Amen!!!! thank you.

Amen!!!!

Those nasty comments are unbelievable.  It’s so easy to hate, much harder to show compassion.  I applaud this woman’s idea.  We could all take a page from her, in every aspect of our lives; instead of criticizing others to feel better about ourselves, we should all reach out a friendly hand.

Says a person who often falls far short of that lofty goal…

I love the point:  “Martyrdom is something that the bad guys supply.”  Direct and to the point, and something that should convict those of us who occasionally think our job is to make life hard for people.

“Martyrdom is something that the bad guys supply.  The good guys should be rooting for conversions without any spilling of blood (or foreclosures or bankruptcies).”

Love this. Many many prayers for the conversion of abortion workers, and for the softening of hearts of those who judge them,

“Martyrdom is something that the bad guys supply.” What a great point! I never considered this before, but seeing it laid out there was something of a “d’oh!” moment for me.

I am always a little stunned at how hard people, especially supposed pro-lifers, make Abby Johnson’s life, when it seems so obvious that she’s doing so much good. Wake UP, pro-lifers!!! We’re all sinners, and we need to help each other!!!

I am SO grateful to Abby for her courage and strength. I don’t think I could face everything that is thrown at her.

I think that this ministry is a wonderful idea. It can make escape a lot easier for those wanting to leave the abortion industry. It could be the tipping point that gives a clinic worker the courage to make a run for it.

Thank you, Abby, for everything you’re doing. You are in my prayers. And thank you, Simcha, for putting your voice behind hers. Seems like you’re the favorite blogger of every Catholic I know, including yours truly! :)

I think a lot of times people don’t contemplate what ‘mortal sin’ truly is.  Yes, having or providing an abortion is one, but so is adultry, fornication or pornography, so is bearing false wittness, so is missing Mass on Sunday because you don’t feel like going… Their mortal sins aren’t worse than mine.  One tiny mortal sin, as simple as sleeping in one Sunday, will damn me to the same hell that all the ‘worst’ of sinners are in.  It’s so easy to come up for justifications for my sins and tell myself how different they are from those other, really bad ones.

We are all heaven-bound the moment of our baptism…yet we throw it away; we stain ourselves.  “Receive this baptismal garment and bring it unstained to the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may have everlasting life.”  Yet the Lord provides us bleach.  Thanks to Abby for providing a washing machine for these people.  May they start to clean their garment and slowly fall in love with the whiteness that comes out when the grime is washed away.

“We’re supposed to take up our own crosses willingly, but try to make each other’s crosses lighter.” Right at the heart of charity. Well put!

“Johnson says that she herself may have quit the industry sooner, had she not met so many nasty and negative ‘pro-lifers’”: This makes me feel a little sick. How much time has been wasted, how many abortion workers have been encouraged to keep telling themselves they’re on the right side because of the nastiness of their opposition?

@Elizabeth - I agree.  Also, consider the same thing on a number of different fronts - perhaps same-sex ‘marriage’? How many people find it easier to stay in a homosexual lifestyle because of the nastiness of the so-called Christians around them?

Perhaps instead of patting ourselves on the back with ‘hate the sin, love the sinner’ we should actually focus on loving people for who they are (the image of Christ).

I think ATTWN sounds like a wonderful ministry. We should be helping people do the right thing.

I couldn’t agree with you more.  In their zeal to stop abortions so many Christians have forgotten who they represent!  Go Abby!

I wholehearted agree with this writer’s sentiments. As a lay minister in the support movement helping those in unplanned pregnancies figure out what life is going to be like after pregnancy and parenthood, I have seen the destructiveness of legalism and moral judgement handed out by the supposed “Body of Christ.” Hear the call to be the LIVING Body of Christ. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Not that we beat up those who are seeking Him or those have found Him and now are “working out their Salvation” by struggling with life in the world’s system. I offer grace and Mercy because the Father of all LOVE, GRACE and MERCY first offered it to me when I did not deserve it. And He still provides it daily when I fail in little and small ways adn in the really BIG ways.

Scripture teaches they will know the Body of Christ by the fruit we display. Peace, Love, Joy, Gentleness, Kindness, Self-control, Patience Kindness and faithfulness are to be the aroma of God that this world sees.

Thanks for highlighting this ministry, Simcha!

I’m privileged to work as the operations director for ATTWN.  Thank you for this brilliant post.  Although the majority of reactions to the new ministry from pro-lifers has been overwhelmingly positive, the few that do not like the idea can be just plain cruel.  I hope your words reach some of them and resonate with them.  Thank you.

You are right, Simcha, we should be supporting these individuals who want to get out of the abortion industry, not judging them! Jesus told the woman who was almost stoned for adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, now go and don’t sin anymore.” It is the example we should follow to support people who turn from sin. We’re all sinners and we’ve all had to turn away from some sin we are slave to at some point in our life.

I always wonder what happened to the people who make comments like that to make them so hard of heart.  By those same people’s standards, Thomas More was a coward for trying to preserve his life through silence instead of putting his neck on the scaffold the minute Henry VIII demanded his allegiance over Rome’s.

