Rachel Mourns For Her Children
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Most of the women, and the few men, have been involved in abortion-as aborted women, partners of aborted women, relatives and friends who led them to abortionists. Some came to grieve over the fact that they took contraceptive pills, injectables, or IUD. They now realize that they are abortifacients. Even those ligated admitted that the act led them to an anti-natal mentality and were there to express their regret.
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The Mass were held at the Heaven for Angels, a building at the entrance of the cemetery built by Mayor Lito Atienza since south Cemetery actually belongs to the City of Manila. A nicely decorated tiny coffin was displayed in front of the altar.
The women came forward one by one to drop into the coffin the names of their dead babies (by abortion, miscarriage or still birth). Some wrote letters or prayers for the babies. They were all encouraged to name their baby. Some wrote down three or four names that they admitted they had aborted.) Naming their baby is “humanizing the baby” and helps them to the truth that he or she was not just a mass of blood and tissue. It also helps them release their grieving, an important step in the healing of the post-aborted traumatic syndrome.
After the mass, a couple of women bravely though tearfully related the incident of their abortions and how they were led back to God. Now they are active Pro-Life counselors and volunteers. I was invited to share how Pro-life began the ministry to post-aborted women and not just to pregnant women. I apologized to the women, saying that I and the Church were not there when they needed us, thus all of them made poor and regrettable decisions. Abortion is not only a dead baby. A woman could go on for years with her guilt, anger, depression, compulsive behavior, substance abuse, promiscuity or sexual dysfunctions. Now, more and more men admit similar dysfunctions. Much of those could have been avoided if there were more people speaking out to prevent the abortions.
The event was organized by the Manila Health Department, the Kababaihan ng Maynila Rachel’s Support Group and Pro-Life Philippines.
We encourage parishes to organize Mass for the Unborn, set up Memorial Monuments for the Unborn, mass for the Aborted Babies, Counseling and Resource Centers, seminars and youth forum on pro-life topics.
Contact our office at tel. 911-2911, tel. /fax 421-7147, life@prolife.org.ph. Or contact me personally at 0919-2030-637.
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