Holy Mass for Couples Who Want to Have Children

On Saturday, October 3, couples struggling with infertility gathered at Ptuj Hill for a special evening of prayer and Mass. Father Toni Brinjovc celebrated the Eucharist under the auspices of the Foundation Infertility and Our Fertility. Before the liturgy began, the priest incorporated these specific spouses into his Rosary prayers, offering their pain and petitions directly to the altar during the service. This event forms part of a series of Masses organized since 2016 across Slovenia, a response to what organizers describe as a rising number of married couples facing fertility issues. During his homily, Father Brinjovc urged the attendees to shift their focus away from what was missing from their lives. He invited them to look at their partners as the individuals with whom they had chosen to share their existence, dream, plan, and hope. He noted that while one partner might suffer silently, the other might struggle to express their own pain. The priest warned that infertility can either bind a couple together or drive them apart. He described common dynamics where one spouse wants to talk while the other remains silent, or where one still holds hope while the other feels exhausted. He observed that feelings of guilt often arise even when neither party is at fault, and pain can transform into questions about responsibility and disappointment. Brinjovc emphasized the importance of remaining close despite differing emotions. He stated that couples do not need to feel the same things or experience every moment identically. Instead, he encouraged honesty and listening without judgment. He suggested that perhaps the holiest act available to them that day was holding hands and acknowledging mutual suffering. He quoted a message of solidarity: knowing that the other person finds the situation difficult, admitting that answers are unknown, but refusing to let the other remain alone in their pain. He affirmed that divine closeness is often most powerfully revealed through a human companion who stays present when words fail. The priest further addressed societal pressures regarding family completeness. He acknowledged a cultural tendency to view life as incomplete without children, suggesting that some believe a marriage lacks value until proven by parenthood. Brinjovc countered this by asserting that worth is independent of achievements or possessions. He declared that names are written in God’s heart and that life, marriage, and love possess inherent value right now. He insisted that divine affection does not increase with the arrival of a child nor decrease in its absence. He reminded the congregation that they are not less valuable, forgotten, or outside of divine love, even when the desire for a child is overwhelming. Following the sermon, the priest offered guidance on how to interact with infertile couples. He advised against telling them to simply accept their condition, claiming it is punishment, or using other dismissive language. After the Mass, a prayer before the Blessed Sacrament was held specifically for healing and fertility. Many attendees were visibly moved, with tears visible on the faces of several couples. The group also prayed for spouses who could not attend because confronting their pain remained too heavy a burden. Simona Hari from the Foundation Infertility and Our Fertility summarized key points from the priest's address. The organization cites biblical examples of couples who faced similar trials, including Elizabeth and Zechariah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Rachel with her husband. These figures sought the gift of life through tears, prayer, and trust. The primary purpose of these gatherings is to pray for new life, fertility, and healing. The next scheduled Mass will take place on November 14 at 18:30 in Zalac near Celje.