I RECENTLY had the opportunity to attend a seminar run by the Abortion Grief Counselling Association (AGCA).
As well as giving me an insight into the incredible pain, self loathing and self destructiveness that many women feel after an abortion, it got me thinking about how the Church has not given these victims of abortion a voice in its recent public statements.
Media releases, even Catholic ones, seem to focus exclusively on the unborn, where they could add the enormous cost to women without diminishing the power of their message. In fact the pro-life message is strengthened by it. The evil of abortion is doubled, not halved.
Opportunities to speak about the harm that abortion does are rare, so they should never be squandered. Official reporting of the abortion votes in Portugal, Mexico and the excommunication of doctors who perform abortions completely ignored harm abortion does to women. Our leaders should be media savvy enough to ensure that the full message of the harmfulness of abortion is proclaimed.
Talking about the evil of abortion exclusively in terms of the unborn has two effects. It alienates and hardens women who have had abortions, laying a greater burden of guilt and discouraging them from seeking help. It also galvanises the impression of the Church as uncaring towards women and gives the pro-abortion lobby grounds for attack.
The middle majority are uncomfortable with abortion, but they have been led to believe that it helps women.
Many also don’t wish to appear judgemental in deference to their daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, friends and co-workers who have had abortions, especially if they contributed to the decision.
When people realise that abortion in fact harms women, they cannot but ask themselves “Why are we allowing this?” At the moment most are willing to accept the “necessary evil” of abortion because they honestly believe it helps women.
Public advocacy by the Church for the unborn must include advocacy for women to be effective in changing public opinion and providing in the Church a safe place for women to heal. The compassion of the Church should not be buried in Catechism article 2272 and a paragraph in Evangelium Vitae.
CATH NOHLMANS
Gaythorne, Qld
