Reclaiming Our Children

The Dignity of Human Life

Beautiful...speaks to those suffering as well...

 

Ginsberg and My Son's Death - Abortions Reality

When the words came across the bottom of the television screen that Ruth Ginsberg had died I was filled with mixed emotions.  If I am going to be completely honest, there was a part of me that felt relief that now we could get a pro life judge on the court and end some of the slaughter of the innocent unborn by overturning Roe s Wade. The other part of course, felt sorrow and a host of other emotions, some of which I cannot even articulate. I was particularly disturbed that her last wish was that she would not be replaced  "until a new president is installed", I have no doubt this wish was because of her fear of the overturning of Roe vs Wade. Still, I was shocked that even at deaths doorway this was her priority.

When I went to mass the next day, I offered my communion for Ruth Ginsberg's soul , and then, as is my usual practice, I headed out to the adoration chapel for my Holy Hour.

As I was sitting before Jesus, I was suddenly struck with the thought of Judge Ginsberg face to face with the reality of the millions of babies who have died. I also thought of all the women who have died from "safe, legal" abortion, those who committed suicide, and the countless numbers of those who have been hurt, many sitting in silent suffering all alone. I thought of the men who lost children, and all the siblings suffering the loss of a brother or sister, and others who have and are currently experiencing abortions devastation.  There are millions.

I cannot even imagine the immensity of what Ginsberg must now face, the reality of abortion. No more hiding behind the rhetoric of "women's rights" or "choice", but only the stark truth of what abortion is, and what it must be like for her to see the result of her actions. It is beyond terrifying.

Then, as I was sitting there, I got a sense of all the millions of babies gathering around her. They were weeping, not for themselves but for her, and trying to comfort her as they saw her in the torment of her self made hell. Filled with the love of God they were saddened by what she was experiencing and her rejection of the truth of God.

I also felt so grateful to have have been given the gift of acknowledging my sin in this life, to feel contrition and to receive from God the grace to heal. Even though it has been painful, I have been blessed to look at the reality of abortion, my abortion, all abortion, in the light of Christ's love, mercy and forgiveness. I am also filled with gratitude for the many women, men and siblings who have come to the Entering Canaan Ministry   and others for healing and are on the road to Canaan, to the joy and peace of Christ.

I don't know what happened to Judge Ginsberg in her final moments. I pray she somehow repented and was filled with contrition for her role in the millions of deaths since the passage of Roe vs Wade. I do know, I forgive her for my pain, as do the babies and many others, and that I will continue to pray for her in the hope that the mercy and love of Christ, always waiting for us and inviting us in, touched her soul before she parted from this world.

 

Prayerful Remembrance Service

 

Looking for something to do in your parish for Respect Life Month that will educate plus bring people forward for healing? 

Why not host a Prayerful Remembrance & Intercession Service?

Why host a Prayerful Remembrance & Intercession Service?

To bring a greater knowledge of the far-reaching effects of abortion on individuals and society as a whole

To spread awareness of healing from abortion and appreciation for its vital role in building an authentic culture of life

While intended for everyone in the community, the service hopes to specifically draw those silently suffering from a person loss such as women, men, siblings, grandparents, friends, safeguarding their anonymity through the universal, communal prayer aspect.

Reviews:

Theresa as others have noted in their reviews….all of our Bethesda family, affiliates, retreat attendees, priests and seminarians were deeply moved by the most beautiful Inspired “Afternoon of Prayer and Intercession”. On my part, the residual graces continue to flow into my spirit and the joy of having shared and received this gift Through you remains a treasure to me and to us all. Thank YOU for saying “YES” to Jesus Christ and being open to the Holy Spirit. We so wish you lived closer that

These few holy hours in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord and all components of your retreat could be repeated in parishes throughout Columbus. You have been so kind and gracious to not only share with us…but travel to be with and to guide us through the journey of family healing. Thank you. Judy Schlueter  Bethesda Healing Ministry

Theresa,   As you may be able to guess, I have a story I am simply not able to tell.  The word ‘choice’ is the last one I could use to describe abortion. As we prepared for the prayer service I thought it would be difficult for me. What I found the service to be was liberating. An energy returned to me. Having the “hidden stories” shared gave my own soul a newfound freedom.

