By Sylvia Jimenez, Special to the Florida Catholic
By the age of 45, about 1 out of 4 women in the USA has had one or more abortions. When we include the numbers of men, as well as the parents of the women, the siblings of the aborted babies, etc., we begin to see the implications of how abortion has deeply affected and hurt our entire society, and in staggering numbers.
There is hope, and healing, for those impacted by abortion. Project Rachel is a Diocesan outreach to women and men who suffer from the mental and spiritual trauma of abortion. This important outreach in the Diocese of Venice includes counseling, healing retreats and other direct and indirect support. All contact is strictly confidential.
WHAT CAN LEAD TO THAT “CHOICE”
Many choose abortion as a matter of “convenience” (not the right time, not ready, fear of others finding out they are sexually active, etc.), or to avoid disappointing their parents.
Others, such as victims of abuse, feel as if they are at fault for what has happened to them, evoking feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, making them more vulnerable to either choosing abortion or letting others make that decision for them.
Project Rachel in our Diocese has helped several women who had been pregnant because of rape or incest. In these cases, they invariably said that their abortions were more traumatizing and debilitating for them than the sexual abuse – because in this act they became complicit in an even more violent crime than their abusers. Furthermore, their abusers could continue abusing them once they had covered up their crime by “aborting” the DNA evidence.
POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF ABORTION
Many who have walked a lonely path of grief and hopelessness after abortion eventually begin to understand that they have a deep spiritual wound. But sadly, they also are likely to believe that they have committed “the unforgivable sin” and fear God’s anger or punishment.
The deep feelings of regret, grief and shame which can emerge sooner or later are profound and often crippling. Some try to numb the emotional pain by self-medicating through abuse of drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, or a host of other self-destructive behaviors.
After abortion, men as well as women can suffer some or many of the following complications:
- Grief (mild to profound)
- Depression (sometimes to the point of suicidal thoughts and attempts)
- A sense of alienation from family, friends, church/faith
- Isolating self from others to avoid discussing the topic of abortion, which can trigger many negative emotions (intense shame, anger/rage, guilt, sadness, etc.)
- A feeling of being ‘numb,’ not able to feel joy from activities that used to be pleasurable
- Difficulty concentrating (e.g., on work or studies)
- Anger toward self, the child’s father and/or others involved in the abortion decision
- Eating disorders
- Promiscuous and reckless behavior
- Sleep disorders, like insomnia or abortion-related nightmares or flashbacks
- Adverse reactions to sounds, smells, and sights which remind them (at least subconsciously) of the abortion experience
- Adverse reactions to (or impulse to avoid) seeing babies, pregnant women, little children, etc.
- Problems bonding with her other children (being over-protective but emotionally distant)
- Child abuse or neglect
- Sexual dysfunction
- Fear that God will or is punishing them
- Addictive behaviors (e.g., alcohol or drug abuse to “numb the pain” or “self-medicate”)
- An inability to forgive themselves and an inability to accept God’s forgiveness
To be continued in the next issue of The Florida Catholic.
Project Rachel invites you to view a few short and beautiful video testimonies of several women who have received healing from their abortions at www.dioceseofvenice.org/respect-life/post-abortion-help.
For more information about Project Rachel, as well as to read stories of hope and healing, visit www.hopeafterabortion.com (English) and https://esperanzaposaborto.org (Español)
For testimonies of men having found healing after abortion, visit www.menhealingfromtrauma.com.
If you know someone who has had an abortion and you would like to reach out to them so they can receive healing, contact Project Rachel. We can offer good recommendations for each situation. All contact is strictly confidential. (Se habla español. Todo contacto es confidencial) Call Sylvia Jimenez at 941-412-5860, or email Project.Rachel@DioceseofVenice.org.
Jeanne Berdeaux, Director of Respect Life for the Diocese of Venice, presented the Diocese’s new Walking with Moms in Need initiative, pointing out all the available resources on the Diocese’s website (
The Diocesan Scouting Religious Award Ceremony was held May 22, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. Catholic National and Diocesan Awards were presented to Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and American Heritage Girls as well as to adult leaders. Diocesan Scout Chaplain Father Lawton Lang, as well Scout Leaders Jim Fetterman and Bob Paquette, presented the awards. The ceremony followed a Mass in the Cathedral where they were also recognized.
