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Imagine your friend is planning a bank robbery. Do you agree to drive the getaway car? Do you try to talk her out of it? Do you say nothing?
Now imagine an innocent bystander is killed during that robbery. Are you impacted by that death? Of course you are, whether you were complicit in the robbery or were merely silent. Even if you counseled against it, this death, and the consequences your friend will now face, will weigh on your soul.
In July, Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion, an initiative of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, focuses on the survivors of abortion as well as the family and friends of the women who have had abortions.
The survivors encompass ten different categories, such as those who were almost aborted, and those who had no legal protection while in the womb.
Friends include those who were complicit in the abortion, those who did nothing to try to stop it, those who did try to stop it but failed, and those who found out about the abortion only after the fact. Just like those involved in the bank robbery scenario, everyone who knows a mother who aborted her child is impacted by the loss of that child.
Kevin Burke, LSW, co-founder of Rachel’s Vineyard and an architect of the Shockwaves initiative noted that abortion survivors often suffer from this “extremely important and rarely discussed example of the collateral damage from the abortion blast.”
“Shockwaves was not designed to shame those who played a role in abortion,” said Janet Morana, co-founder of Silent No More. “Instead, it will sound a loving call of reconciliation and healing for all involved in abortion decisions.”
Father Frank Pavone, Pastoral Director of Silent No More and National Director of Priests for Life, explained that “Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion is a year-long international effort to reach all the different groups of people who are impacted when a child dies from abortion. In addition to survivors, those groups include grandparents, siblings, survivors, spouses, abortionists and their staff, and pro-life advocates. This is a call for all of us to grieve the children who have been killed. “
Georgette Forney, co-founder of Silent No More, said all those who mourn the loss of a child to abortion can benefit from the healing resources that can be found at www.AbortionShockwaves.com.
“People on the periphery of an abortion decision might be confused about the feelings they are experiencing,” Mrs. Forney said. “Through Shockwaves, we hope to validate and address those feelings.”
Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion was launched in January at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., where the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, led a prayer and gave a blessing in the name of Pope Francis as his personal representative in the U.S.
To arrange an interview with anyone on the Shockwaves team or an abortion survivor who has found healing, call Leslie Palma at 347-286-7277 or email her at leslie@priestsforlife.org
The Campaign began November 11, 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 573 men have said they regret their abortion or lost fatherhood. Another 552 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 www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org