Abortion Recovery Ministry Aims to Help Women Overcome Guilt

​By Richard C. Dujardin 
Originally published April 14, 2002 in the "Providence Sunday Journal" and republished on RachelsVineyard.org

Nicole Cunningham says she wasn’t always a subscriber to the Saturday newspaper, so when an edition landed on her doorstep a year ago, she figured it was a mistake. But looking back, the 30-year-old Cranston resident and native of Salt Lake City wonders if the “mistake” was part of God’s plan to help her heal.

The paper that day carried an item announcing the Roman Catholic Diocese’s sponsorship of a retreat for people in need of emotional or spiritual assistance after an abortion. Having been diagnosed with major depression in 1997 and still haunted by thought of suicide, Cunningham says she immediately recognized it was something she needed. More of a Christmas and Easter Catholic when it came to attending Mass, Cunningham has see much of her world go awry after that first semester in college in 1990 when she became pregnant and, about six weeks later had an abortion. She had been to confession and had been assured by the priest that her sins were forgiven. But 10 years later, doubts remained. Would a retreat assuage her feelings of guilt?

Read More