"I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You will come to understand that nothing is definitively lost and you will also be able to ask forgiveness from your child, who is now living in the Lord. With the friendly and expert help and advice of other people, and as a result of your own painful experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone's right to life. Through your commitment to life, whether by accepting the birth of other children or by welcoming and caring for those most in need of someone to be close to them, you will become promoters of a new way of looking at human life."
I know from women in my parish who have undergone an abortion that it is a long process accepting that forgiveness. Satan as you know is the "accuser of the brethren." (Rev. 12:10) He keeps hissing at us "you are lost now, no one has ever done what you did, if they find out they will despise you." It goes on and on. Notice the strategy. Before we sin he tells us it's no big deal, everybody does it. Afterwards he keeps saying it is a big deal--and you are all alone. The devil is a spirit so he doesn't get tired of endless repitition, but we sure do. This is a spiritual warfare and without Jesus and his church we would be lost. And, as the pope states, Jesus has a plan to use you in a powerful way.
Let me know how it goes.
God bless,
Fr. Phil Bloom
Post Abortion Healing Testimony of Liane
The fate of the Aborted Child
The Controversy about Abortion and Free Choice
He Approached the Victim: "It's much more likely one of your relatives will lose his life by surgical abortion than by heart attack."