Losing a grandchild to abortion can be a painful and traumatic experience. In March, Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion focuses on this group of older adults who can play a variety of roles in an abortion but end up with the same sense of loss.
Healing the Shockwaves of Abortion is an international educational and pastoral effort, launched in January 2015 by the Silent No More Awareness Campaign with the aim of raising awareness about and ministering to a wide variety of groups of people who are impacted when a child is killed by abortion. These groups include mothers, father, grandparents, siblings, survivors, friends, pro-life advocates and those who perform or advocate abortion.
Many grandparents don’t find out for years that a daughter or son has lost a child to abortion. Others may have encouraged or even insisted on an abortion. And still others may have found themselves relegated to the sidelines, unable to save their grandchild.
When the enormity of the loss strikes them – even if it’s years later – it can impact their lives, health and family relationships. Through Shockwaves, grandparents of aborted children will learn about healing programs like Rachel’s Vineyard, where they can grieve and be healed of the loss.
Janet Morana, Executive Director of Priests for Life and co-founder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, has lost grandchildren to abortion.
“When I spend time with my three grandchildren, the two I lost are always there, in the shadows and in my heart,” Mrs. Morana said. “I know that a healing program was very important for my emotional health.”
Georgette Forney, President of Anglicans for Life and co-founder of Silent No More, said “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. While abortion tears family bonds, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation between a grandparent, a parent and an aborted baby can restore them.”
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.