London: Mass for the Unborn
Parents, relatives and friends of children who died in pregnancy or shortly after being born are invited to the Mass for the Unborn next Tuesday. It will take place in the House Chapel of 114 Mount Street, London W1, adjacent to Farm Street Jesuit Church, at 7pm.
Tuesday, 2 February, is the Feast of the Purification, which recalls the event 40 days after Jesus' birth when Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem to present their child in the Temple. In addition to the ritual signifying compliance with the Law of Moses, it also affirmed the beauty and holiness of childbirth.
"The annual Mass in Mount Street provides an opportunity for those who have lost a child early in his or her life to celebrate, to pray and to ask for the young one's intercession," says Parish Priest, Fr William Pearsall SJ. "It is always a poignant occasion, but it can also be a time of great joy and sharing, as parents and family members remember the child who has gone before them and is already united with Our Lord."