THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

May 7, 2006

The Good News

...Mother's Day - Birth Choice

On Sunday, May 14th, we will observe our annual celebration of Mother's Day.  By means of this article, I am sending my very best personal greetings and wishes for a happy and holy day for all mothers of our Archdiocese.  I want to assure you of my prayers especially in my Masses on the 14th.  I will pray that Almighty God bless each of you in a very special way.

Motherhood (just like fatherhood) is a very special gift from God.  To become a mother, a woman is chosen by God to share in His creative power.  In her body, God breathes life to begin a new human being.  The child conceived in her womb is truly her child by the grace and power of God.

Mother's Day is a reminder that each of us has been blessed by God to have a mother.  Each of us is blessed by our own mother who cooperated with God and gave us life.  Each day we should thank God for the gift of our life.  Each day we should thank our mother for making the choice to share with God in giving us life.

In our Archdiocese, we have also used Mother's Day as a reminder of the good work done by many groups and organizations that are dedicated to affirm the dignity and beauty of motherhood.  While there are many such groups and efforts, the most visible and probably the most effective is the pro-life organization called Birth Choice.

For many decades, Birth Choice has been the leader in reaching out to help expectant mothers and their children.  Last year, Birth Choice opened a new central service area in southwest Oklahoma City.  Now more mothers and children are able to be reached.  In addition to the southwest Oklahoma City location, Birth Choice centers are operated in Ardmore, Bethany, Edmond, Elk City, El Reno, Guthrie, Lawton, Norman, Ponca City, Purcell and Woodward.  Birth Choice also sponsors Rose Home and Rosebud Homes for mothers and babies.

On Mother's Day (this year May 14th) a special collection is taken up in every Catholic church of this Archdiocese.  The combined collections are then distributed to the Birth Choice and other pro-life organizations to assist them in their on-going work for expectant mothers and their babies.  Therefore, I humbly but strongly request that everyone of us, from the youngest to the oldest, make a generous contribution to next Sunday's collection to support this beautiful apostolate.  Everyone of us has a mother.  Everyone of us should be grateful to God and to our mother for the gift of life.  Everyone of us should make a generous contribution in honor of our own mother who made the choice for us!