VERO BEACH | St. Helen Parish’s Respect Life ministry sponsors a butterfly release every year in remembrance of unborn babies. Just as a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly, their hope is that the symbolic release will transform grief into hope and healing of the loss of an unborn baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or abortion.
For the first time, St. Helen School students participated Oct. 26, 2025, in the eighth annual event by assisting with setup, cleanup and distribution of the envelopes containing the butterflies. “I am volunteering for the butterfly release,” said St. Helen student Colin Griffeth. “It’s important to recognize the ones who were not born to show that they are still alive in our hearts.”
School Principal Debbie Irish, holding her grandson, Dominic, said, “These are some of the seventh- and eighth-grade students.” She added, “I told them my story, how I had lost a baby,” and asked them if they knew of anybody, “and they all wanted to volunteer.”
Deanna Herbst-Hoosac, Respect Life director for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach, said, “It’s a beautiful event that honors all babies that are lost to abortion and miscarriage.” It is “once a year that we come together and release a beautiful spirituality of butterflies in remembrance of the unborn.”
The event officially began with a blessing and prayer from Father Gil Hernández Pozo, parochial vicar. Susan Baldwin, emcee and parish Respect Life co-chair, welcomed everyone and recalled the life of the late Holli Ann Skrapits, who founded the butterfly release.
“As many of you know, the butterfly release was started eight years ago by Respect Life ministry member Holli Skrapits,” she said. “Holli had an incredible passion for protecting the unborn and for helping heal those who have suffered a loss of a baby.” Baldwin added that, “although Holli is no longer here with us physically, we know she is with us in spirit, especially today.”
Baldwin explained that the loss of a baby results in a “multitude of emotions,” such as “deep sorrow, grief, anger, guilt, emptiness, loneliness and maybe more,” and “we pray that you feel love, great love, love from your baby above, love from the people who surround you, and most of all, love from God, our Father.”
During the ceremony, Carolyn Dean, host of the “Living Catholic” program on Divine Mercy 920 AM Catholic radio, played recorded music. As the song “Perfect Way to Start” by Craig Aven was played, St. Helen students distributed the butterflies. Student Kerrigan Powell read a poem about the loss of a baby, titled “Little Butterfly” by Amy Farquhar.
On a butterfly release memorial, there were given names or written messages in honor of the lost babies. The names of the unborn babies and/or donor intentions were read.
“As you are listening to the intentions, if you wish, you can close your eyes and think about God’s promise of a new life for us,” Baldwin said. “Whenever you are ready, open the origami envelopes and release the butterflies.” Black and gold monarch butterflies were released into the air as children chased them with joy.
For information on local pro-life activities, visit https://www.ccdpb.org/programs/respect-life/ and contact Deanna Herbst-Hoosac at dherbst@ccdpb.org or 561-360-3330. For ministries at St. Helen, go to www.sthelenvero.org and follow on Facebook.