It’s hatred, pure and simple, that keeps us from rooting one another on. We should all be on God’s side, which means making sure that as few people as possible end up in Hell. That means our present-day enemies: murderers, thieves, crooks, liars, rapists, child molesters, child abusers, adulterers, etc. I applaud Abby Johnson’s spirit and work.

We all need to pray for people who have hurt us and who have hurt others. If we cannot yet forgive them, let us ask the Lord to help their souls so that they aren’t lost to Satan.

I understand remonstrating people for not displaying the proper forgiving attitude even towards the worst sinners, but I think it’s quite stretch to accuse them of not being “pro-life”. That term designates someone against abortion and euthanasia, and they are certainly that - so how about we not get over-emotional and conflate meanings. They may not be living their faith perfectly, but they are still “pro-life”.

Thanks for this!
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One concern I’ve heard others bring up is that abortion clinic workers might exploit the ministry (basically, pretend to leave their job, accept financial help, and then go right back to PP). I have to imagine there are safeguards in place to prevent this (e.g., financial help is contingent upon getting a copy of the letter of resignation).

Awesome! I never even thought of this… what a gift to those looking for a way to change, and ultimately to the cause of life and humanity. Go Abby!

Absolutely brilliant—-and the people who make those nasty, shortsighted, and actually anti-life comments against such a powerful ministry need our prayers as much as those contemplating the courageous step of getting out of the industry.  Thank you for the post, Simcha!

Love Abby Johnson and her courage. I pray for her that she always keep in mind that Christians are sinners too and keeps turning to our Lord instead of relying on the praise of people.

Being Christian means you know you are a sinner. It means you sin. But thank GOD we can go to him and seek forgiveness and union with him. BUT that means we are all sinners. Don’t be shocked to find hard hearted sinners who say they are Christian! It’s me and you, all of us. SINNERS. Remember they crucified our Lord and his people (us) abandoned him.

Not excusing the meanness, just explaining it!

Sometimes I wonder if awful comments on things like that are from trolls.  Like when Katrina at The Crescat posted her story, there were some truly terrible comments that sounded straight out of Westboro Baptist - except that the poster ended up ridiculing those who tried to respond to her from a Christian perspective b/c she wasn’t a believer after all, just a hater. 
But I can attest to the need for something like this and to the effectiveness of talking to clinic workers as you would to anyone else.  My sister does sidewalk counseling at a notorious clinic and the workers are forbidden to speak to her due to her contributions to a high turnover rate.  And all she does is say things like “Good morning”, “God bless you”, and, once she feels she’s established some connection, “Let us help you find a different job.”

Also, is The Centurions no longer active?  The mention of “nothing for these former workers” made me wonder - but maybe the focus is different in that one provides mental/spiritual support and the other provides concrete job help and the like?

Super idea.  I imagine a day when legions of former abortion workers march through the streets, shedding light on this evil.

Wow.  Beautiful.  I wonder if those opposed to this ministry are also opposed to those who provide material support for women in crisis pregnancy situations—according to their logic, it seems that the only right thing is to make sure those women are making a stark bare naked moral decision, and make sure we’re not making it easier for them.

I pray God blesses this new venture.  Whatever we humans can do to save anyone from the abortion industry, the better.

Amen!  “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has not works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 NRSV

“...in most conversions dawn breaks slowly…”  Yes.  Even St.Paul spent additional days with scales on his eyes after Jesus Himself intervened quite spectacularly.
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Good work Abby! Yes, we must be the hands,feet,heart and voice of Jesus to these poor people.
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@Patrick, do you seriously think God would send you to an eternity in Hell if you “slept in” on Sunday morning?  He loves you way too much for that.  This would be serious cause for concern, confession and spiritual direction, not Hell.

@Patrick:
“one tiny mortal sin” is an oxymoronic phrase.

Mortal sin is mortal in specific measures: the person himself has to be disposed in such a manner as to be *consciously* making a break with Our Lord for it to be truly Mortal.

Personally I think that there are those pharasaic-types in the pro-life movement who will never be able to forgive Abby Johnson for her previous work. I shudder to think about the levels of spiritual blindness we cultivate in order to be able to sit in constant judgement of others.

You nailed it! Thanks for the words of encouragement and a reminder of our duty as Christians. We are all sinners, often held captive in sin by different forces of the world. Blessed are we that Jesus doesn’t draw lines in the sand and loves and forgives us all, every one.

Abby Johnson is such an inspiration. It’s so humbling. If only all those critics said, “Maybe I should be another Abby Johnson…”

To paraphrase Chesterton:  There is only one unanswerable argument against the pro-life movement: pro-lifers.

Was SO incensed when I saw Abby’s facebook complaint the other day about the opposition she faces WITHIN the movement.  WHA?!!!!!! 

