Children show diapers collected by Our Lady of the Lady Parish in Ashland. The parish’s efforts earned them second place with a prize of $200 being donated to Ashland’s local pregnancy center. (Submitted photo)
Bonita Thom of the Diocese of Superior’s Respect Life Office expressed gratitude for participation in the diaper drive that was promoted as an alternative to the 2021 March for Life.
“Although the current pandemic may have kept us from the March for Life in D.C. this year,” Thom stated, “we have made an impact throughout the Diocese of Superior and beyond our borders.”
March for Life Chicago’s Moving the Movement multicity tour still witnessed to life. According to a Jan. 26 press release, more than 8,000 participants attended six tour stops in four states across the Midwest.
In addition, a goal had been set to collect 130,094 diapers to represent the average annual number of babies aborted in the Midwest. The actual number collected was more than 156,000, exceeding 25,000 more than the goal. Diaper donations were then distributed to 20 pregnancy resource centers.
Within the Diocese of Superior, the total collection of diapers was just shy of 17,000.
Thom congratulates the winner for most diapers collected: the Cathedral of Christ the King cluster, which includes St. Anthony and Holy Assumption in Superior, St. Anthony Parish in Lake Nebagamon and St. William in Pattison Park.
Collecting 4,546 diapers, they won first prize, so $300 was donated to their local pregnancy resource center, Lake Superior Life Care Center in Superior.
Superior’s Cathedral School won the first prize among participating schools, collecting 1,514 diapers. Lake Superior Life Care Center will receive an additional $300 as this prize. Thom did note some of the diocesan Catholic schools waited until Catholic Schools Week to collect diapers; however, those dates did not coincide with the contest window.
Second place went to Our Lady of the Lake Parish cluster based in Ashland. They collected 3,774 diapers and the Chequamegon Pregnancy Center in Ashland will receive their prize of a $200 donation.
Thom recognized other participants, including Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Rhinelander, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Medford, Sacred Heart of Jesus in Stetsonville, Our Lady Queen of Peace in Manitowish Waters, Good Shepherd in Rib Lake and employees of the diocesan chancery in Superior.
In addition, she shared comments received by email from Kim Vercauteren of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference:
“My thanks to everyone in the Diocese of Superior for your amazing efforts to collect diapers for pregnancy resource centers. I believe the Diocese of Superior more than doubled our collection number for Wisconsin.”
Thom concluded, “This is truly an amazing accomplishment and shows the impact we can have when we come together to support our brothers and sisters. May we stand united and support one another as we promote a culture of life throughout the Diocese of Superior.
