guild Orlando Catholic Physicians Guild was established in 2005 and is a Chartered Guild of the Catholic Medical Association (CMA). They serve the Catholic medical community of the Orlando Diocese and surrounding areas in Central Florida. The Florida Catholic Medical Association The Florida Catholic Medical Association represents eight guilds spread throughout the state and is part of the the national Catholic Medical Association. National USCCB – Catholic Care for the Sick and Dying Prayers, articles, and educational resources to help Catholics bear Christ’s love to those who are suffering from illness or dying. Care for Prisoners, Those on Death Row, and Victims of Violent Crime “When violent crime impacts a community there is a temptation to respond with anger and vengeance. But the Gospel calls for rehabilitation, reconciliation, and restoration and teaches us to respect the dignity of all human beings, even those guilty of committing horrendous crimes. To promote these ends, we should Encourage outreach to prisoners through programs of visitation or letter-writing Ensure that the spiritual needs of prisoners are met and that they can receive the sacraments Foster pastoral outreach to victims of violent crime Offer emotional and material support to the family members of prisoners, especially children, and to pregnant women and new mothers in prison” —U.S. Catholic Bishops, Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities Resources Local Jail and Prison Ministry St. Peter Claver Prison Ministry is a faith-based mentorship program empowering the incarcerated, ex-offenders and their families obtain self-sufficiency and reduce recidivism. They are a Special Conference of the St Vincent DePaul Society serving Central Florida. National Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition The Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition (CPMC) seeks to enhance Catholic ministry to those incarcerated, detained, or reentering society and those affected by incarceration, while also assisting the Church in the United States to work for a justice that is integrated, inclusive, and restorative.