Come on Christians!  Do you know Jesus?  Do you believe He loves EVERY ONE OF HIS CHILDREN and HURTS for the ones ensnared in SIN?  Do you want to beat the ones pulling them out of the wells and brambles?  Do you want the person ministering to YOU beat up next time you fall into a spiritual blunder? 

There is no room for this - especially in such a powerful ministry.

Thank you Abby!

Imagine if St. Paul was rejected because he was “one of them”! Some people just don’t get it.  Love in all things - yup, even leaving a cushy, immoral job.

And to the person who wondered if people might take advantage of the ministry - don’t we take advantage of Christ ALL THE TIME? Yup! We use Him and use Him and use Him.  He loves and forgives us anyway.

Those who would begrudge these workers a way out remind me of some rather cultish Christians in existence, who consider themselves the elect and elite hand chosen by God, and jealously guard their status.

This reminds me of Corrie ten Boom’s experience while witnessing about the Lord & her experiences as a concentration camp prisoner during WWII.One of the former concentration camp guards came up to her afterwards to ask forgiveness, & even after recognizing him, she was able to forgive him with God’s help.She said it was first an act of the will but once she offered her hand to the former guard she forgave him with her whole heart.
How can Christians think former abortion employees deserve less?

Amen, Simcha!  “Loving the sinner, hating the sin” does actually mean extending that hand and helping somebody up.

And Courtney, you nailed it.  I don’t understand what you’ve described, either.  If Christ can warn us that the world will hate us just as it hates Him, then nobody really needs to go looking for martyrdom.  It’ll find us soon enough.

Simcha,

Thank you for this excellent article!

And thank you to all of the rest of the you (that is to say, nearly all) for your inspirational, thought-provoking commentary.

Isn’t it amazing how the usual detractors show up time after time with their hateful messages? You can pretty much guess ahead of time who will show up. These unhappy, tormented souls need our prayers, too.

This is really beautiful. I respect that she wants to help these workers come out of such an evil industry, to help support them.
It’s hard to hear fellow pro-lifers condemning her and making such outrageous comments. I’m sure many of these people that get into these jobs genuinely feel like they are helping women, and then realize the job is filled with lies and murder. Pro-lifers should be doing something to help these people leave such an organization, we should be ready and willing to support them every step of the way, I’m sure many of these people have families of their own that they need to think about as well.

Thank you, Simcha.

WWWWWOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOO!
yes…looking at the budget to donate to the cause- it is a VERY important one

Yep, yep, and yep.  What a great mission Ms. Johnson is on.  Exciting times indeed.

Simca,
Great column!  You hit points that I never thought of, and those who post on your string seem mostly in tune, also.
Thank you, Lord!
TeaPot562

Are the Centurions still active? I seem to recall that was a similar ministry and it was still active a decade ago if I recall correctly. In any case, more hands for the harvest! I hope this initiative bears much fruit.

The Coming Home Network is an organisation founded to assist and encourage Protestant Ministers to come home to the Catholic Church. Their primary task is finding jobs for the Ministers. As an ex-Protestant Minister I can attest to the fact that, even though the truth was driving me to resign and seek entry into the Church, the major barriers were financial. How would I feed my family? How would I live at all? For a person who knows the responsibility of parenthood (and/or being sole provider for a family) these questions loom large. We all knew ‘the truth’ is the real reason why we resigned and became Catholic. But ANY convert can tell you, when there is even a glimmer of hope in answering the tough financial questions, making the change is more likely, quicker, and more full of the joy that should come with exchanging a lie for the wonderful truth of God.

Shame on those who are niggardly in helping to remove barriers to sinners (and ex-Protestants) coming home.

What an interesting perspective & idea. I’ve never thought of that. Abby is an amazing person. If we do nothing as pro-lifers other than say we’re pro-life, at a minumum we should never attack people who have walked the dark side and know what needs to be done to bring Christ’s Light and Mercy to others who are trapped. Our Lord doesn’t excuse us at saying “if a soul dont change their ways, let them rot in hell”. Just the opposite - He was devastated even when losing Judas, and would have forgiven him as well if he had repented. Proof positive, that He Loves each person dearly and Desires that each of us make it to Heaven.

@anna lisa
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Well, actually, deciding to sleep in rather than go to Sunday Mass is considered grave matter (and a mortal sin provided knowledge and consent are there).  Unrepented mortal sins do condemn you to hell.  That’s why they’re called that. 
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The remedy of course is to repent and go to Confession before you die.  But as Catholics we do believe that there is a hell and people go there.  For doing things like missing Mass or committing adultery or using contraceptives or any number of other grave offenses.  That doesn’t mean God isn’t loving.  God’s love is in providing an opportunity to repent before it is too late, indeed, in providing an abundance of grace for no other reason than that he’s really, really interested in us being blissfully happy for all eternity.  But it’s up to us to actually take him up on the offer, repent, accept that grace.  If we don’t, we condemn ourselves to hell.

Thank you. LOVE this article.

@Marie—Te mortal sin is *not* missing Mass; it is not caring about the obligation to worship the Lord.  And even then for it to be mortal it would have to involve a serious amount of willfulness—along with the knowledge of its seriousness.