 

 To host a service contact Theresa: 877 586 4621

Aides Along the Way to Healing from Abortion

Looking for something to help you in your healing journey? Why not check out our book , A Journey to Healing Through Divine Mercy , and our healing card to Our Lady of Czestochowa?

 

Dear Theresa,

I’ve used this card with two women who also have a close relationship with Our Mother. I’d love to give each one a card. I also believe in heavenly perfect numbers, so an additional three cards for future encounters I do not know about would be a great blessing. ..
Something I am learning is the number of Catholic Christian therapists, counselors,&  psychologist who recommend your book as part of healing. Since my abortions are known, these women (and one man) asked me if I’d read your book. I said, “Yes, it is often a ‘go to’ when satan tries to disrupt peace. This is not a read-once-type of book.” The two women wanted to process aloud the connections in their lives to your writings. I listened and then pulled out my card from my prayer journal to pray with them. I’m an intercessor, not a counselor. The therapists can’t pray with their clients but will allow the client to pray during their session.  My hope is gifting the prayer card so they can pray whenever and wherever. 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, 

The Missing Voice - Those Who Mourn

Anyone who is pro-life is more than a little excited about the amazing talks featured at the Republican National Convention regarding abortion. It was hard to believe it was even happening. I am sure many who were listening heard for the first time, the horrific reality about the killing of the unborn in the womb. Genuinely great information given in the limited time for each speaker. I was so grateful for them.

Millions sat in their living rooms listening.  It was a huge gift, but I could not help but think of the countless numbers of people sitting on their couches that are locked in shame, guilt, grief, and silent suffering because of abortion. The ones who found out the hard way about the devastation it causes, not only in the killing of the unborn, but in the lives of all those involved.

As someone who directs a healing ministry, I have not only met thousands of these people, I am one myself. Afraid of being judged I carried my pain alone to my own detriment, suffering from depression, anxiety, grief, and the paralyzing fear of being found out. Millions are living this way now.

Abortionist Dr Meera Shah of Planned Parenthood in Hudson Valley New York knows and acknowledges this silent suffering. She recently wrote a book she describes as “a labor of love”, titled,” You're the Only One I've Told -The Stories Behind Abortion.
The book collects those stories as they've been told to Dr. Shah who believes it will “humanize abortion and combat the myths and stigma surrounding it.“  It struck me how she seeks to “humanize” the abortion itself, but not the unborn person killed in the act. Suffering from abortion is not a myth but a stark reality for many.

Try as they might to destigmatize abortion, one look around shows the issue is only getting more passionate. To prove it is a “normal” part of life and in attempts to ignore the suffering it causes, some women have taken to wearing vagina hats degrading themselves in various ways in order to shock others into the acceptance and support of abortion. Sadly, this behavior does just the opposite.

In addition, the telling of your story alone is not going to bring the peace and acceptance these women are seeking. Women need to learn about the very real issues surrounding abortion and the ways in which it is impacting their lives. They also need to grieve the very real human life lost. The loss of their son or daughter.

Yes, what was missing at the Convention was one more talk. The voice of those who have suffered and mourn. Those who know abortions devastation but have also found healing. The voice that could reach those people sitting on their couches in silent suffering who already know all too well the horror of abortion because they are living it. What was missing was the voice of hope for those hurting. With the absence of this hope I fear these people will run in

the other direction feeling condemned and looking for acceptance anywhere they can find it. So many women support abortion for that very reason already. They believe, even though they are denied the truth, that the pro-abortion groups care for them and accept them.

Thankfully, there are countless places in the United States where those hurting can now find people who really care for them and they can find the help they need. The Convention would have been an amazing opportunity to let people know that along with abortions reality.

 It would have shown that despite what the pro-abortion crowd would like women to believe, pro-lifers in fact, do not only care about the unborn and women before abortion, but are also there caring for them after, helping them pick up the pieces of their life. Many of these organizations are run by those who have been there and understand what they are going through including the ministry run by Abby Johnson a convention speaker who is herself someone who has suffered from abortion.

