The Beloit Daily News yesterday had an article on spiritual adoption of the unborn. While I'm sure many readers will be familiar with it, it is a new concept to me. I think it's beautiful, especially as it incorporates three of the most powerful tools available to the pro-life movement: intercessory prayer, education, and service.

Searching for more information online, I found what I believe is an excellent booklet from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Here is how the booklet describes spiritual adoption:

Spiritual Adoption is intercessory prayer to protect unborn children and to guide their families and communities to give them life. Participants pledge to pray for nine months for an unborn baby. The child will remain unknown to his or her spiritual parent, but God knows who the child is. Participants name the child in order to stay focused on the reality that their prayers are being heard by God and are helping to save a particular baby.

B. Spiritual Adoption is education. Throughout the nine months, participants will learn about the growth and development of unborn children, as they follow their own babies' progress from month to month. Monthly announcements on the babies' development, as well as a list of additional educational resources, are included in this booklet. Such education forms a basis for further instruction on Catholic social teaching on the life and dignity of the human person.

C. Service can also be incorporated. At the time of the baby's birthday [that is, birth], a "birthday party" or baby shower may be held to celebrate the birth. At this time, donated baby items might be collected and donated to a family in need in the school or parish or to a local maternity home.

On (date), we will begin the Spiritual Adoption Program and have the opportunity to "spiritually adopt" an unborn baby who is just conceived this month and in danger of abortion. This means that we will give the baby a name and pray every day/week that his or her mother and father are filled with the love and courage to bring their child into theworld. In most cases, abortion is chosen over life because the baby's parents are afraid of responsibility or they feel they don't have enough money or support from friends and family to care for a child. Our prayers will help the parents as well as the child. We will not know who our adopted child is, but God will know, and He will hear our prayers.