Yes I know we are saying essentially the same things but the difference is that there is a fixation on an action (missing Mass) instead of the state of the conscience.  Also: the *point* of it. When Catholics insist on posting about stuff like this, especially when the issue of whether or not it is a mortal sin hinges entirely on something nobody but G-d Himself could know, it really strikes me as strange.

A ministry to help people leave a hated job seems a good thing. Of course the efforts of pro-lifers to make it as painful as possible to work as, or for, an abortion provider tends to winnow out the best-qualified people who attempt to work as, or for, an abortion provider. If you can do anything else to earn a living, why face a daily gauntlet of demonstrators and a constant barrage of legal challenges to one’s clinic? Move on, and leave it to those who can’t find work elsewhere. Or don’t worry about what happens to those who still represent the demand.

What happens when you reduce supply but not demand? An underground economy that disproportionately rewards the supply end for providing a substandard and unregulated product, for example, lethal heroin or bath salts. Make abortion illegal, and watch what happens to the market for the product that is still in demand.

This is especially bizarre to me because of the pro-life claim that women who undergo abortions are pitiful victims of boyfriends/parents/husbands who are forcing them to abort. Is this pressure going to go away because it’s harder to get a safe abortion? Or is it just going to contribute to a brisk internet business in RU486 with a predictable death rate of mothers who weren’t monitored by doctors while they took the drug? How many marginal health care workers will decide they can offer abortions because they have some passing acquaintance with medical procedures?

Predictably, Americans have learned nothing from the War on Drugs.

I really wonder sometimes what reality pro-lifers inhabit.

I am a healthcare worker who has been stuck in a job where I was inadvertantly complicit in abortions.  It is hard to get out because you do have to provide for your family.  I went to college for 8 years to get my advanced degree and there is no support.  A classic example is pharmacists- most states require them to give out all drugs, hospitals require them do dispense anything and everything for all patients.  What organization is there to help them fight for their rights.  Nowdays they have doctorates, but they are treated like trash and forgotten about.  I felt the same way, it wook me 4 years to find a new job and I don;t know how long I will be “safe” before they catch on…

I just want to say thank you to Corita and anna lisa for their comments on this and many other threads.

How about Luka Magnotta?  Does being pro-life mean that we should try to make sure that killing, chopping up, and mailing the parts of Lin Jun does not result in any punishment that would be emotionally or financially uncomfortable for him?
Abby Johnson’s idea certainly sounds merciful, which is a good thing. It may be prudent, though I seriously doubt it will yield a major reduction in the killing and chopping up of those who, unlike Lin Jun, never receive names. Let’s not pretend, though, that mercy for murderers is a logical necessity for opposing murder.

I thought this was a pretty cool point:

“The tool of ultrasound has resulted in an entire generation having their first baby picture taken within the womb, and it’s greatly impacted people’s opinion on abortion.”
Dr. Jack Willke, president of Life Issues Institute.

cowalker :
“I really wonder sometimes what reality pro-lifers inhabit.”
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I guess we inhabit the same reality that passes laws against slavery but finds it resurface again as human trafficking.
Sadly, the taking of innocent lives can not be fully stopped by laws, but neither should it be legitimized by law.

What a great ministry! Those who are so hatefully critical need to remember the parables of the prodigal son, the Pharisee and the tax collector, and other parables illustrating the joy of the Father at repentant sinners.  Who are we to condemn. One other tragedy of abortion is that it is a cancer that has infected all parts of society, even those who oppose it or who are complacent.

Yeah, maybe I am “hatefully critical” in some people’s view, meaning I do not subscribe to a seamless garment approach that puts the emotional fulfillment of abortion workers on part with saving the lives of the unborn.  I also resent the use of the pro-life label as a bludgeon:  “You’re not REALLY pro-life unless, in addition to opposing willful murder, you also support [insert list of the speaker’s favorite ideas].”  That is nothing more than an egocentric dishonesty, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THOSE IDEAS ARE.

Howard,
It’s not putting the two issues on equal par, just addressing the needs of the former employees in addition to saving children’s lives.Emotional needs were only one of four aspects named.

While I think this is a worthy ministry, I also think we shouldn’t run slipshod over an essential point: it is evil to continue to do what we know is morally wrong for any reason, financial or otherwise. This is not Pharasaical; it is just basic moral theology. The image of the rich, young man comes to mind: sure I’ll follow you Lord. . . Hold on a minute, I can’t be poor!

@Kathleeen

Isn’t it putting the two issues on par if it is claimed that someone is not *truly* pro-life unless, in addition to opposing the unjust taking of life, they also support this?  In just the same way, some other people say you are not pro-life unless you contradict Catholic social teaching and claim that the death penalty is always unjust and should never be applied, never.  Others say you are not pro-life if you eat meat.  Others say you are not pro-life if you do not support Obamacare.  What’s next?  I’m not pro-life if I don’t support a playoff system for college football?  If honesty is out the window, why not?

