Pope thanks CELAM for outreach to women following the loss of an unborn child

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"I am pleased to welcome you to this house of Peter and the entire Church, on the joyous occasion of your 25 years of service to people whose suffering is indescribable."

Pope Francis stressed this when addressing the Proyecto Esperanza ( the 'Hope Project'), an initiative of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), which accompanies women who have lost an unborn child, whether through miscarriage or abortion, to heal and experience God's mercy.

The arrival of each newborn, the Pope observed, is usually synonymous with a mysterious joy that overwhelms us and renews hope. "It’s as if we sense, without being able to explain it," he added, "that each child announces the Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, God’s desire to dwell in our hearts.

Perhaps for this reason, Pope Francis said, "the Lord, in the pedagogy of His Gospel, wanted to make us participants in a pain that, as the antithesis of that joy, brutally shakes us."

In this context, the Pope went on to cite verses in Scripture which describes the unimaginable suffering of mothers losing their children.

'Trust in St. Joseph'

Expressing gratitude for their work in accompaniment, the Holy Father reminded those before him that, for many people, they are like angels.

Before concluding, the Holy Father urged them to let St. Joseph empower their efforts.

"Place your trust in the firm hand of Saint Joseph," he said, "so that our sisters may find Jesus in their desolation."

"With him," he continued, "they will reach the warm and safe home of Nazareth, where they can experience inner silence and the peaceful joy of being welcomed and forgiven within the Holy Family."

The Holy Father imparted upon them his Apostolic Blessing and prayed that the Blessed Mother, the Tota Pulchra, cover them with the splendour of her mantle.