Abortion Healing Ministry

Are you feeling the heavy weight of shame, guilt, or isolation? Grief for the children lost? The inability to forgive yourself or others? Unworthy to receive forgiveness, help or love from God or the Church? At the time, abortion may have seemed like the only answer. Pressure may have come from everywhere and support from almost nowhere. It was legal. It seemed sensible. But now it hurts. This pain comes in part from unresolved grief and loss. Abortion also causes physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wounds that can be healed (3, 4, 5 and 6).

In Christ, There Is Always Hope.

You are not alone. Research tells us that 24 percent of U.S. women have lost a child to abortion before age 45 and the same percentage identify as Catholic (1). Also, over 320,000 women and men have sought healing from abortion internationally since the 1990’s (2). In addition, 71% of men in a recent study said they experienced an adverse change in themselves after their abortion losses (6).

Read stories of hope and healing at: Hope After Abortion

While the Catholic Church is against abortion, we as a Church value all life, including yours. We also stand FOR the wounded, offering Jesus’ love, understanding, and forgiveness to all who suffer abortion trauma (3, 4, and 5), Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Please contact us for healing or support if you:
• Lost a child to abortion
• Are a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend of someone who has
• Worked in the abortion industry
• Are a helper of the wounded, including clergy, educators, youth ministers, social workers, and counselors

About Your Healing Journey & Upcoming Healing Opportunities

Just as every person is unique so is each healing journey, The Abortion Healing Ministry (AHM) of the Archdiocese of St. Louis offers many different resources to help you. Our trained, compassionate team will meet you where you are at with the confidential care you need every step of the way.

Our integrated approach to healing combines spiritual, emotional, and psychological support through:

One-on-one pastoral care with confidential phone, text, and email hope lines
Referral to a priest, sensitive to your particular needs, who will provide healing spiritual support including the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Prayer and fellowship groups
- Ladies Spiritual Support Group
- Jane Abbate Advent Series
Weekend healing retreat and aftercare follow-up
- The next weekend retreat for women, men, and couples will be held in March 2025 (check back soon for details).
Days of Hope & Healing for women, men, and couples
Spiritual direction and healing prayer through the Catholic Renewal Center
Referrals to professional mental health counseling
Rachel's Healing Garden
Rite of Naming & Commendation (healing prayer service for preborn loss).
- Upcoming rites are being held at:
  - Sunday, November 3 at 2 p.m. at St. Monica Church (Creve Coeur); contact Diann at 314.484.6121.
  - Sunday, November 17 at St. Francis Borgia (Washington) (time TBA)
Books, articles, virtual resources and other support
- Click here for the article, "Mother’s Day After Abortion: 6 Insights for Navigating Emotions & Healing"
- Click here for the article, "Navigating Abortion Grief During the Holidays."

Begin your healing journey today!
Contact us:
Abortion Healing Ministry, Archdiocese of St. Louis Hopeline (call/text): 314.778.0628
hopehealing@archstl.org

Testimonies of Hope, Healing and New Beginnings

“There was a hole in my soul that could only be filled with God… At my one-day retreat, I thought I was sitting in a room with other women. I really was sitting in a room with Him, loving me and welcoming me home. I have found peace and forgiveness and mental wellness… I know that my child is with God. I know that my living children and my husband and I are also with God. We are all together today, in God’s hands.” - Brenda

“Being wounded by an abortion in our teens, we went through decades of silence, deep pain, and regret. But God wasn’t done with our story. Our healing began when we attended a retreat and sought His forgiveness. We prayed together about our aborted son and named him Ryan Paul. Now we minister together to help other men and women wounded by abortion to find the same healing we did in Jesus Christ.” - Chuck & Linda

“It took me months to muster up the nerve to call…The voice on the other end was full of hope. My journey of healing began that day. Project Rachel literally lit the path for me. …the warmth of God’s love engulfed me. I was able to connect with other women who knew the despair that I knew, and we were able to experience the joy of receiving the gifts of hope and healing together...I will always regret my decision, but it no longer defines who I am. – Abby

Watch video testimonies of hope and healing here.

Hope After Abortion Additional Resources

Abortion Healing Ministry Resource Guide
Click here to download the brochure version of this Abortion Healing Ministry resource. Print copies are available upon request from hopehealing@archstl.org.
Download Spanish version here.

Hope After Abortion
The Abortion Healing Ministry follows the model of Project Rachel, the U.S Catholic Church’s abortion healing ministry. It is a diocesan-based network of specially trained priests, religious, therapists, and laypersons who provide a team response of care for those suffering in the aftermath of abortion. In addition to referring for Sacramental Reconciliation, the ministry provides an integrated network of services, including pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, support groups, retreats, and referrals to licensed mental health professionals.

Catholic Renewal Center
The AHM offers one-on-one spiritual direction and healing prayer through the Catholic Renewal Center of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The Catholic Renewal Center facilitates the awakening of the Holy Spirit in our lives through prayer, conferences, spiritual direction, Life in the Spirit seminars, teaching, retreats; witnessing to the spiritual gifts that come from surrendering to the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are for the building up of the Church bringing forth wholeness for the Body of Christ.

Support After Abortion
The AHM is a part of the Support After Abortion healing network as well, which exists to see the world restored from the impact of abortion by ending the demand for abortion through healing people impacted by abortion. Support After Abortion's innovative, research-centered, optionsbased model gives everyone, regardless of their circumstances or barriers, an opportunity to live the life they were created for by breaking free from guilt, shame, and condemnation. What began as a grassroots project in 2018 quickly evolved into a national innovative and influential healing network.

Catholic Charities of St. Louis
The AHM offers material and other support through Catholic Charities of St. Louis, which inspired by Jesus Christ, serves people in need, works to improve social conditions, and unites with others in this mission through eight organizations to create a stronger community.

Start your healing journey today. Confidential care is waiting for you at:
Abortion Healing Ministry, Archdiocese of St. Louis Hopeline (call/text): 314.778.0628. hopehealing@archstl.org

FOOTNOTES

Was this article helpful?