@Corita
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It seems that we agree that the obligation to obey Church law regarding Sunday worship is a grave one, as well as on the need to not judge others’ souls.  I think you are trying to be compassionate, which is beautiful.  I think we should definitely be compassionate.  But I think we disagree on two important areas: the correct understanding of the three components that make a mortal sin, and the correct appplication of the need not to judge the state of someone’s conscience.  I’ll briefly touch on the first and spend a lot of time on the second.
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First, the Church teaches this regarding mortal sins:
There are three components to make a sin mortal
1) An action that is gravely wrong or considered gravely wrong by the performer of it.
2) Knowledge by the performer of the action that the action is gravely wrong.
3) Freedom of the will in consenting to the action.
[Freedom of the will just means basic, ordinary freedom. Like, you are sane and of sound mind; you weren’t half asleep; no one grabbed your hand and made you do it; no one put a gun to your head and insisted you do it; you weren’t largely unaware due to your medication.  It doesn’t mean you have to have had “willfulness” ie rebellious feelings when you committed the action. You could feel happy, sad, relieved, uncomfortable, indifferent, rebellious or anything else.  Feelings really don’t matter one way or another, unless they were so strong as to constitute something like temporary insanity, in which case they actually *diminish* culpability.

It is frequently accepted that we can’t judge a person’s soul, we have to think charitably of their motives, whatever action we see them taking.  *I think this is correct and in line with Church teaching.*  We get onto very questionable ground very fast if we start to speak as if we know what is the state of a person’s conscience at any given time. We just don’t know.
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It gets things backwards, though, to say that, just because people sometimes do gravely wrong actions without incurring full responsibility on their consciences, that we shouldn’t talk about those actions as gravely wrong. 
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That probably seems compassionate, since some people aren’t guilty of the sin and we wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings by talking about facts that don’t directly apply to them.  But other people need to hear those facts. Shying away from stating what actions are gravely wrong is not compassionate or merciful.  In fact, it’s going to get in the way of actual Works of Mercy, such as “Admonish the sinner” and “Instruct the ignorant.”
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Actions are precisely what we *do* talk about, judge, weigh, and consider, not individual people’s consciences, which are between them and God.
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For example. We say that embezzling millions of dollars from one’s company, hurting hundreds or thousands of people by doing so, is gravely wrong.  The fact that we don’t know for sure the state of the conscience of a particular executive who did this doesn’t stop us from condemning the action.  His soul could be shining with sanctifying grace for all we know because some psychological issue impaired his freedom, or because he’s already repented and made things right with God, or for some other reason.  But the action of embezzlement is still *wrong* and it’s okay to say so.
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In fact, we *should* strongly and unequivocally say so, because it proclaims and reinforces that truth to ourselves and society and helps us and others to resist temptations to perform that action.
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It works exactly the same for other gravely wrong actions.  We *should* write articles (if we’re a blogger) or preach homilies (if we’re a priest) or make comments (in conversation or comboxes) strongly and unequivocally stating that this or that gravely wrong action - is wrong!  It a) reinforces the truth for those who already know it, b) instructs those who for whatever reason are ignorant on that point, c) strengthens us and our hearers in our resolve to resist temptations in that regard.  And very importantly D)it even motivates some hearers who are in fact culpable for the action as a sin to go to Confession.  What could be more compassionate and merciful than all these?

I thought this was a great article, and I was surprised to read that some people felt it was wrong to help women who want to get out of the abortion industry. Why wouldn’t we, as Christians, want to help someone do the right thing?

@Sue

Speaking only for myself, I did not say it was wrong to help women leave the abortion industry.  I said that it is on the one hand a less weighty matter than bringing abortion to an end, and on the other hand an action that goes beyond what it means to simply be pro-life.

Howard ,
I think you are responding more to opinions held by individuals than to Church teaching on the sanctity of life.
Sure, individuals can get it wrong.We often do.

I applaud Abby for doing this. She has gotten a great deal of attention since her conversion, and honestly, I was beginning to wonder if she was getting TOO much attention. I have seen some Catholic celebrities get too full of themselves. However, THIS is a great development. It says to me that she has this experience and this great knowledge and now she is going to do something special and unique for the pro-life movement. It is obvious that God is using her for this and she has generously responded to His call for her. I say more power to her (God’s power, BTW) and good for her! May this endeavor reap abundant fruit!

And NO MORE OBAMA!!! The first step in ridding our nation of the Evils of death and hatred of human life, is to vote out the Commander in Chief of Evil, the Author of Atrocity, Barrack HUSSEIN Osama.. I mean Saddam, oops, I mean Obama, or Barry the Gay Clown Prez.

I agree whole heartedly. The idea of helping the ex employees is very good. Only ensuring that the money goes to the correct hands

Marie,
Not attending Mass on a Sunday is not objectively, itself a sinful action (like stealing, as in your example.)  The circumstances surrounding it and the intention involved make the difference.  Whether it rises to the level of mortal sin is the second layer.

