Grandparents tend to say the same thing: They had no idea that complete, unconditional love would fill their hearts the first time they set eyes on a new grandson or granddaughter.

Similarly, grandparents of aborted children had no idea how deep the wound would be when that grandson or granddaughter was lost.

The Silent No More Awareness Campaign’s Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion initiative in March is dedicated to healing the wounds of these grandparents.

“Grandparents can play many different roles in an abortion,” said Janet Morana, co-founder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign. “They may have condoned it, or coerced it, or opposed it. They may not have known about it for days, months or even years later. But these abortions leave a hole in their hearts, no matter what their involvement was. I know this from experience, because I lost two grandchildren to abortion.”

In 2015, the Silent No More Awareness Campaign gatherings  at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and the Walk for Life West Coast in San Francisco, highlighted people who mourned their lost grandchildren. Since then, many grandparents have come forward to say that, they, too, mourn the loss of a grandchild.

“Helping grandparents acknowledge unresolved pain, whether it is guilt or grief can prevent generations to come from repeating the cycle of silence that often destroys the critical connections we need in families,” said Georgette Forney, co-founder of Silent No More. “While abortion tears family bonds, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation between a grandparent and a parent and an aborted baby can restore them.”

Kevin Burke, LSW, who leads the Fatherhood Forever initiative at Silent No More said that “grandfathers know that their son or daughter’s abortion was a deeply painful experience for their family…but they rarely consider their own personal need to grieve the loss of their grandchild.  Sometimes it’s only when men become grandfathers and are intimately involved in caring for their grandchild, that long-repressed post-abortion grief can surface.  Grandparents, after they grieve, and heal can encourage reconciliation and healing for the entire family.”

A goal of the Shockwaves initiative is to make sure that grandparents know that abortion grief is real, that they are not alone, and that healing is available.

Visitors to www.AbortionShockwaves.com can click on “March” and then “Healing Resources” to find programs nearby that can help. Those who have been healed are invited to join the Silent No More Awareness Campaign at any level they feel comfortable, even if it just registering their regret for the role they played in the abortion.

Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life and pastoral director of Silent No More, called upon clergy to get on board with Shockwaves and help spread the message.

“Many of the people sitting in the pews each Sunday are hiding the pain and shame of an abortion wound,” he said. “It’s time to give them the courage to step back into the light and find the peace of Christ and the welcome of his Church.”

The Campaign began November 11th, 2002.  As of February 2015, the Silent No More Awareness Campaign has held 1,436 Gatherings in 17 countries & 48 states with 5,934 women and men sharing their abortion testimonies. Testimonies have also been shared at 104 high schools and universities in the last 4 years, 26 in 2014. There are 2,233 testimonies posted on the Campaign website, with 332 that are shared via video!  Currently there are 16,225 people registered with the Campaign representing 77 countries. People who are not ready to join the Campaign, are invited to register their regret. So far, 4,890 women and 573men have said they regret their abortion or lost fatherhood.  Another552 women and men have posted memorials to their children.

The Silent No More Awareness Campaign is a joint project of Anglicans for Life and Priests for Life.  For more information, please visit our website:  www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org