Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

My Aunt Lucy used to tell me that she prayed daily to St Therese for me when I was far from the church.

After I returned and became very involved, she used to say that she prayed too much.

I actually was named after St Therese. My father's father who was a  diabetic and died young, had a great devotion to her, hence, my name.

When I think of it is is kind of ironic. I think my aunt was troubled when I came back to the church because I got so involved in work with those who have had an abortion. She, in spite of her prayers, and even daily rosary, believed that in some instances abortion was acceptable. I was clear to her that I did not agree having experienced abortion myself.

I sometimes think she felt she had to feel that way, just like so many others, because they think to feel otherwise condemns people they love who may have been involved in abortion.

My father had coerced me into my abortion when I was a teenager. Her condemnation of abortion would make her admit the grave wrong my dad did, and he was, after all ,her brother. Yet, I know it was also probably her years of praying that got me back to the church and also helped me many times in my single parenthood.

"The Story of a Soul" was the first book I read upon my return, given to me by a priest, at that time not even knowing I was named after this saint. The words of St Therese were often a comfort to me in my journey to healing from abortion. I fell in love with her. Her simplicity made it seem possible that I could be saved and build a relationship with Christ even in the midst of my suffering .

One of my favorites is her story of the little bird who is standing there and the clouds block the sun and leave it in darkness, but the bird, full of confidence keeps starring at the Sun because she knows in spite of the darkness it is there.

St Therese of the Child Jesus,pray for us!

“Jesus, your arms are the elevator which will lift me to Heaven!”
–St. Therese of Lisieux