Imagine if you were sitting at a stop light, on your way to work, idling behind a car with a bumper sticker that read:
“Having an abortion doesn’t make you less or un-pregnant. It makes you the mother or father of a dead baby.”
I am a woman of great faith. Like some faithful individuals, I believe there is difference between faith and religion, holding one distinction far above the other solely based on my opinion that my personal union with the Almighty is vastly more important than the way I chose to show my allegiance.
Pope Francis is the 266th Pope (head) of the Catholic Church. The Pope is currently preparing for his United State tour and took this opportunity to announce in a Vatican letter that priests will have the power during the “Holy Year of Mercy” (that begins in December) to absolve individuals who have had an abortion. Catholic priests normally need a bishop’s approval to grant absolution.
“I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it.” (USA TODAY)
The Catholic Church has always taken a firm stand on the issues of birth control and abortion, clearly stating that “all life begins at conception”. An abortion, regardless of the reason (including rape and incest) is one of the gravest of sins and an automatic expulsion –excommunication- from the Church and all of Her sacraments. To be without the sacraments of the Church or hope of forgiveness in this life and the next is …well, for some, is untenable and therefore unacceptable.
For a Pope who has defined his reign as the leader of all Catholics by confronting controversial memes and issues ranging from gay marriage to divorce in an effort to build a more inclusive Church, this is amazing news, believe me. While clearly not an approval or acceptance of abortion on any level, it affirms that the Pope believes that some women do not comprehend the implication of terminating a pregnancy or in some cases, feel that they have no other option. It also correctly suggests that there is no sin, perceived or otherwise, that cannot be forgiven for the truly repentant.
Pope Francis’ words are also a welcome balm to troubled Catholics and religious everywhere. We all understand how in the name of love we can forgive a person for a human act that goes beyond and against all that we hold dear because to not forgive is destructive, divisive, harmful to ourselves and most importantly, an antithesis to what the Almighty Himself would do. It is common sense to me, and frankly, always has been.
As a practicing midwife, my journey into woman’s reproductive healthcare originates from a position of preservation and protection. I believe in the sanctity and dignity of all life from conception to death. I also believe that it is my duty and passion as a midwife to promote a healthy pregnancy that would statistically insure the birth of a healthy child. If any child is born with a physical or mental abnormality, it is my desire to “plug” the family into available financial support and educational services in their community that would provide the assistance that the parents or child might require. I am well aware that people “fall through the cracks”. Not every city, large or small has the interest or ability to provide specialized medical and/or psychological resources for every new family.
At the very least it is reasonable for one to assume that almost every community has a couple churches of various denominations able or anxious to offer solace, spiritual support, and most importantly, hope to the new family. Unfortunately, in some churches under some circumstances (artificial insemination, gay couples, divorced couple, etc…) that hasn’t been the case.
Although I have never personally had, performed or witnessed an abortion, I certainly have counseled or ministered to women who have terminated a pregnancy. A few clients have required additional support (therapy, drugs etc…) to help deal with the emotional aftermath of their abortion. Whether you are religious or not, regardless of your understanding of when life begins, whether you support a woman’s right to choose abortion or not; the decision to abort or not to abort changes lives forever.
Today in “Yahoo News” was a picture of a mother, Hallie Levine and her lovely daughter, Johanna, who has Down syndrome. Her personal view on abortion is arguably similar to many women in our country. I encourage you to consider her words, although you’ll find the article limits the overall conversation specifically geared to the rights of the mother and ignores the unknown potential of the yet-to-be born child:
“Ohio is poised to become the second state in this country to ban abortion because of a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome this fall. As a pro-choice woman who has a 7-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, I find this absolutely appalling. This is an issue that hits close to home for me: If I had had a prenatal diagnosis, I would have obtained an abortion. Today, I am beyond grateful that I didn’t. But I cannot ever in any circumstances imagine insisting others not have that right. Studies vary but anywhere from 67 percent to 85 percent of women who learn their baby has Down syndrome (choose to) terminate their pregnancies according to a 2012 University of South Carolina review published in the medical journal Prenatal Diagnosis. (“If I knew My Daughter Had Down Syndrome I would Have Aborted Her”, Sept.2nd.2015)
Hallie raised some very important concerns and personal considerations about the often monumental challenges and difficulties (physical and financial) of any child that comes to term and is known to be physically impaired while in utero.
