Feature Story - How Catholics Walk With Moms in Need

When Tee’aira Adams became pregnant with her first child, she “was so lost.” “I didn’t know what I was going to do … how do you take care of a baby?” she said, recounting her experience at the time.

Tee’aira’s sisters recommended Caring Network, a Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo ministry for moms in need. It’s been six years since that initial contact, and Tee’aira is now mother to three children, in cosmetology school and running her own small business.

Accompanying Tee’aira along her journey have been the staff and volunteers of Caring Network, who surround mothers with the love and support they need but might not have.

“They have helped me cover every aspect of being a mother, being an adult. They have been there for me when I didn’t know what to do,” Tee’aira said, whose voice became emotional as she shared her experience.

Tee’aira’s story is just one of thousands of how Catholic agencies such as Caring Network have been there for moms who need support. Caring Network has assisted more than 7,500 mothers who chose life for their children.

“Our mission is to provide services just like Jesus Christ,” said Marti Jensen, family support specialist case manager for the “Parents as Teachers” program and supervisor at Caring Network, who has worked with Tee’aira over the years.

“We’re not here to judge them, we’re here to open up our arms and help them.”
The debate over abortion regulation is again front and center in the minds of many across the country, as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court ruling allowing for abortion in every state.


In Michigan, abortion advocates have unveiled a proposal to enshrine abortion in the state constitution.

While the tragedy of abortion rightly receives ample attention because it affects the most vulnerable among us — the unborn — the Church has no shortage of concern for women and the challenges they face in their vocation to motherhood.

That concern for mothers and babies has transformed into action. From the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) down to the parish level, to Catholic Charities, the Knights of Columbus and more, the Church is continually reaching out to mothers in difficult situations.

The Church ministry also stretches to women who undergo abortion, offering opportunities to heal and cope with the grief they may experience (see the Project Rachel sidebar on page 24).At Caring Network and other Catholic-supported pregnancy centers, that care and encouragement is shown in many ways.

Physical needs are addressed: food, housing, clothes, car seats and toys to name a few. At the Caring Network building in Kalamazoo, there’s a shower and bathroom that anyone can use, as well as a kitchen and laundry room. There’s also a pantry filled with children’s clothes, maternity clothes, hygienic products, cleaning supplies and more.

From watching her children while she completed job training to helping her put food on the table and clothes on her children, Tee’aira said Catholic Charities Caring Network has “done everything.”

Even providing Tee’aira with maternity clothes “was more than a blessing, that was truly a miracle,” she said. Tee’aira explained maternity clothes are important for staying comfortable as her body changed throughout pregnancy, but because they’re more expensive they were more of a luxury that she wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise.

But it’s not just material needs. Caring Network and other Catholic Charities agencies go beyond immediate physical needs by offering services like parenting classes.

When Tee’aira first came to Caring Network, she wasn’t sure how to be a parent. She still reminds Jensen at Caring Network of this today.

“I remember asking her, what am I supposed to do with this baby?” Tee’aira said.
Jensen said a client of Caring Network suggested they offer parenting classes, so now they do, both in terms of helping women’s interactions with their children and in self-care. They also help to equip parents to prepare their kids for lifelong learning.

“When you don’t have knowledge about how to care for someone who is dependent of you, you don’t know what you’re up against, and the fear of the unknown can cause you to react in a negative way,” Tee’aira said.
With Caring Network at her side, “I was able to learn, OK, what does it take to be a good mother?”

For some mothers, whether they consider an abortion could come down to whether they feel they have support for the child they’re bringing into the world. If the support isn’t there, a woman may feel abortion is her only option.
That rang true for Tee’aira when she found out she was pregnant again following the birth of her first child, Jasmine, who is now six years old. Tee’aira wasn’t convinced she had enough to support another child, which is why abortion was an option she considered.

“Going into being a mother, you don’t think your child will have everything that they need,” she said. “And that’s why abortion is such a big deal for most families, because you don’t want to bring another life into the earth if you can’t provide for that life … which is one of the options that I considered taking.”

Tee’aira remained connected to Caring Network since her first pregnancy, who told her she had other options if she carried her pregnancy to term, such as adoption.

“With them saying no matter what I choose, I would still have their support, that really helped and it gave me comfort and I decided to keep my children,” she said.

Those children turned out to be a set of twins: Emorie and Sabrina, now three years old.

“Just knowing somebody’s there, a lot of times, just knowing that there’s somebody in their corner, and they’re going to help them through this, “Jensen said, when asked what changes the mind of mothers considering an abortion.

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