This September, the Office for Respect Life Ministries and the Office for Priestly Formation teamed up to host a workshop for diocesan clergy on the topics of Mental Wellness and Project Rachel. This optional workshop was made available for two days to accommodate priests in the Cincinnati area and the Dayton/Northern area of our Archdiocese. As the Project Rachel coordinator, I’d like to focus on that portion of the day’s workshop and share with you the fruits of the gathering.
As a reminder, Project Rachel is the Catholic Church’s ministry in the United States to those who have been involved in abortion. It includes a diocesan-based network of specially trained priests, religious, counselors, and laypersons who provide a team response of care for those suffering in the aftermath of abortion. Priests are central to abortion healing ministry. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, they help restore life, spiritually and emotionally. In pastoral counseling they guide broken souls back to Christ, the divine physician. The role of the priest is critical which is why it was such a blessing to have 24 priests in our Archdiocese take time out of their busy schedules to attend this workshop.
Our workshop began with a brief overview of statistics related to abortion. We reminded our priests that one in four women will have had an abortion in their lifetime. Sadly that number continues to increase. According to the USCCB’s updated Project Rachel Resource manual, in 2024 as many as one in three women under the age of forty-five has had an abortion. These numbers remain unchanged when looking at the Catholic population.
Next we heard the testimony of a woman who experienced healing after abortion. Many priests noted how illuminating her story was. It not only gave them insight into the mind of someone who chooses abortion, but it also allowed them to see how important the priest’s role was in the healing journey.
Following her testimony our priests heard a presentation from Fr. John Paul Walker O.P., someone who has experience working with Project Rachel in other dioceses. Fr. Walker’s presentation focused on how to preach about abortion from the pulpit. He talked about the delicate balance our priests must maintain between speaking about the moral evil of abortion and the mercy and healing available to those who have participated in abortion. He pointed out that silence on this issue can be just as harmful as inflammatory language. If a priest does not speak about abortion at all then how can he speak about the healing that is possible for those who suffer from it? It is often the case that the post abortive person carries their abortion wound as a secret burden. It is also common that they, like all of us who become lost in the depths of sin, come to a false or warped understanding of God’s love and mercy. In some extreme cases the post abortive person may even come to believe that God will never forgive them. That is why our priests must speak about abortion, so that those who carry this wound can hear the Truth that God desires to heal them no matter the circumstances.
The second half of the workshop included a presentation from Fr. Jeff Kemper, a long time Project Rachel clergy leader in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Fr. Kemper spoke about the pastoral sensitivity needed when handling the abortion wound in the confessional. The confessional is a sacred space, and though it is Christ Himself who forgives, the priest plays an important role in the sacrament, especially in his pastoral counseling. Fr. Kemper gave practical guidelines to the priests regarding how best to handle this encounter, something many of the priests found helpful.
The workshop concluded with questions and prayer. Many priests remained after to continue conversations about these topics. It was inspiring to see how interested they were in the Project Rachel ministry. As a Project Rachel coordinator, I work closely with leaders in other dioceses. In listening to their stories I have come to realize that we are very blessed in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. We have an Archbishop who fully supports Project Rachel, a seminary that allows us to speak about this ministry every year, and some of the most pastorally sensitive and selfless priests in the nation. Our priests are worked to the bone, tired to their core, and often asked to solve problems beyond their capabilities. Yet despite these burdens they are still willing to go the extra mile and learn more about the ways they can better serve the people entrusted to their care.
With 24 priests now inspired and informed by the mission of Project Rachel I firmly believe that we will see an increase in the reach of this ministry. Despite the impending darkness of the election and the actual darkness of the upcoming winter months, I know that revival is here. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the courage of our good and holy priests, and the prayers of the faithful, Christ will shine His light into the darkness where nothing, not even abortion, can overcome His light.
By Emily Branscum, Associate Director for Respect Life Ministries
If you would like to spread the word about the Project Rachel ministry during Respect Life Month please contact Emily at [email protected] to receive bulletin entries, flyers, and other print and digital materials to be distributed at your parishes. Additionally, if you would like to get involved with the Project Rachel ministry we invite you to join our Prayer Support Team by clicking here.