There have been 60 million abortions in the United States since the passage of Roe vs Wade. Far from rare, almost everyone knows someone who has been impacted. While it was historical and totally amazing to hear the talks on abortion at the convention, my hope would be that we give a voice to those who know better than anyone the devastation of abortion, those who mourn.

To find help and hope of healing visit: https://supportafterabortion.com/ or lumina@postabortionhelp.org

Increase Your Mercy in Us!

I am finally getting around to posting a couple of picture of our Entering Canaan Mercy Retreat which was held at the end of August, "The Fullness of Grace". As usual, Jesus poured His graces upon us as we entrusted ourselves to Mary and heard wonderful talks, by Fr. John Paul Ouellette CFR, Fr Luke Leighton, CFR, Nancy Givens and Mary Kominsky..

Below is a reflection on the yearly Entering Canaan Mercy retreats by Mary.

Thank you for sharing your heart!

 

One of my favorite quotes from St. Faustina is the closing prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. It reads,

“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”

When one submits to entering a post abortion healing program, you make the choice to receive God’s mercy, whether you know it or not. His mercy is boundless and comes without attachments, but you must learn to receive and believe it. God forgives us of all our sins, even the sin of abortion.

The hardest part of the healing process is often learning to forgive ourselves. This process is a difficult one and can take a long time as the journey of healing is ongoing. It does not happen with one retreat, one Bible study or one day of healing. These initial offerings are the first step. Although they take tremendous courage to begin and participate in, sometimes the tendency is to stop there. Afterwards one often feels relief and peace, but it is common that your grief, shame and anger may resurface again. It can come as a result of a trigger or something may come up that you have not dealt with in your past. God knows what we can handle and he gives us what we need at the time.

I attended a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in January of 1999 seeking healing and forgiveness from my own abortion as a teenager in 1972. It was a life changing experience for me, but it was only the beginning of what God had in store for me to become whole again. I joyfully attended the support group and even became a team leader and eventually a facilitator on retreats that followed. I was even called to share my own story publicly. My hope was to help others recognize the depths of God’s mercy and the healing available to all those who were suffering. All these things led me deeper into my Catholic faith and helped me to invite anyone into a deeper relationship with Jesus and Mary. 

After all this time, I am finally learning how to submit to God’s will and not my own. There are countless other graces I have received and have come to realize that our healing journeys are never over in this life. I am twenty years in and still learning new things each day. Continued healing can also help you to go back to places of pain and when the time is right, with the help of Our Lady, Jesus will make all things new. Give yourself the gift of a mercy retreat when it becomes available. You will not be disappointed. Jesus, I trust in you!  

Mary Kominsky

Our Lady of Sorrows

Sorrowing for both the unborn and those souls lost because of abortion!

“The Mother of Sorrows is my confidante, my teacher, my counselor, and my powerful advocate.”
– Padre Pio

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children 9/12

On Saturday, September 12, pro-life Americans throughout the country will gather at the gravesites of aborted babies and other memorial sites dedicated in their honor for the seventh annual National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

Solemn vigils will be held at these sites to commemorate the more than 60 million children who have lost their lives to legal abortion since 1973, and to remind our society of the humanity of the unborn child. Please join us for the memorial service in our community:

Event: National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

When: Saturday, September 12, 1 p.m.

Where: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 10 West Stevens Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532

More Info: Contact Gerald Yeung at (914) 837-7008 or broger8@gmail.com

Together let us remember the victims of abortion and pray for a final end to this injustice in our land during the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

 

Program

Greeting and welcome by the emcee
Memorial service opening prayer (see “Opening Prayer”)
SONG - Amazing grace (see “Hymns and Prayers”)
Scripture readings Jeremiah 1:4-8; Ps. 139:13-18; Mark 10:13-16 (see
“Readings”)
Reflection on the readings by a spiritual leader
MUSIC - “Tears in Heaven” (optional)
Theresa Bonopartis - Speaker

Our Help - The Communions of Saints

 

 

So we are  into my favorite novena time
of the year...make no mistake about it, we receive major help from the Saints,
many of whom promised to spend their heaven doing good on earth...pray to them!

This particular time is filled with the Feast Days of those I hold dear...

