Adoption-promoting couple receive annual pro-life award
Cara and Josh Bach pose with Msgr. William F. Stumpf, archdiocesan vicar general, after receiving the Office of Pro-Life and Family Life’s annual Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Pro-Life Award at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Oct. 1. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)
By Natalie Hoefer
In July, Cara and Josh Bach and their children—all members of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Indianapolis—graced the front page of The Criterion.
The article shared the story of how the couple came to adopt five girls of three different ethnicities over the course of several years, and how they created an adoption support group in their parish to promote adoption as a loving alternative to abortion.
“I don’t like being in the spotlight, but when it’s mission-based, I’ll be in the spotlight all day long,” says Josh.
He says this after he and Cara were again in the spotlight when they received the annual archdiocesan Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Pro-Life Award at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis on Oct. 1.
“We were just astounded” at the news, says Cara of the call they received several weeks ago announcing the recognition.
“It’s just a great honor,” says Josh. “Because it’s mission driven, it’s so easy to accept the award. We’re very excited [with] the idea that the mission of adoption [and] fostering is being placed a little further in the awareness of the community.”
They and their daughters sat in the front row of the cathedral at the Respect Life Mass, during which they received their award. The girls range in age from 6-12, and include a daughter from Russia, two biological sisters of Latino origin, and a set of African-American twins. The biological sisters and the twins were adopted through the foster care system.
At the time of the article in July, the Hispanic girls were waiting on a court date to become adopted. They officially became Bachs in August.
The Bachs, who turned to adoption after struggling with infertility, find a true pro-life cause in adoption.
“It seems like there’s only two choices [for women in an unplanned pregnancy]: ‘I can either have an abortion, or I can parent this child,’ ” Cara said in the July article. “Put in that other ‘A’ word: ‘adoption!’ Adoption is a wonderful, loving choice.”
According to www.adoptuskids.org, a project of the U.S. Children’s Bureau that provides assistance to help child welfare systems connect foster care children with families, there are currently about 9,300 children in foster care in Indiana, many of whom are waiting for adoptive families.
“Right now, our case worker tells us that, because of the [recent opioid] drug problem, they have more children in the foster care system than they’ve ever had in their history,” said Cara in July. “And there’s not enough homes, so they’re sleeping in cots at the DCS [Department of Child Services] Office. They’re so desperate for homes.”
But Cara went on to say that she sees this as an opportunity for Catholics.
“I think this is where the Catholic community can really step up,” she said. “Either you can adopt, or foster, or be a CASA [Court-Appointed Child Advocate], or spread the word about adoption and fostering and programs that support them.”
To support couples considering adoption, the Bachs created the St. Joan of Arc Adoption and Fostering Support Group in 2012. The support group is open to anyone who has already fostered and/or adopted children, are in the process of doing so, or are considering that path. They meet monthly at a coffee shop during the school year, and occasionally during the summer.
Since their story was shared in July, Cara notes that “almost every single week we get an e-mail from someone saying, ‘I read it’ or ‘Someone sent it to me.’ … Some people want to know how they can get a group started at their church. Others just want to know what they can do to provide support. It’s like a snowball effect.”
Part of the snowball effect involves two groups for which Cara collects toys and other gifts for foster children and coordinates volunteers: Foster Fairies, and the Shelby County CASA program. Already this year, almost as many people have committed to help than did by the end of the project around Christmastime last year, the Bachs say.
“It’s good for our girls to see all the presents that have piled in that are not for them,” Cara says with a smile and wink at her daughters.
The Bach’s efforts in advocating for adoption and supporting foster care has been recognized by more than the archdiocese—their oldest daughter Victoria, 12, notes the impact her parents have had.
“I like the fact that we have fostered kids and help them find homes,” she says. “Kids deserve a chance to live a nice life and [to] learn. I support that we continue to help kids because it is so sad when they have to stay without a family their whole childhood.
“Children should have an opportunity to learn, have rules and know love with a family so they can grow up and have a career, house and family of their own.”
With Victoria and the rest of their daughters in the cathedral after the Mass, Cara reflects on the archdiocesan Office of Pro-Life and Family Life-sponsored award she and Josh just received.
“It’s been wonderful, just to think of how many forever homes and how many children are going to be helped,” she says.
“Because we’re done at five [children]!” Josh cut in with a laugh.
“But we’re never done helping and promoting,” he adds.
(For more information on the Bach’s support group for fostering and adoption, e-mail cbach9400@yahoo.com or call 317-418-0525.) †
