OCTOBER
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Red Bird Ministries is dedicated to honoring those who have experienced the profound loss of a child.
We provide essential resources to families facing these unimaginable challenges, helping them find hope, answers, and a supportive community in local parish chapters or through the array of resources available to families of child loss.
A conversation with
Kelly Breaux
Let’s change the way we look at pregnancy loss and be the kind of Church that builds a culture of life and the way we advocate being open to life. These babies are our little saints and each of them were carried with love.
Take a minute to watch this thought-provoking video from the founder of Red Bird Ministries. It’s time we change our outlook.
Red Bird Ministries is inspired to help build a Culture of Life, read more on our blog.
Pregnancy loss is more common than we acknowledge:
1 in 333 babies is diagnosed in utero with a life-limiting diagnosis, and parents are told they should consider aborting their baby instead of carrying them to term.
Ways to get involved
Baby Loss Awareness Week
It is held annually from October 9th to the 15th. Ask your parish to place the Red Bird Ministries announcement inside their bulletin that acknowledges these little lives and the love that we, the Church, have for the families that have been impacted.
October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
This day is meant to break the culture of silence surrounding infant and pregnancy loss and allow people to share their personal experiences and remember their loss.
Light a Candle
Participate in the Red Bird Ministries “Wave of Light” Remembrance Mass at 7PM CT. Light a candle at 7 PM in your local time zone and keep it lit for one hour, as the wave of light passes throughout the world.
RSVP
October 15 at 7 pm CT
Join us for the “Wave of Light” Remembrance Mass
We invite you to join us on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 7:00 pm CST, as we host a virtual Mass of Remembrance. To remember and honor the lives of our children, we will light a candle for all babies gone too soon at 7 pm in your local time zone.
Navigating the Grief from Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Support and Resources
At Red Bird Ministries we believe bereavement care should encompass spiritual and emotional support. Recognizing that the care provided to those experiencing this type of loss can set the stage for the entire family’s grieving process, we aim to provide a place of understanding and support that meets our families where they are. See below for our Family and Parish Support & Resources to find a array of support.
Here are some practical ways to support families during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness this October.
Click on image to download the PDF.
For Families
For Parishes
For Clergy
Family Support & Resources
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Certificate of Life
Red Bird Ministries provides Certificates of Life to support families experiencing pregnancy loss. Download our template and personalize it with your baby’s name to honor their memory.
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Refer to the Carried with Love Guide
A comprehensive guide to caring for your body, mind, and spirit before, during, and after pregnancy and infant loss.
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Sign up for Family Support
Register yourself or your family to receive dedicated support from our Red Bird team. We also provide Catholic Counseling referrals.
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Browse through RBM Grief Support Resources
We offer a wide range of digital resources from reading materials, audio content, or support resources to help you through this difficult time.
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Connect with the Red Bird community group
You are welcome to join the first Catholic-focused grief support app and community haven for families of child loss to find solace and resources.
At the support of the Catholic Church and Catholic Families, Red Bird Ministry Advocates are forming parish chapters across the USA and the world.
Help us bring Red Bird to your community.
Parish Support & Resources
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Order of Naming and Commendation Guide
This guide is for an infant who died before birth, found in Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. It helps parents in their grief with God’s blessing and can be used by a priest, deacon, or layperson following the designated prayers.
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Host a Remembrance Mass Service
Organize a special service to honor and remember the babies lost during pregnancy or infancy. This can provide a comforting space for families to grieve and find solace together.
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Host a Behold and Be Held Retreat
Behold and Be Held is a two-hour virtual prayer retreat for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (October 15th). Leaders can host a retreat at their parish to support families. The retreat includes hosting resources and a library of video talks, with new content added annually.
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Include in your bulletin Red Bird Ministries grief support resources
Provide your parishioners a wide range of digital resources from reading materials, audio content, and support resources throughout their grief journey.
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Join Red Bird families in the virtual "Wave of Light"
Organize a common area to stream the mass to join in solidarity with Red Bird families for the International Wave of Light on October 15th at 7 PM to remember all the babies who have passed away.