Archangels-Sept 29
St Therese October 1st
Guardian Angels Oct 2
St Francis Oct 4
St Faustina Oct 5th

Archangels, Guardian angels, St Therese, St Faustina & St Francis...pray for us!

 

Entering Canaan - The Painting

A Journey of Healing from Abortion

Since its beginnings, the Entering Canaan Ministry has belonged to Our Lady of Czestochowa. Given to us as our guide and Our Mother at the foot of the cross, she has lead countless numbers of women, men and siblings, through the desert to the Promised Land, to the heart of her Son and healing from abortion. This painting is a depiction of that journey taken in trust, knowing her great care and love for us.

At first glance it may be disturbing for those suffering from a past abortion. It can be hard to look at. The stark reality of the visual of an aborted baby in the arms of the sorrowful Lady of Czestochowa is a painful reminder of the abortion and the personal loss of a child. However, step beyond your initial impression to prayerfully enter into the journey of healing, knowing Our Lady is always at your side.

 The Foot of the Cross

At the foot of the cross along with Our Lady and the baby we see Mary Magdalene, representing all those who have been touched by abortion. It is at the foot of the cross that we honestly admit what we have done in taking the life of our children.

The cross, full of pain and suffering, calls us to look beyond its appearance where our earthly eyes can’t yet see, to the source of the ultimate mercy of God. The place where Jesus suffered out of love for us and all our sins, even the sin of abortion. The place where our redemption was won through His suffering death and resurrection.

Our Lady of Czestochowa

As Our Mother and patroness of the Entering Canaan ministry, Our Lady of Czestochowa is present as always, at the foot of the cross, this cross, signifying abortion.

She bears the scars of pain and suffering at the loss of her child and ours, embracing our children in the same way she embraced her Son with the very love of God.

She understands the tremendous pain of losing a Son through sin, and yet invites us to stand with her. We too are her children and she forgives and loves us with this same love of Christ. She longs for our healing and restoration.

With the acknowledgment of our sin the walls of our heart are cracked open to begin the journey through forgiveness and humility beckoning us to move forward with her in our healing. We have not been able to get past this on our own, but now, our hope and trust are in Jesus and Mary not in ourselves. We recognize what They have done for us, Their love, forgiveness, and Their desire for our healing. We now know They want us to be with Them and with our children in heaven for all eternity.

Beginning the Journey

Like Mary Magdalene, we entrust ourselves to Mary our mother knowing she will lead us to her Son.

To the right of the Cross behind Our Lady, we can see Mary Magdalene setting out on the journey to healing with many others. Mary is walking beside her as her guide. Our Lady’s wounds of suffering and injury have now turned into the marks of warrior ready to battle with you as you confront the demons of abortion on your way across the desert of healing to the Promised Land.

The Journey

Along the way you will face temptations to despair, anxiety and depression and other oppression but Our Lady is there, and we trust in her intervention.

Battles of shame, guilt, abandonment, betrayal, unforgiveness and more, may confront us, struggles to free us from sin may arise, but Our lady always there to teach and guide and equip us with the weapons of her virtues. If by chance we fall and are injured deeply, she will pick us up and care for us. She will teach us through our falls how to identify the enemy more quickly and defeat him. Mary, always is one with the will of the Father and is always victorious, using even our falls and defeats to move us closer to the Promised Land and the Heart of Jesus.

In the end, she will crush the head of Satan in order to protect us on our way, for we are her children.

The Destination

Off in the distance, we can see the light of Canaan our destination. As we look in that direction, we can sense the peace of Christ and the love of the Father as He beckons us ever closer. It is there that we will be with Jesus, Mary and our children who are now living in the Lord.

Trust in her. Trust in Their love for you. Allow her who was given to you on Calvary to lead and guide you to the way the truth and the life.

Consecrate and entrust yourself to this Lady of Czestochowa who with her “yes” gave her life to God to show us the way to her Son and healing. She will accompany you. She will keep you safely in her care until you reach the Promised Land, the Sacred Heart of her Son where you will see your children and where there will be no more pain and suffering but only the joy of the risen Lord.

T Bonopartis

Prints of the image can be obtained at : https://michaelcorsini.com/