Cardinal Confers Blessing of Child in Womb

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Cardinal Dolan bestowed the blessing of the child in the womb upon an assembly of parents and their unborn babies at Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

“Dear God, author of all life, bless, we pray, these unborn children,” Cardinal Dolan said in administering the rite at the end of the 10:15 a.m. liturgy April 6. “Give them constant protection and grant them a healthy birth, that is the sign of our rebirth one day in the eternal rejoicing of heaven.”

Before administering the blessing, the cardinal asked the expectant mothers and the fathers to stand, then jokingly asked if there were any wives not standing who were “looking for the right time to tell the husband” about an addition to the family.

The blessing came through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during Cardinal Dolan’s 2010-2013 presidency. “I’m sure proud of this,” he said.

On March 26, 2012, the Feast of the Annunciation, the USCCB announced the Vatican’s approval of the publication of the blessing.

Available in English and Spanish, the blessing originated when then-Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Knoxville, Tenn. (now archbishop of Louisville, Ky. and president of the USCCB) asked the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities to find out if a blessing existed for a child in the womb.

When none was found, the committee prepared a text and submitted it to the USCCB’s Divine Worship committee in March 2008. Approved by the full body of bishops in November 2008, it was sent to Rome for editing and final approval.

The prayer also asks for “comfort in all anxiety” for mothers, and a determination for them “to lead their children along the ways of salvation.”

The role of fathers is also recognized in the prayer, through their knowledge of the grace and pride of fatherhood. “Grant them courage in this new responsibility and make them examples of justice and truth for their children,” the blessing continues.

Heidi and Andrew Budi, both 25, of Our Lady of Peace parish in Manhattan, are expecting their first child in July.

Mrs. Budi said it was sweet to feel the baby move in her womb during the blessing and throughout the Mass “as the community recognized the unborn child.”

“Our most important role, now that we’re parents, is to be able to pass on our faith and to get our baby to heaven,” she added.

Her husband was happy the fathers were included in the blessing. “It was nice to give the daddies a piece of the pie,” Budi said with a laugh.

The organizer of the blessing’s debut at the cathedral was Greg Pfundstein, a member of the archdiocesan Pro-life Commission. He is president of the Manhattan-based Chiaroscuro Foundation, an organization of scholars, businessmen and entrepreneurs committed to the defense of life, liberty and justice. The foundation supports Catholic and pro-life causes.

Pfundstein, 33, and wife Becky, 30, are awaiting the arrival of their third child in May. Accompanying them were their daughter Marguerite, 4 and son Sebastian, 2.

“The goal was to receive the blessing, raise awareness about it and hopefully encourage others to approach their pastor and ask for the blessing,” Pfundstein said.

Mrs. Pfundstein said the “public acknowledgement of the reality of the person growing inside is important,” as was the manner in which that acknowledgement occurred. “During Mass, before everybody, is a real witness to life.”

Also in attendance was Christopher Bell, president, executive director and co-founder of Good Counsel Homes, along with some mothers from the homes. The blessing, Bell said, recognizes “there’s a soul in that child from conception.”

Good Counsel provides residential care and community-based services for homeless, expectant and new mothers and their children in the context of the Catholic social tradition. Its residences in New York include the Bronx, Harrison and Spring Valley.

The arrival of Aaron Roberto Collado on April 4 precluded his parents, Roberto and Joani Collado of St. Nicholas of Tolentine parish in the Bronx, from attending the blessing.

The couple had planned to go to the cathedral April 6 but were “wonderfully interrupted by the birth of our son,” Mrs. Collado said in an April 7 email to CNY.

“Our son’s due date was April 11; our little blessing, Aaron Roberto Collado, was born early on Friday, April 4.”

Mother and child were discharged from the hospital April 6 at 12:30 p.m., about an hour after the blessing.