I would certainly say it is a serious matter.  Both for the lack of proper respect shown for the obligation of the Sabbath (and to Our Lord) and the fact that one has lost another opportunity to receive the graces of attending Mass. If I were in a relationship with a person in which it was necessary or compassionate to say so to them, I would.

But as for your long and impassioned explanation of why it is necessary to speak out all the time, in every context, about such things I can only say that you and I disagree about what charity asks of us.

What a great article.

I think we all need to remember that ANY of us are capable of ANY sin. If you haven’t committed a particular sin, that’s not your merit, it’s God’s mercy.  We’d point fewer fingers and certainly be more understanding of each other’s cowardice if we remained cognizant of this reality.

Speaking of reality, “cowalker” makes some interesting points but apparently isn’t aware of this: pro-lifers, serious ones, anyway, aren’t just trying to eradicate legal supply of abortion, we’re trying to decrease demand as well. You see, right now, it’s just so easy (and federally subsidized) to get an abortion that often people allow their first visceral reaction of fear of their baby to keep them from assessing all of their options. Those protesters outside the clinics often serve the purpose of giving abortion-intent women/couples pause before doing something they can’t ever undo. If abortion were illegal or at least harder to obtain, many women wouldn’t be so easily talked into it. Most women who have abortions already think it’s wrong, but because it’s so accessible and they’re in such a vulnerable position, they’re often not thinking in terms of finding other options. So pro-lifers try to be out there praying and letting them know about the support that’s available to them if they choose to parent or place the baby for adoption (here in San Diego, we have pregnancy resource clinics offering clothes, parenting classes, diapers, etc, and a pro-life medical practice offering free prenatal care and up in LA we have comprehensive adoption services that include a place to live and career counseling). Pro-lifers are putting our money where our mouths are and supporting as much as we possibly can these services to actually decrease demand for abortion. Additionally, we’re supporting organizations who encourage and equip people to live chastely so that, hopefully, they’ll avoid ever being in the position to believe they “need” an abortion.

You see, “cowalker”, this demand is false and always has been. Abortion is just the patronizing answer to the condescending assertion that women are too stupid to avoid sex if not ready for babies, and too weak to handle the natural consequences of sex. Elective abortion is just that - elective.

“cowalker” makes many of the points made by those who claim to be against abortion, but still support legal abortion, the old “women will get abortions in back alleys and die” argument. Perhaps women would not be so easily talked into something they already believe is wrong if it were not so accessible, and not touted as the panacea to inequality between the sexes. Far from helping women, the myth of “safe, legal abortion” is just one more tool employed by men to use women for their own gratification.

“cowalker”, please consider this when assessing who’s really got the best interest of women at heart: those making billions of dollars taking advantage of the demand you describe, the vulnerability and fear of women, or those investing money and time into providing free services to women in the hopes of sparing their babies’ lives and sparing the mothers (and father, grandparents, siblings, relatives, etc) from the suffering caused by abortion (which is real, see abortionchagesyou.com, Silent No More, Project Rachel, etc).

Ministries to help abortionists and abortion staff come out of the abortion business has been going on for many, many years.  The Centurions, founded by ProLife Action Ministries helped many workers through spiritual, emotional and financial help.  Many workers left through that ministry along with many other ministries around the country.  Norma McCorvey, the Roe of Roe vs. Wade left the abortion business through the love and kindness of a little girl that was the daughter of a woman volunteering at the Operation Rescue office in Dallas, Texas.  There office adjoined the abortion center Norma was working at,(http://endroe.org/roebio.aspx).  There are so many abortionists that have left the grisly business of abortion through the endeavoring efforts of dedicated pro-lifers and prolife ministries.  And while I am so excited about Abbey’s ministry, I feel it is unfair to say there hasn’t been or there isn’t any ministry reaching out to abortion workers, for it simply is not true and tramples on all the hard work of many heros in the prolife movement.
We have to be very careful as Christians not to condemn other Christians, it is what the enemy so loves.

I’m glad all of you are so perfect and loving.  I heard a Pro-Life doctor speak at our church and he spoke of his past sin of killing babies in the abortion industry without shedding tears.  Maybe he’s not far enough along in the spiritual life to begin comprehending the henious evil of killing babies, of that sin.  I’m humble enough to acknowledge that I feel a little sick from the fact that he grew up Catholic and still went on to kill babies and I grew up in a sewer and still had the sense to know abortion was wrong.  Call me judgemental if you like and dismiss me. But these reactions are real and legitimate, and count too.

Naturally I support helping everyone, including former abortion clinic workers.  I had to explain that since you daily Massgoers assume badly of others and judge people at the drop of a hat.

In a similar vein, I once heard the “testimony” of a convert who had had five abortions in the past.  Honestly, I don’t want to hear about it.  People don’t want to hear about my past sins.  There are some crimes that are unspeakable except to a few trusted people in that person’s life.  I think if someone is going to disclose such personal information, I think that that should be done in particular settings, more appropriate settings like Rachel’s Vineyard or what not.  I’m all for supporting post abort women but still, I don’t think it needs to proclaimed from the rooftops.  And I don’t think I’m a ogre for thinking that way.

