Motherhood
Interrupted
A Catholic Ministry
For Post Abortion Healing
For Post Abortion Healing
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The Father of mercies is
ready to give you his
forgiveness and his
peace...You will come to
realize all is not definitively
lost...
The Gospel of Life
Pope John Paul II
ready to give you his
forgiveness and his
peace...You will come to
realize all is not definitively
lost...
The Gospel of Life
Pope John Paul II
| © Copyright 2010, Motherhood Interrupted. All rights reserved. |
Post Abortion Healing Resources
Is there truly hope for me! Yes! Hope is the object of this
healing process. Every aborted child waits in heaven to be
reunited with their mother. Every aborted child wishes them love
and forgiveness.
Guilt, remorse, anger and hopelessness are all addressed in post
abortive work. No matter what led to the abortion decision, God is
there with outstretched arms to provide the hope and constant
love.
Seeking a supportive and spiritual post abortive program is key.
No one can do it alone. Everyone is a child of God and as such is
entitled to God’s infinite love and mercy. The first step is the
hardest, but as seen through all the stories in the book, that step
leads to an everlasting healing that can change a person’s life.
It is clear that the face of abortion can more clearly be expressed
by those who’ve had an abortion and these women should be an
integral part of a post-abortive ministry. The post abortive
woman gives testimony to the child lost and is a living witness to
this tragic decision. They speak to the spiritual, physical and
emotional consequences for making the legal choice that our
society offers.
Post-abortive women are crying out for reconciliation, a deep
forgiveness that can only come from God. Some people question
to the Church seeking healing have already been through therapy
for topics such as depression, relationships, commitment, and
addiction. But time after time therapists don’t see the abortion as
an issue in their patient’s lives. Therefore they do not examine or
address the problem in therapy.
These people are mothers to their missing children and these
children need to take their rightful place in their mother’s lives.
Intellectually, the reality is that we are mothers to our children for
all eternity. And that is what should be addressed. Anyone
attending a post abortive ministry is taught that they are a
mother forever to this aborted child. All the energy that has
typically been spent on healing and reconciliation must be put into
perspective with the personal loss these people have
encountered. Post abortive mothers must deal with their decision
to abort and with the question of what’s happened to their child.
This is where the impact of spiritual guidance comes in. Mothers
come to understand that their child has not been abandoned by
God. No, the exact opposite! At the moment of the abortion, God
claimed that child immediately and lovingly holds that child forever,
bringing him or her to the communion of saints to live for eternity.
The child has always been in God’s loving care.
This understanding is fundamental for a mother facing the lost
child and being a mother to that child. In fact, the aborted child is
a life-line and it is through the love of that child that the mother is
even in search of healing.
The objective of a post-abortive program is to move away from
what happened that awful day of the abortion and realize there’s
more to embrace. God wants that mother to understand and
embrace motherhood for that child.
We understand that someone has made the decision to end the
life of their child. Although the pain may be masked for many
years, later loss in life eventually triggers the original trauma of
the loss of their child.
Abortion is a trauma
But there is healing and all the stories in this book provide the
reader with that understanding. Healing is a process that takes
many shapes, but finding a strong post abortive program is key
to finding peace.
The Healing Process
A woman seeking help with the tragedy and pain of a past
abortion should look for a post abortive program that will first
listen to her abortion experience and what that story continues to
be. The conversation begins with the woman’s story.
unearth these details and ultimately provide the path to the next
unearth these details and ultimately provide the path to the next
level of healing.
level of healing.
Moving on to the next level of healing usually involves the post
abortive person addressing feelings and emotions that have been
denied since the abortion. These emotions may include anger,
guilt, grief, sadness and ongoing pain.
During this stage of healing the person begins to see how they’ve
been expressing these negative emotions in their own lives. This
revealing experience helps the post abortive woman see that their
difficulty in relationships truly lies with their inability to establish
true intimacy with another person. They may begin to see that
alcohol, drugs or sex has been their self medication for their
heartfelt pain and loss.
What may be more difficult for the post abortion woman to
express is the anger they feel toward a parent or spouse or friend
who was instrumental in their abortion decision. Deep seeded
resentment and a sense of betrayal becomes evident in an adult
child if they were taken to the abortion clinic by a parent who they
trusted to care for them.
As these emotions and feelings of loss and betrayal are examined,
the beginning of acceptance of God’s mercy and love become part
of the healing process. Openness to God’s forgiveness and mercy
is always possible for the woman in pain after an abortion.
