05/15/2026
Baby Gerard was stillborn at 30 weeks.
His tiny life was brief… hidden… and unseen by most of the world.
And in the midst of grief and difficult circumstances, his parents were unable to care for him in death.
But God saw Gerard.
God knew Gerard.
And God loved Gerard from the very first moment of his existence.
When we learned that this little boy would otherwise go without a funeral, without a burial, and without anyone to publicly mourn him, we knew in our hearts that we could not allow him to be forgotten.
So through an act of love, we posthumously adopted him.
We gave him a name.
We claimed him as family.
And today, the Church claims him too.
He is our family. All of ours.
Because today we proclaim something the world desperately needs to hear:
That every life — no matter how small, how brief, how unexpected, or how unseen — has infinite dignity and worth.
Gerard’s life mattered.
Not because of what he accomplished.
Not because someone chose him.
Not because he took a breath outside the womb.
His life mattered simply because he existed.
He was created by God.
Loved by God.
And worthy of love from us.
Today is not only about sorrow.
It is also about witness.
A witness that no child should be mourned alone.
A witness that love can step into places of abandonment.
A witness that even the smallest among us deserve dignity, prayer, and remembrance.
And perhaps Gerard’s little life — though hidden from the world — will change hearts in ways we may never fully know.
Today, we entrust Baby Gerard to the mercy, tenderness, and eternal embrace of God.
And we thank all of you for helping ensure that this precious child was not forgotten…
but deeply loved. Please remember Baby Gerard in your prayers.
Thank you for your support.
