Sanctity of Life:

Jeannette Peterson, Respect Life Committee Chair

Abortion

Women

unwanted.  unsafe.  unfair.

Sanctity of Life Weekend 2007 in the Catholic Church is January 20/21. On this weekend, we remember the survivors of the generation born since 22 January 1973, the infamous anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Of all the babies conceived since that date, one-third (33%!) have been lost to abortion. While we know that unborn babies are victims in this holocaust, we must also remember the women who live in pain after their abortions. A friend and former parishioner, Angela Bejelski, will join us at all Masses on Sanctity of Life Weekend to share her personal abortion experience and eventual forgiveness.   

Have you ever wondered how to talk with someone who had an abortion, or how to help them find God's forgiveness? The following is excerpted from an article linked on the Silent No More website which offers support to post-abortive women.

HOW TO BECOME A "STEALTH HEALER" 

You don't have to talk to people about their abortions to spread post-abortion healing. You don't even have to know if someone  had an abortion. And you certainly don't have to become a trained counselor or an expert in post-abortion issues. 

All you have to do is learn a simple, non-threatening, three-step method for drawing friends and loved ones into post-abortion healing. The goal of a stealth healer is to merely plant the seeds that can lead to future healing for others. In a simple, conversational way, stealth healers cover the following three points:

(1) Announce a new understanding of the abortion issue; 

(2)  Express compassion for those suffering after an
abortion; and 

(3) Describe new programs offering hope of freedom from  the pain of past abortions.

These three steps are all it takes! Anyone can learn them; anyone can implement them. In the briefest of examples, it could be as simple as saying:

"I read an interesting article that gave me a whole new understanding of why women have abortions. I never really understood before how much pressure they were under to abort. And I didn't realize before how often they feel judged and condemned by others, which can really make it hard for them to complete the grieving process. Did you know that it takes an average of 10 years for women to recover emotionally from a past abortion? The good news is that there are a lot of new programs now to help women and men who are dealing with post-abortion problems." 

Just remember these three key words -- understanding, compassion, and hope:

{ The first step, expressing understanding, respects the  mind.

{ The second step, expressing compassion, soothes the  emotions.

{ The third step, offering hope, feeds the spirit. 

© Copyright 1998 Elliot Institute. Portions of this article were adapted from The Jericho Plan: Breaking Down the Walls which Prevent Post-Abortion Healing, by David C. Reardon (Springfield, IL:  Acorn Books, 1996).   

The Abortion Recovery International Network encourages everyone who conducts healing programs to register by visiting www.abortionrecoverynetwork.org.

For a listing of after-abortion resources near you, please visit www.abortionrecoverydirectory.org.

ACTIVITIES OBSERVING THE 33RD YEAR OF ROE V. WADE:

-  Saturday, January 20, 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., Silent No More 5^th Annual Gathering at the Minnesota State Capitol inside the Rotunda.

-  Monday, January 22,  8:00 a.m., Respect Life Rosary & Mass in St. John's Chapel (Mass @ 8:30 a.m.).

-  Monday, January 22, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Ecumenical Prayer Service at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

-  Monday, January 22, 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m., the March for Life Rally begins on the mall in front of the Capitol steps. Pro-life legislators will be available for discussions after the rally. 

-  Tuesday, January 23, 7:00 p.m., St. John's Respect Life Committee meets in Room 204 in the Parish Center.

-  Tuesday, January 30, 7:00 p.m., Fr. Tadeusz
Pacholczyk, Ph.D., neuroscientist, theologian, and bio-ethicist speaks on Embryonic Stem Cell Research (ESCR) & Cloning at Our Lady of Grace Church in Edina, 5071 Eden Avenue, (952) 929-3317.

We are continuing to meet on the 3^rd Wednesday of every month at 1:00 p.m. in the Seniors' Lounge. Our fun club plans a variety of social activities, and the annual membership fee is still only $5 which helps pay for trips and entertainment. All seniors are welcome and your suggestions are appreciated. Any questions? Please call Judy Q. at (651) 633-8333, ext. 1229. Join today!