What a post abortive mother learns is that her aborted child is
their lifeline in healing. They begin to understand that they will
one day be reunited with their child. They begin to see that they
are truly a mother for all eternity for this child. No matter how
many children they have here on earth, their aborted child is as
much a part of their family life as the others. Bonding with their
missing child can be done in a variety of ways including naming
their child, letters to that child and simple conversations or prayer.
Is there truly hope for me! Yes! Hope is the object of this
healing process. Every aborted child waits in heaven to be
reunited with their mother. Every aborted child wishes them love
and forgiveness.
Guilt, remorse, anger and hopelessness are all addressed in post
abortive work. No matter what led to the abortion decision, God is
there with outstretched arms to provide the hope and constant
love.
Seeking a supportive and spiritual post abortive program is key.
No one can do it alone. Everyone is a child of God and as such is
entitled to God’s infinite love and mercy. The first step is the
hardest, but as seen through all the stories in the book, that step
leads to an everlasting healing that can change a person’s life.
It is clear that the face of abortion can more clearly be expressed
by those who’ve had an abortion and these women should be an
integral part of a post-abortive ministry. The post abortive
woman gives testimony to the child lost and is a living witness to
this tragic decision. They speak to the spiritual, physical and
emotional consequences for making the legal choice that our
society offers.
Post-abortive women are crying out for reconciliation, a deep
forgiveness that can only come from God. Some people question
to the Church seeking healing have already been through therapy
for topics such as depression, relationships, commitment, and
addiction. But time after time therapists don’t see the abortion as
an issue in their patient’s lives. Therefore they do not examine or
address the problem in therapy.
These people are mothers to their missing children and these
children need to take their rightful place in their mother’s lives.
Intellectually, the reality is that we are mothers to our children for
all eternity. And that is what should be addressed. Anyone
attending a post abortive ministry is taught that they are a
mother forever to this aborted child. All the energy that has
typically been spent on healing and reconciliation must be put into
perspective with the personal loss these people have
encountered. Post abortive mothers must deal with their decision
to abort and with the question of what’s happened to their child.
This is where the impact of spiritual guidance comes in. Mothers
come to understand that their child has not been abandoned by
God. No, the exact opposite! At the moment of the abortion, God
claimed that child immediately and lovingly holds that child forever,
bringing him or her to the communion of saints to live for eternity.
The child has always been in God’s loving care.
This understanding is fundamental for a mother facing the lost
child and being a mother to that child. In fact, the aborted child is
a life-line and it is through the love of that child that the mother is
even in search of healing.
The objective of a post-abortive program is to move away from
what happened that awful day of the abortion and realize there’s
more to embrace. God wants that mother to understand and
embrace motherhood for that child.
We understand that someone has made the decision to end the
life of their child. Although the pain may be masked for many
years, later loss in life eventually triggers the original trauma of
the loss of their child.
Abortion is a trauma
But there is healing and all the stories in this book provide the
reader with that understanding. Healing is a process that takes
many shapes, but finding a strong post abortive program is key
to finding peace.
The Healing Process
A woman seeking help with the tragedy and pain of a past
abortion should look for a post abortive program that will first
listen to her abortion experience and what that story continues to
be. The conversation begins with the woman’s story.
unearth these details and ultimately provide the path to the next
unearth these details and ultimately provide the path to the next
level of healing.
level of healing.
Moving on to the next level of healing usually involves the post
abortive person addressing feelings and emotions that have been
denied since the abortion. These emotions may include anger,
guilt, grief, sadness and ongoing pain.
During this stage of healing the person begins to see how they’ve
been expressing these negative emotions in their own lives. This
revealing experience helps the post abortive woman see that their
difficulty in relationships truly lies with their inability to establish
true intimacy with another person. They may begin to see that
alcohol, drugs or sex has been their self medication for their
heartfelt pain and loss.
What may be more difficult for the post abortion woman to
express is the anger they feel toward a parent or spouse or friend
who was instrumental in their abortion decision. Deep seeded
resentment and a sense of betrayal becomes evident in an adult
child if they were taken to the abortion clinic by a parent who they
trusted to care for them.
As these emotions and feelings of loss and betrayal are examined,
the beginning of acceptance of God’s mercy and love become part
of the healing process. Openness to God’s forgiveness and mercy
is always possible for the woman in pain after an abortion.
