Can an abortion experience play a role in a man’s descent into criminal activity?
The answer is yes, according to inmates at a maximum correctional facility in Florida.
The Diocese of Palm Beach has begun offering the abortion recovery program Rachel’s Vineyard for men at the Martin Correctional Institution who feel they need healing for the role they played in an abortion. And this year, for the first time ever, the testimony of an inmate will be read during the Silent No More Awareness Campaign gathering at the March for Life.
Kevin Burke, leader of Silent No More’s Fatherhood Forever initiative, will read the testimony.
“I had the opportunity earlier this month to spend time with some of the inmates who are involved in Rachel’s Vineyard in Florida, and I saw with my own eyes the transformation taking place within the prison walls,” Burke said. “When 100 inmates were asked if they had ever played a role in an abortion, and if it affected their lives, an astonishing 90 percent said yes. This speaks volumes about how abortion is affecting our whole society.”
Approximately 60 women and men from Silent No More also will give their testimony during the annual gathering, which takes place in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building immediately after the March for Life.
“It takes an amazing amount of courage and commitment for these post-abortive women and men to stand up in front of hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates to say ‘I regret my abortion,’ or ‘I regret my lost fatherhood,’ but they have been doing it every year since 2003,” said Janet Morana, co-founder of Silent No More. “They do it because they want people to know the truth about abortion. They are the voice of experience.”
“We want to share the truth and be part of the culture of change,” said Silent No More co-founder Georgette Forney, who had an abortion when she was a teenager. “We don’t want another 40 years of legal abortion in this country. It hurts too much.”
To arrange interviews with anyone from Silent No More, or to find out if someone from your area will be speaking at the gathering, please contact Leslie Palma at 347-286-7277 or leslie@silentnomore.com
Since the launch of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign in 2003, 5,715 women and men have shared their testimonies publicly at over 1,325 gatherings in 48 states and 17 countries. More than 14,979 people representing 77 countries are registered to be Silent No More. Raising awareness about the hurtful aftermath of abortion and the help that is available to cope with the pain are two of the Campaign’s goals. The Campaign has over 2,014 testimonies posted here, with over 293 that are shared via video!
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