Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

From the Pilot – Archdiocese of Boston

The Pilot ran in 2012 "Voices of hope and healing," a series of reflections offered by women who have found healing from the pain of abortion through the post-abortion ministry. In the context of the Holy Father's letter on the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy we are reprinting one of those reflections.

I am writing full of gratitude this day but this was not always the scene. Many years ago, I was young and naive and I became pregnant at 17. I was so afraid …of my parents reaction, of life ahead, of how to be a mom yet still I wanted to have my baby. That was about 38 years ago and back then family life and our society were quite different. No clinics, school nurses discussing sex, school counselors, or even an anonymous help line to call. We needed parental permission for anything and everything. My parents told me that I would have an abortion. I was ashamed of myself and I had shamed my family. I had an abortion as arranged.

The rest is here