What a post abortive mother learns is that her aborted child is
their lifeline in healing. They begin to understand that they will
one day be reunited with their child. They begin to see that they
are truly a mother for all eternity for this child. No matter how
many children they have here on earth, their aborted child is as
much a part of their family life as the others. Bonding with their
missing child can be done in a variety of ways including naming
their child, letters to that child and simple conversations or prayer.
Priests For Life is for everyone who wants to
stop abortion and euthanasia. While primary
membership is for Catholic bishops, priests
and deacons, there is also a lay auxiliary
membership for those who want to benefit
from educational resources and networking
among other pro-lifers. We also rejoice when
ministers and faithful from other
denominations associate themselves with
our work and provide mutual support.
Sisters Of Life “Go, pick up the pieces lest
they be lost.” (Jn 6:12) With these words,
John Cardinal O’Connor directed the Sisters
of Life to a ministry of reverence for women
and men who suffer following the tragedy of
abortion. Since 1996, we have, with the help
of Theresa Bonopartis, heeded that call
through Entering Canaan: A Sacramental
Journey to an Inheritance of Mercy for those
Suffering Abortion.
Rachel's Vineyard is a safe place to renew,
rebuild and redeem hearts broken by
abortion. 1-877-467-3463 (Hope-4-me)
Project Rachel
A site offering healing and hope to those
grieving after abortion. Find healing, joy,
forgiveness through Project Rachel's free,
confidential counseling.
Forbidden Grief
The Unspoken Pain of Abortion
Theresa Burke with David C. Reardon
National Office of Post-Abortion
Reconciliation and Healing (NOPARH)
sponsors a nation-wide referral service for
those seeking help after abortion. For a
referral contact NOPARH at 800.5WE.CARE
Word of Hope
If you have had an abortion, if you are
pregnant right now, or if you have been hurt
by someone -- here you will find hope.
1-888-217-8679
Forgiven and Set Free
By Linda Cochrane
A Bible Study for Post-Abortive Women
Baker Books PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI
49516
Silent No More
The Silent No More campaign gives a voice
to women who have too long been ignored.
Pro-life and pro-choice can agree: abortion is
a tragedy, and women deserve better
choices.
Real Choices
Listening To Women; Looking for Alternatives
to Abortion
Frederica Mathewes-Green
A Season to Heal
Help and hope for those working through
Post-Abortion Stress
Luci Freed & Penny Yvonne Salazar
Making Abortion Rare
A healing Strategy for a Divided Nation
David C. Reardon
The Cost of “Choice”
Women Evaluate the Impact of Abortion
Edited by Erika Bachiochi
Rachel, Weep No More
How Divine Mercy Heals the Effects of
Abortion
Bryan Thatcher, MD, & Fr. Frank Pavone.
To obtain copies of this booklet please call
1-800-462-7426
Hurting from Abortion?
The National Helpline for Abortion Recovery
is just a call away
866-482-LIFE - 24/7 Free, Confidential
“I was Wrong”
Powerful documentary against the pro-
abortion movement with Norma McCorvey,
'Jane Roe' of Roe v. Wade and Joyce Zounis
whose choice of abortion, not once but seven
times, nearly cost her life.
Beyond Regret: Entering into Healing and
Wholeness after an Abortion - DVD
By: Paraclete Video Productions
Toll Free- (800) 451-5006
Real Abortion Stories: The Hurting and The
Healing
Edited by Barbara Horak
Abortion & Healing, A Cry To Be Whole
by Fr. Michael T. Mannion
SafeHaven is a safe place for those who
have had abortions to find comfort, hope,
understanding, and healing in the painful
aftermath of abortion. We are a peer support
site, meaning that most of those who use
this site have had an abortion or have been
hurt by abortion. You will be fully accepted.
We are here to help.
stop abortion and euthanasia. While primary
membership is for Catholic bishops, priests
and deacons, there is also a lay auxiliary
membership for those who want to benefit
from educational resources and networking
among other pro-lifers. We also rejoice when
ministers and faithful from other
denominations associate themselves with
our work and provide mutual support.
Sisters Of Life “Go, pick up the pieces lest
they be lost.” (Jn 6:12) With these words,
John Cardinal O’Connor directed the Sisters
of Life to a ministry of reverence for women
and men who suffer following the tragedy of
abortion. Since 1996, we have, with the help
of Theresa Bonopartis, heeded that call
through Entering Canaan: A Sacramental
Journey to an Inheritance of Mercy for those
Suffering Abortion.
