The Archbishop of Detroit held a memorial Mass on Oct. 24, to honor the lives of babies lost to miscarriage or stillbirth and bring encouragement to their parents. 

This memorial comes during Respect Life month. 

“Join us in prayer and remembrance as Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron celebrates the Mass of Sunday October 24 to pray for the infants and children lost to miscarriage and stillbirth. Get the details and register at aod.org/memorial-mass,” the Detroit Archdiocese tweeted. 

Parents have had the option to register early and have their children’s names inscribed in the Book of Innocents. The book was to be blessed and installed at the cathedral after Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, according to Event Brite. 

Science Alert states that as many as half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, making it an incredibly common but nevertheless heartbreaking experience. 

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “In October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of October is designated as Respect Life Sunday. To support these annual observances, the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities provides materials to help Catholics understand and value the gift of human life and help build a culture that cherishes and protects it.”