Congratulations to Blaire M., a first grader at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers, whose artwork now adorns the side of a Waste Pro recycling truck. Blaire won 1st Place in the Keep Lee County Beautiful and Waste Pro “Leave the Scene Clean” environmental art contest. The artwork included a caterpillar, flowers, trees, hearts and a butterfly with the words “Plant Trees.” The truck with Blaire’s artwork visited the school on May 19, 2022, for everyone to see.
The recipients of the Mary Fran Carroll, Coseglia, Schaerf, Toner, Schwarz and Carey Scholarships were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements and for their commitment of continuing their education in pursuit of wide-ranging career paths such as education, medicine, business, engineering and more. The Foundation Scholarship Committee carefully reviewed 142 applications before determining the winners. Many of the Foundation Board members were present for the luncheon. (See a complete listing of scholarship recipients below.)
“Please join me and the entire Diocese of Venice in prayer as we mourn the loss of life in yesterday’s school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This tragic loss of so many innocent children and their teachers is truly heartbreaking. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Mercy may God in his infinite mercy pour out his grace to strengthen those who grieve, to heal the wounded, and bring peace to all.
The Lion Cup – a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) middle and high school robotics tournament, included 150 competitors, 23 teams, representing 13 Diocesan Catholic schools. The competition was fierce, and the intensity built as the day progressed and the participants became laser-focused on being the best.
Jackalyn Flynn, a member of the Dollar Store Stark Industries team from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, said the competition was tough but she had lots of fun. “This was hard. We just created our team and learned so much from this competition. We will do better next year.”
The competition was fierce as teams programed their robots to accomplish various tasks in a specific order in a limited amount of time. The middle school robots are made from Lego pieces and as they go through the obstacle course, their autonomous robot picks up items along the way. Teamwork comes into play in design, construction and strategy. The high school robots are 10 times larger and are both autonomous and have a remote control.
Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, said it was a great day, beyond his wildest dreams, giving much credit to Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Coordinator and leader of the STREAM initiative in the Diocesan schools.
The Lion Cup honors St. Mark, one of the patron saints of the Diocese of Venice, whose symbol features a winged lion. The competition also pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci, inventor of many of the first robots, one of which resembles a lion.
Special awards were presented to the teams that reflected the attributes of Firmitas, Utilitas, and Venustas.
There were 120 graduates who received their diploma. The Valedictorian was Halle Monserez and Salutatorian was Peter Etz. The Commencement Address was given by Leah Roddenberry, Mooney Class of 2017, and current Miss Florida.
The Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated May 11 at Incarnation Parish with Most Rev. Bernard Hebda, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, as the main celebrant (His nephew is a 2022 Mooney graduate).
Being in the presence of 165 relics was a powerful experience for many. Notable pieces in the recent exhibition include a portion of the True Cross and a piece of the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A relic is a piece of the body of the saint, usually a bone, or an item used or owned by the Saint or an object that has touched the tomb of the Saint.
The veneration of these sacred relics is a long tradition in the Church dating to the earliest days when the first Christians would gather near the tombs of the early martyrs. Miracles were connected with these sacred places and relics, which do not have some magical power in them, their power comes from God, Father Martins explained. “The fact that God uses the relics for healing miracles tells us that the Lord wants us to draw our attention to the Saints as models and intercessors.
Graduating Senior Leah Martin-Gonzales, of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples, who repeated her Class 1A state titles in the long jump and the 100 hurdles, also finishing 6th in the 300 hurdles, and 14th as part of the 4×100 team.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School Senior Wyatt Whalen also won a State title in the Class 2A shot put and took 3rd in the discus.
You can sign up now for the last in-person Diocesan Listening Session from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, May 23, 2022, at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, 355 S. Bridge St., LaBelle (English and Spanish); or for the Virtual Listening Session via Microsoft TEAMS from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, May 25. To register for either or both, please visit 
