Growing Project Rachel - Lisa Hall
It’s been a journey growing Project Rachel in our diocese. The journey has included highs and lows, times of abundance and times of drought. But no matter the season, this ministry is led by and dedicated to Christ the Healer and is grateful to be under the mantle of Mother Mary’s intercession.
Project Rachel Ministry began in Syracuse in the 1990’s. It was a call-in ministry that referred people to priests. It included some one-to-one meetings with the Respect Life Director, who also monitored the dedicated call line.I took over as the Director of the Respect Life Office in 2006. It was on my heart to enrich and expand Project Rachel Ministry in the Diocese. For me, it wasn’t enough to just be pro-life. We also needed to do more to outreach to those who had been wounded by the lies of abortion.
We started by getting a toll-free line rather than only a local number. We also offered an email address so that people could reach out by email. We stayed in that season of undetected growth for several years as I learned more about postabortion ministry. In 2012, the USCCB offered Project Rachel training to dioceses who were interested. It required the approval of our Bishop, who kindly granted it and supported it. As part of the training, I reached out to priests, mental health professionals and pro-life people who I thought would be a kind and compassionate fit for Project Rachel Ministry. After the training, I decided we needed to do more than just referrals. From there, I decided to investigate retreat model possibilities. I attended a Rachel’s Vineyard leadership weekend. I also met with the Sisters of Life and invited our newly formed team to attend an
Entering Canaan Weekend Retreat. I decided to go with Entering Canaan as the model offered numerous day and weekend retreat options as well as monthly gathering materials for on-going healing.
On-going meetings are a very important piece in the post-abortion healing journey. Most people are just dipping their toes into the process of healing when they attend a day or even a weekend retreat. The deeper and more profound healing, in our experience, comes from the monthly gatherings where relationships can be built and nourished and people can learn how to live the journey of healing through Christ.
Our team has been blessed to be accompanied by Theresa and the ministry of Entering Canaan.She so generously shares herself and the ministry. The retreats have been life altering for many,even life saving for some. On our most recent Day of Hope (Day of Prayer and Healing) one of the participants shared that this ministry saved her life. She couldn’t believe there were others who felt the same awful way she did - mired in pain and heartache for so
many years. She thanked us for caring so much and said what a miracle it was to have met us. And we are so grateful to have been able to share God’s goodness, love, and mercy with her through the ministries of Project Rachel and Entering Canaan.
God can do amazing things when we repent of our sins and unite our suffering to Christ on the Cross. Romans 8:28 tells us, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” If you are being called to join the journey of post abortion healing or ministry, don’t ignore thatnudge from the Holy Spirit! It will lead you to a place of deep growth and trust, of peace even amidst struggles. Healing is at the heart of the Church. We are made for God. Trust that you are His and He is yours.
Jesus, I trust in you!
