To be truly pro-life and truly pro traditional family in this culture, takes a lot of courage and stickabilty. Most of all it takes a profound and deep faith in our Creator and a great love and respect for the Church.
This week our family has had the joy of welcoming the birth of our latest grandchild, Nathaniel Benedict. His parents, Michelle and Brendan, knew that this seventh caesarean birth with added complications was not going to be an easy ride. In fact, Michelle had been in hospital for a week or so prior, as a catastrophic haemorrhage was expected. Now four days later I am only just grasping how close our daughter came to losing her life giving birth to their precious little child of God. With mother and baby finally together in a ward and both out of intensive care, we can reflect on the tremendous skill of the surgeons involved and the fact that generous people in the community donate their blood. With faith and the knowledge of the saints close by at all times we can truly rejoice that God in His goodness has allowed this precious family to come through this life-threatening ordeal.
Of course we know only too well of the critics and judgments made on this humble family. How could they possibly have so many children, how could he make her pregnant again? don’t they know what causes babies yet? they live in another world and so on and on … when he is going to get the big snip?
I want to tell the whole world that my husband Terry and myself, Colleen, are so proud of Michelle and Brendan. In the face of adversity, and at times even scorn, they have embraced the natural law and have willingly accepted the precious gift of life of each of their children. It is no joke when well meaning Christians make remarks about the size of one’s family.
For us, it is so refreshing to see our little grandchildren grow up in a family that does not hold to have the newest and best of everything. Who make their own cards and games and play together and pray together as a family and well … the absolute joy and excitement of a new baby arriving. The joy and love of each of these children is infectious and is truly what life and family is all about.
By the grace of God we have to find a way to show young families today not to be afraid to have children. They are our future. The natural family, mum, dad and children praying, learning, loving and giving is the only viable and natural future for this world.