Even so, Hallie, as a pro-choice woman, with the lack of clarity surrounding the health of Johanna in utero and her underlying intuition that something was terribly wrong did not abort her child. Her reasons are her own. She continues to maintain her supposition that she would have had an abortion if she had a prenatal diagnosis of Downs. In Hallie’s own words, “Today, I am beyond grateful that I didn’t.” Very few women enter into the prospect of abortion lightly or without much soul-searching, regardless of whether illness, finances or religion comes into play.
The best scientific evidence published suggests that: “…women who have an (unplanned) unwanted pregnancy that chose abortion in the first trimester have no greater risk of future mental health issues than if they carried and birthed the child. In general, mental health problems observed among women in the United States who had a single, legal abortion for non-therapeutic reasons are consistent with normal rates of comparable mental health problems in the general population.” (Task Force on Mental Health and Abortion, TFMHA (2008) in American Psychological Association “Mental Health and Abortion” (2015)
Not everyone views abortion negatively. China and India have been doing selective abortions for decades! In various societies, women view the inconvenient pregnancy and termination of a life as yet “another chance”, a reprieve from a lifetime of dealing with a single mistake, etc…
Abortions used as birth control and women who have had multiple abortions or even a single late-stage terminations tend to experience greater negative psychological reactions equivalent to women who miscarry, deliver a stillborn or experience a tragic early death of a newborn. The more abortions experienced, the greater the damage to a woman’s psyche. The overall loss and regret of a “potential life extinguished” has the ability to haunt affected individuals long after the actual procedure itself.
Not much attention or research is given to what men feel when women, doctors, clergy and legislators discuss abortion. The supposition that men escape any regret from abortion feeds the stereotype that men are “irresponsible impregnators” (Huffington Post, Dec.2011). There is empirical evidence to show that involved men also suffer the negative mental aftermath of a terminated pregnancy.
Male and female members of this current politically correct society believe that since men don’t have a uterus, they don’t have the right (or obligation) to have an opinion on abortion, even if intimately involved. In some instances the termination of prospective fatherhood adversely affects the way the denied father-to-be sees himself as a man and “protector of the weak and vulnerable” throughout his entire life.
Does a woman have the right to decide what she can and cannot do with her body? In practically every instance, I agree that she does. Does any religion, with strict doctrines and mandates have the right to impose (what might appear to some) unfair stipulations about forgiveness, rules for sexuality and reproduction? In practically every instance, I most heartedly agree it does. We choose to participate in a religion (or any belief system) to guide us, to model acceptable behavior so that in times of confusion, we exercise those chosen beliefs and do what needs done to the best of our ability. What we believe is what we become. 
But the subject of abortion goes way beyond the conversation of whether it is legal or even moral for a woman to terminate any pregnancy. In America, where long-held doctrines and behavioral beliefs are now (federally) lawful and sanctioned, we have the responsibility to make such informed decisions for ourselves, keeping in mind that nothing we do is ever done in a vacuum. Termination of a pregnancy (for any reason) affects all involved in some way.
You certainly do not need to be Catholic to understand how important forgiveness is to anyone. Forgiveness is a very powerful concept. It is always important to consider forgiveness in some form as “the end result” of every infraction— personal, legal and spiritual.
Pope Francis knows this. In the face of the barn swell of criticism and backlash he is likely to face from others in the Church, I believe Pope Francis exhibited the courage of his convictions that could only come from the Almighty.
Way to go, Francis!
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Elie Wiesel’s 1986 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Forgiveness Protects You From Depression (Especially If You’re A Woman) Forgiving others can reduce symptoms of depression, particularly for women, a new study finds. medicaldaily.com| Lecia Bushak