If some commenters on here had some more self-knowledge maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to condemn people for a lack of love and forgiveness. 

Sorry I’m angry right now, duh can you tell?

Jenny, I really see your point and feel your anger. Somethings, sinful and damaging in our past should be kept quiet, cause it seems like we want to show-off our sins. I feel like this a lot.

But, you know in this life, such an imperfect and sinful one, it is so easy to go by how we “feel” to determine how guilty or remorseful we are of our sins. Whether those abortion workers will actually shed a tear in this life is irrelevant. By this I mean, that abortion worker, like you and I, like every single person that ever existed on this earth or ever will exist- will face the seat of judgement before Our Lord and be answerable for our actions, our repentance and how we made amends. I don’t believe that because someone doesn’t suffer or atone for their sin now, doesn’t mean they won’t later.

You HAVE to have faith that GOD IS JUST. whether you advocate it from the rooftops in this life and exclaim it all you want, or if you keep it to yourself. You can’t hide your true heart from God- all is revealed to Him.

In the meantime, we have no right to act as judge and jury to each other. We don’t really know ANYONE’S true motives in life- even the ones that appear good. Having said this, if the act helps bring about a good and positive outcome, then at least support the work.

I believe that people like Abbey should be supported because it’s stopping one more person to contributing to a killing of the unborn. Mother Theresa said it so well, when she said (and I paraphrase), it starts with the ripple of one pebble. So the angry pro-lifer should really keep their mouth shut because who are they to judge. Pro-life is not an exclusive club, that adheres to a certain mould “repent or be punished”. No one is God, or should act like they are God as there is only one God- and He is Great, Merciful, Loving, and above all He is Just!

Thanks for the response.  When I said not proclaiming from the rooftops, I meant that maybe people should think twice about in what setting they are going to reveal that they were former abortion doctors or women who have had abortions.  I’m convinced that the older and wiser they become, some of these people will regret having been so open and not necessarily from pride.  I know from past experience myself, having shared too openly about past sin, though not regarding abortion in particular.  This is just a subject I wanted to explore.  Like Simcha mentioned we are converted by degrees and clearly people in the beginning of a conversion especially do have the need to talk about these things to trusted people.  I’m just advocating a little more privacy that’s all. 

Plus, I didn’t mean to claim that all former abortion doctors should be crying from contrition.  Clearly, one can have contrition and not show emotion at all.  Still, I gathered from the way in which he spoke of things, that this doctor I referred to was not far along in practicing his faith, only a few years into it.  I hope he will learn that he can do as much good in the future without mentioning in his testimony that he was a former abortionist.  Just my two cents.  If it encourages people who are in clinics then fine.  But some people are sickened by it and we are real people who care about others.

Thanks for responding Jenny. You are so right when you say some people are sickened by hearing abortion stories. Thank God our consciences have the ability to revile sin (sometimes it feels like the world has numbed it’s conscience).
I’ve been a pregnancy counsellor for over 7 years and I find when people hear other people’s stories, they get encouraged to act, change and live up to the reality of a baby, or in the case of post-abortion woman, the courage to seek healing, repentance and forgiveness.
Humans are social beings and can affect, encourage or destroy each other depending on approach.
I don’t blame you for being angry at that doctor- if his heart is in right place he will use his experience to help. And really, you cant stop people from talking. Its really up to him whether he reveals it.
I think it takes guts to reveal a sin- cause people will judge you, they will be disgusted by your actions and won’t respect you. This is something that they probably don’t deserve to be protected or shielded from cause they did the sin, and should therefore lie in the bed they made, but it is part of their journey to repentance, remorse and making amends.
If you can’t stomach the stories, don’t read them or listen to them if you can help it. That’s what I do when I can’t handle hearing stories of evil (yes the world, even the news, feels like one big gossip tabloid sometimes ie. Graphic stories of child abuse, murder etc…I don’t want to know HOW someone was murdered thank you-very-much)
God bless you for your caring, sensitive and loving heart. We need more hearts like this.

@Corita
If you are saying that stealing is against Natural Law, while missing Mass is against Church Law, you are quite right.  However, both Laws come from the same Lawgiver - Christ.  He speaks through His Church.  And the Church has made attending Mass on Sunday binding on pain of mortal sin.  Therefore, not to attend is in fact grave matter (ie 1st condition necessary for a mortal sin, see outline above). It’s not complicated at all.
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Besides. Even stealing has ‘exceptions due to circumstances’ (Universal destination of goods, and all that. Aquinas outlines cases where legitimate need trumps others’ property rights). But those rare exceptions do not stop us from stating the obvious overarching wrongness of the action.  We don’t say to people who casually mention stealing as wrong, “Well, before you condemn stealing, do remember that sometimes there are circumstances that it’s okay.  And consider people’s intentions. And really, while, well, of course it’s serious, I mean, well, it’s not really *that* serious.” If someone were to speak that way - well, we would probably think it odd. And certainly rather counterproductive as far as deterring would-be thieves. (We might even raise our eybrows knowingly, “Methinks he doth protest too much…” :))
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Similarly. Though of course there are rare exceptions to the obligation to attend Mass (being too ill to get out; caring for someone too ill to get out such that you cannot get out either; being through no fault of one’s own in a remote location with no possibility of transportation to the nearest Mass, etc), if someone focuses on those exceptions and emphatically downplays the seriousness of the obligation, it is just as odd - and most certainly counterproductive as far as deterring those who would like to ‘absent themselves from the assembly’.