Rachel's Vineyard is a safe place to renew,
rebuild and redeem hearts broken by
abortion. 1-877-467-3463 (Hope-4-me)
Project Rachel
A site offering healing and hope to those
grieving after abortion. Find healing, joy,
forgiveness through Project Rachel's free,
confidential counseling.
Forbidden Grief
The Unspoken Pain of Abortion
Theresa Burke with David C. Reardon
National Office of Post-Abortion
Reconciliation and Healing (NOPARH)
sponsors a nation-wide referral service for
those seeking help after abortion. For a
referral contact NOPARH at 800.5WE.CARE
Word of Hope
If you have had an abortion, if you are
pregnant right now, or if you have been hurt
by someone -- here you will find hope.
1-888-217-8679
Forgiven and Set Free
By Linda Cochrane
A Bible Study for Post-Abortive Women
Baker Books PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI
49516
Silent No More
The Silent No More campaign gives a voice
to women who have too long been ignored.
Pro-life and pro-choice can agree: abortion is
a tragedy, and women deserve better
choices.
Real Choices
Listening To Women; Looking for Alternatives
to Abortion
Frederica Mathewes-Green
A Season to Heal
Help and hope for those working through
Post-Abortion Stress
Luci Freed & Penny Yvonne Salazar
Making Abortion Rare
A healing Strategy for a Divided Nation
David C. Reardon
The Cost of “Choice”
Women Evaluate the Impact of Abortion
Edited by Erika Bachiochi
Rachel, Weep No More
How Divine Mercy Heals the Effects of
Abortion
Bryan Thatcher, MD, & Fr. Frank Pavone.
To obtain copies of this booklet please call
1-800-462-7426
Hurting from Abortion?
The National Helpline for Abortion Recovery
is just a call away
866-482-LIFE - 24/7 Free, Confidential
“I was Wrong”
Powerful documentary against the pro-
abortion movement with Norma McCorvey,
'Jane Roe' of Roe v. Wade and Joyce Zounis
whose choice of abortion, not once but seven
times, nearly cost her life.
Beyond Regret: Entering into Healing and
Wholeness after an Abortion - DVD
By: Paraclete Video Productions
Toll Free- (800) 451-5006
Real Abortion Stories: The Hurting and The
Healing
Edited by Barbara Horak
Abortion & Healing, A Cry To Be Whole
by Fr. Michael T. Mannion
SafeHaven is a safe place for those who
have had abortions to find comfort, hope,
understanding, and healing in the painful
aftermath of abortion. We are a peer support
site, meaning that most of those who use
this site have had an abortion or have been
hurt by abortion. You will be fully accepted.
We are here to help.
Giving Sorrow Words:
Women's stories of grief
after abortion
Acorn Books, Springfield, IL
A Time to Speak: A Healing
Journal for Post-abortive
Women
Yvonne Florczak-Seeman
POST ABORTION TRAUMA -
The Silent Side of Trauma
Co-Authored by Mark
Kretschmar and Julie
Woodley
Abortion Recovery Network
ABC Link coalition on
Abortion/Breast Cancer
Karen Malec / President
An International Women's
Organization
1 (877) 803-0102
Abortion Changes You
Sometimes an abortion
experience can create
intense emotions that you
may not feel equipped to
deal with on your own.
Her Choice to Heal
by Sydna Masse
Publisher: Chariot Victor
Publishing
A Solitary Sorrow
by Teri Reisser, M.S., M.F.T
with Paul Reisser, M.D.
Operation Outcry is the
project of THE JUSTICE
FOUNDATION to end legal
abortion by exposing the
truth about its devastating
impact on women and
families.
Women's stories of grief
after abortion
Acorn Books, Springfield, IL
A Time to Speak: A Healing
Journal for Post-abortive
Women
Yvonne Florczak-Seeman
POST ABORTION TRAUMA -
The Silent Side of Trauma
Co-Authored by Mark
Kretschmar and Julie
Woodley
Abortion Recovery Network
ABC Link coalition on
Abortion/Breast Cancer
Karen Malec / President
An International Women's
Organization
1 (877) 803-0102
Abortion Changes You
Sometimes an abortion
experience can create
intense emotions that you
may not feel equipped to
deal with on your own.
Her Choice to Heal
by Sydna Masse
Publisher: Chariot Victor
Publishing
A Solitary Sorrow
by Teri Reisser, M.S., M.F.T
with Paul Reisser, M.D.
Operation Outcry is the
project of THE JUSTICE
FOUNDATION to end legal
abortion by exposing the
truth about its devastating
impact on women and
families.
