Legislation to expand Baby Boxes
The Missouri House recently passed legislation to help the state establish additional Safe Haven Baby Boxes at Missouri hospitals and fire stations. Current Missouri law allows parents to surrender their newborns up to 45 days of age at a designated drop-off box without fear of prosecution. HB 121, sponsored by Rep. Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis County, would change the baby’s age limit to 90 days and would create a state fund to match up to $10,000 per installation of a drop-off box. The boxes are climate-controlled with a bassinet inside and immediately notify emergency responders when a baby is placed inside it. Missouri currently has two safe haven boxes. The Missouri Catholic Conference testified in favor of the measure, which now heads to the Senate for debate.
Center for Bosnian Studies moves to SLU
Saint Louis University will become the permanent home of Fontbonne University’s Center for Bosnian Studies. The center is a historical and cultural preservation initiative that features a record of the experiences of Bosnian genocide survivors and their families, especially those living in metropolitan St. Louis, which is home to the largest Bosnian community outside of Bosnia-Herzegovina, with some 60,000 members. SLU will become the permanent home of the center’s oral histories, rare collections, circulating materials and growing digital archives. The move ensures that the center’s mission continues and its work remains accessible as Fontbonne ends instruction and closes its operations after the summer term.
Infertility support group
The archdiocesan Office of Natural Family Planning will host Springs in the Desert, an infertility support group beginning March 13 on Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Cardinal Rigali Center, 20 Archbishop May Drive in Shrewsbury. To learn more, visit springsinthedesert.org/small-groups or email stlnfp@archstl.org.
Support Archbishop Carlson Adoption Fund
A raffle to support the Archbishop Robert J. Carlson Adoption Fund is taking place through March 26. The first prize includes use of the Mercy Suite for one St. Louis Cardinals home game during the 2025 season, 20 tickets, buffet (ballpark food and drink) and two parking passes. Second prize includes 10 tickets, buffet and one parking pass. Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100. The drawing will take place March 27. Proceeds benefit the adoption fund, which supports families seeking to adopt a child and is administered by the archdiocesan Office of Natural Family Planning. To purchase raffle tickets, see bit.ly/ARJC-CardsRaffle.
Workshop for loss of a child
Loving Through Loss, a workshop for couples and individuals who have experienced the loss of a child from miscarriage to adulthood, will take place on Saturday, March 29, at Bethany Farm in Cottleville. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the workshop will conclude by 4 p.m. Registration is free, but an RSVP is required for ordering materials. Contact Becky Materniak with questions at materniakfam@gmail.com. To register, visit stlreview.com/3FgQN3R.
