Project Rachel Ministry to offer 'Entering Canaan' retreat Saturday, Oct. 4, for women who desire healing, support after abortion
DETROIT — Mary Lockwood was “stuck” for 22 years. Lockwood had chosen abortion multiple times as a young woman, and the shame and pain had caught up with her. No matter how many times she went to confession, she couldn’t come to terms with what she had done.
Then one day in the confessional, a priest told her that to move forward, she needed to help others who were suffering with the regret and loss of abortion. Not long after, she attended a retreat that changed her life as she prayed and healed alongside other women experiencing the same struggles. She knew that assisting with future retreats was a way she could lead others to the same healing.
Today, Lockwood is part of the retreat team for Project Rachel Ministry, a healing ministry offered through the Archdiocese of Detroit. Per the ministry's website, “Project Rachel aims to walk with men and women as they navigate their healing journey through conversation, local resources, and (if desired) sacramental healing.”
“The idea of these retreats is to bring women together to know that they are not alone, and that Jesus forgives them no matter what,” Lockwood said. “I can’t say enough that He is a God of great mercy and forgiveness.“
On Oct. 4, the ministry will host a one-day retreat, “Entering Canaan: A Day of Prayer and Healing for Women.” The retreat was developed in New York by Theresa Bonopartis and the Sisters of Life; Bonopartis authored the book "A Journey to Healing Through Divine Mercy," and in 2023, the Sisters of Life offered the first Entering Canaan retreat in the Detroit area.
“One in every four women in our pews has been affected by a prior abortion decision,” said Kathleen Wilson, coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit's Project Rachel Ministry. “I think there are so many people out there who don’t realize they can find forgiveness in the arms of the Church.”
Msgr. Timothy Hogan has ministered at retreats for Rachel’s Vineyard, another abortion healing ministry that has been offering weekend retreats for men and women seeking healing since 1995. In May, he assisted at a local Entering Canaan retreat.
“The reality is that the women who come to this retreat are hurting, and they carry that weight around with them,” Msgr. Hogan said. “Then at the retreat, they experience that forgiveness and freedom that Jesus gives them — that’s the healing part. And while the memory never forgets what happened, they’re now free from the self-condemnation so they can experience peace.”
Eileen Craig went to an Entering Canaan retreat in New York more than 20 years ago.
“The grief is with you the rest of your life because you’re grieving the loss of a child,” Craig said. “Going on the retreat is healing, even though it’s hard because you’re opening up to the reality that you have a child, and that child loves you and is seeking your healing. The baby is with God and wants his or her parents to be reunited with them. And so, you move forward living in the truth.”
Craig, a therapist and counselor, serves on the retreat team for Entering Canaan. She has shared her testimony with various groups and for the Silent No More campaign. Like Lockwood, she has found healing in helping others.
“It took me a long time to get there, but God truly is using me to tell his story. That’s my mission, to help women who need to know that Jesus loves them,” Lockwood said.
In addition to facilitating Entering Canaan retreats, Project Rachel Ministry offers one-on-one support by trained volunteers, clergy and licensed counselors. As part of the ministry, women, men, grandparents, and others affected by an abortion can call a confidential hotline and speak to a ministry representative. Some women will reach out shortly after an abortion, but many wait until decades later to seek help.
“It’s never too late for healing,” Wilson said. “Now with the abortion pill, it’s a different kind of trauma, but whether it’s a clinical abortion or a chemical abortion, there’s a heavy burden of shame and guilt that women and men are living with, and our desire for them is to have that burden lifted.”
Wilson sees the healing journey offered by Project Rachel Ministry as one of restoration.
“Our ministry offers a restoration of motherhood and fatherhood, because these men and women are mothers and fathers," Wilson said. "It’s restoring them to themselves, to their families and to God.”
Msgr. Hogan has been working with women and men suffering after abortion for more than 10 years. Today, he sees a need for ministries like Project Rachel more than ever.
“Our world is so destructive. So many states have legalized abortion, and they pass it off as health care. But they don’t care for the women afterward, or for the men or the medical personnel,” Msgr. Hogan said. “This ministry and these retreats are waking people up to the reality that an abortion is the death of a child, but that there’s healing for those who seek it.”
Entering Canaan One-Day Retreat
A one-day retreat, “Entering Canaan: A Day of Prayer and Healing for Women,” will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in a confidential location. The day will include personal testimony, video reflection, lunch, Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation and Mass. To inquire about the retreat or to register, contact Project Rachel at 1-888-722-4355 or [email protected].
Rachel’s Vineyard Weekend Retreats
Project Rachel offers weekend-long retreats for men and women. To locate retreats in Michigan and learn more, visit www.rachelsvineyard.org and go to the retreats tab.
Prayer Support Needed
The Project Rachel Prayer Network invites the faithful to support the ministry spiritually. Members pledge to pray a monthly rosary and a weekly Memorare and to offer Holy Communion for Project Rachel participants and for the children lost to abortion. To sign up, fill out the form at www.aod.org/project-rachel.
