by Fr. Matthew Wertin
Whatever anyone thinks about it politically, ethically, morally, or even religiously, one thing is certain – abortion does serious damage. Women still die from abortion, abortion creates physical, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral problems for women, abortion is a form of racism against poor and ethnic women, abortion has lead to increased violence against pregnant women, women are pressured and coerced by family, friends, employers, institutions of learning, and sexual predators into having abortions, abortion is a band-aid that allows society to abandon women, and abortion negatively affects future relationships. (To confirm these findings and to learn more, please go to www.silentnomoreawareness.org, or get a copy of their work, “What’s So Bad About Abortion?”)
The voices of women who have had abortions are resoundingly clear – “abortion hurts women.” One woman, Sabrina, said, “My life just started spiraling down in destruction, and I attempted suicide three times.” Another, Shelly, said, “Abortion did not end my pain; it began it.” Now men are even coming forward saying, “We regret lost fatherhood through abortion.” One man, Scott, said, “I didn’t defend the life of my own daughter. Based on misinformation, selfishness, fear, shame, I let her die to an abortionist’s knife and I died the same day.” The list of negative emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual effects of abortion is hauntingly grave and long.
Just as every community, big and small, has women who are experiencing or will experience an unplanned pregnancy and need alternatives to abortion, so too every community has women and men, families, who are suffering from the effects of an abortion and need healing. The fear, the pain, the confusion, as well as the need for guidance, help, and compassion are real and present in each of these situations and in each of these people. It should be a priority of every community, therefore, in striving to meet the needs of others in their community, to do what they can, by offering resources, compassionate care, and social action, to bring about an end to abortion, give help to those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, and extend healing, forgiveness, and mercy to those suffering from the wounds of abortion. Abortion hurts everyone and helps no one, which is why we can and should join together in making it unnecessary, unthinkable, and unused as an option for anyone in any circumstance. Women deserve better than abortion. Men deserve better than abortion. Every member of the human family deserves better than abortion. Will we help those in need?
For opportunities for confidential care and healing, please go to http://www.newwine.ca/post-abortion-healing-recovery.htm or PROJECT RACHEL: Post-abortion healing and reconciliation. Project Rachel is a sensitive, private and confidential experience; it is for women or men who have been hurt by an abortion. Info: 416-629-8264; info@stmarysrefuge.org. All calls/emails are private and confidential.
uOttawa Students For Life 