Keep up with CNS’s new feature, which highlights interesting stories from diocesan papers around the country.

Such as a piece on a group in Phoenix that helps women in high risk pregnancies that require serious, total bed rest:

The group Dziuk and Schmitt have formed hopes to provide all-inclusive support to pregnant women.

Schmitt said there are support groups in Scottsdale, but they are fractured, focusing on only one or two aspects of a difficult pregnancy. The new group will focus on everything: physical, mental, spiritual and social difficulties.

“It’s covering all the areas,” Schmitt said. “We want to be the glue to bring together all these different ways to help women in Scottsdale.”

The group needs volunteers to provide these services to women. They hope to be organized and fully functional by the New Year.

Another aspect of the ministry will be providing expectant mothers with a referral list filled with numbers of health care providers, hair stylists willing to make house calls, spiritual advisors and priests available to offer the anointing of the sick sacrament.

The overarching goal is to reassure these women that they are not alone in their suffering, Dziuk said.

“You need for your community to come in and see you,” she added.

Schmitt emphasized the potential for spiritual growth in such a trying situation.

“You’re suffering,” she said. “It makes you really think about what bearing a cross really means.”