This week is National Infertility Awareness Week (April 19–25, 2026), a time when many conversations around infertility take place in the broader culture, writes Emma Rose Fisher, pictured above, Family & Life Ministries Coordinator for the Diocese of Lansing, April 22.
As Catholics, we have a unique opportunity to accompany those carrying the cross of infertility with compassion, and to share a message of hope and healing rooted in Christ. One-in-six individuals will experience some form of infertility in their lives, and many couples may feel that options like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Intrauterine insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, are their only path forward.
Amid that experience, the Church must offer both compassionate accompaniment and ethical paths of care that honor the dignity of every human life. These couples need to know that they have many gifts that can bear fruit in the Diocese of Lansing, that their marriages are life-giving in many beautiful ways, and that God has not abandoned them — and neither have we.
For spiritual and emotional support, we are grateful for the financial support of the Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA), which has enabled us to launch a chapter of Springs in the Desert, a ministry that accompanies those experiencing infertility and miscarriage. Its focus on Jesus Christ, rather than on medical outcomes, can be deeply healing, especially for those who feel overwhelmed by fertility “to-do lists” and external pressures in their journey. Learn more at springsinthedesert.org/infertility-awareness/.
In the practical realm, NaPro Technology has been life-changing for many, offering ethical, restorative approaches to treating infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Some may also be surprised to learn that Natural Family Planning methods can support couples who are hoping to conceive, as well as to avoid. Information and resources are always available at dioceseoflansing.org/nfp (see “Find an NFP Teacher or Doctor” or “NFP Not Working?”).
Springs of Love is a Catholic adoption and foster care ministry, which helps couples to explore the special call to welcome a child through fostering or adoption, and to find ethical and faithfully Catholic resources. Find more at springsoflove.org.
If you are carrying the cross of infertility and feel called to minister to others, we invite you to reach out to the Office of Marriage, Family, and Life by visiting dioceseoflansing.org/infertility. We welcome the opportunity to help you share your gifts and build community.
Please join us in prayer for all those who carry the crosses of infertility, child loss, chronic illness, and childlessness. Saints Anne and Joachim, patrons of those longing for children, pray for us!
