Babies, mothers benefit from Saint John student

Intermountain Catholic

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St. John the Baptist students collected numerous items for Saint Martha's Baby Project and Pregnancy Resource Center of Salt Lake City. Shown standing is Maria Moynihan; from left, front row are Melissa McFarlane, Theresa Schoeer, Jamie Espinoza; back row, Brennan Fabry, Jessica Espinoza, Ashton Blasingim, Adriana Johnson, Ciera Pickering, Maddie McPhail, Haley Falvo, Emily Salinas and Maddie Goldberg. Photo courtesy of St. John the Baptist

The sanctity of life is a core belief of the Catholic faith, a lesson that was reinforced for students at Saint John the Baptist Middle School during the recent Respect Life Baby Project.

The purpose of the Respect Life Baby Project was to create an awareness of the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death and the needs of mothers who choose life for their babies born in situations of need. The project was organized by the sixth-grade teachers at Saint John the Baptist Middle School and supported by 125 sixth-grade students. It was introduced in the religion class during October, which is Respect Life month, and in conjunction with the Catholic social teaching of life and dignity of the human person. In a friendly competition among five sixth-grade classrooms, students collected new and gently used items for the Saint Martha’s Baby Project and Pregnancy Resource Center of Salt Lake City. The students sorted items and learned how a layette is assembled for a mother in need. Each class earned points for items collected, with the top class earning a trip to the Pregnancy Resource Center on Nov. 4 for a tour and delivery of items.

As a result of the students’ work, more than 5,700 new items have been delivered to St. Martha’s (including 4,000 disposable diapers, 432 shampoos, 400 soaps, 220 bottles, 144 lotions, 102 blankets, 72 receiving blankets, 62 beginner books, 46 bibs, 40 onesies, 34 socks, 27 sleep ‘n plays, 17 baby wipes, 13 baby toys, 12 laundry baskets, 12 rompers, 12 pacifiers, one pair of shoes and seven diaper bags). An overwhelming number of gently used items also were collected for the center. On Oct. 4, 16 students and their families joined religion teacher Maria Moynihan for participation in the annual Life Chain demonstration at the corner of 10600 South and State Street in Sandy.

"I am very proud to tell everyone that I am pro-life. I want God’s love to shine through me to the babies," wrote Merry Joseph, 6th grade student at Saint John the Baptist Middle School, who participated in the Life Chain.

"In religion class, we prayed a novena for the pre-born children," Moynihan said. "Many of the students were really moved and felt their prayers were really helping and that they themselves were making a difference."