20 Marian Helper • Winter 2023-24 • Marian.org Jesse’s legacy At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the walls of the Shrine of the Holy Innocents (above) are covered in tiles etched with the names of children, gone but not forgotten. In the center is the focal point for prayer: a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn (feast day: Dec. 12). Marian Helpers Amanda and Ryan Layman of New Carlisle, Indiana, know the pain of losing a child to miscarriage. But they also know that, from the depths of despair, God’s mercy can offer healing — and unexpected blessings. By Laurie Robinson December 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents, marking the attempt by Herod to murder the infant Jesus by ordering the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem and vicinity, two years old and younger (see Mt 2:16). It’s an especially poignant day of remembrance in the Christmas Octave for parents who have lost a child, either born or unborn. From a tragedy, family blessings Amanda and Ryan Layman had their marriage blessed in the Catholic Church this year. The Shrine of the Holy Innocents on Eden Hill in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
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