Marie, I feel confident that your tenacious insistence on lecturing about the Mortal Sin of Missing Mass will have the desired effect of deterring those who are thinking ahead to plan on sleeping in next Sunday, through all available Masses, and who are also guiltily conflicted about whether or not they should.  And who happen to be reading this unrelated column.

The Lord will use our attempts to do good for His own purposes!

I only talked about it at this length because I am personally annoyed by people who say blithely, “Oh, well, I could just as easily go to Hell for missing Mass as I could murdering my neighbor in cold blood.”  It’s crap catechesis almost to the level of being untrue (by way of misleading): It is *the disposition of the soul* which condemns us.  The symptom of missing Mass or murder might be the sign of beginning or advanced spiritual decay but the disease is how we are open to God or not. Your focus on lecturing me about not giving comfort to the evil Mass-skippers is another diversion from the spiritual truth, I think.  But as I said, I only replied to the original post (by someone else) about this out of a lack of self-control.  I find that sort of thing extremely annoying because in my mind is always the soul in turmoil who needs to hear the truth, and not a lecture from a stranger.

And, ach, I always realize my point at the end, in this case after I finished and was doing the dishes: I let my annoyance at the type of comment distract me from highlighting your claim that my response was about compassion for the lazy church-go-er, when in fact it was not.  My point was that there is no theological basis for stating “Missing Mass is a mortal sin” and leaving it at that.  In fact, as I already said, it misleads because it focuses on the action rather than the disposition of the soul.  The sin is in the soul, not the action.  That was the entire point of the ministry of Jesus.  And my point in commenting was to say, if we talk in terms of action only we are *not* actually speaking the truth.

Ez, I can’t remember the point I was trying to make.  It would seem that former abortionists by their stories/testimonies might encourage others to take the same route they have and become Pro-Life.  I just find it very uncomfortable to hear from the people who did the actual killing and it seems like something that they should reveal very carefully and delicately and discreetly. 
The testimoney I heard from the poor woman who had 5 abortions is hopefully an extreme case and it was probably unfair to bring it up.  Let women talk about these things if they need to, I know that a good number of women in our culture have had abortions and I certainly don’t want to give any impression that they must be quiet about it.  I guess I was just thinking of how Dorothy Day doesn’t mention hers in her autobiography but she did live in different times.  Thanks for the little chat.

@Corita
I am sorry if I misinterpreted you and I appreciate the correction. But please don’t misinterpret me either.  My point is and has always been that missing Mass is *grave matter*.  For the difference between grave matter and mortal sin, please see the three point outline above.

Trying to find where I said you were trying to be compassionate - oh. Found it up above.  I actually said it because I was trying to be nice… :)  But fair enough, if that wasn’t your point.  I kind of agree with you as far as “the sin is not in the action but in the soul” (hence the whole three point outline!!!)but I think the statement needs to be more nuanced.  Something along the lines of “the sin is not in the action alone, but in the choice of the soul to commit that action.”  Otherwise, it sounds like we’re claiming some unnatural disconnect between body and soul.

I wonder if what strikes your ear as bad theology is simply a holdover from older language that was common prior to the latter part of the 20th century.  The distinctions between the three components of a mortal sin have always been understood and talked about, but the language used in oh, the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries was different than the language used now.
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We now talk about the difference between a “mortal sin” and “grave matter”, the second being a necessary but not sufficient component of the first.  But back in the day, those same distinctions were spoken of as “formal sin” and “material sin.”  (The first being what we would now term “mortal sin,” and the second what we would now call “grave matter”). Since both were termed “sin” the shorthand developed of calling both things “mortal sin” if they were serious, with the listener relying on context to know which the speaker was referring to.  Even now, with revised and clearer technical language, it’s pretty common to use that shorthand in everyday speech.  People say “x is a mortal sin” and all they mean is, “x is grave matter”.  It’s usually not too hard to tell from context which they mean.
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If you are willing to wade through archaic language, there’s a really excellent article on the nuances of action, circumstances, free will, and all the rest, in the Catholic Encyclopedia under “Sin.”  I’m not sure this will let me post a link… http://www DOT newadvent DOT org/cathen/14004b DOT htm
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Mentally translating into modern-speak does make the Cath. En. slower reading than other texts (but not as slow as the Summa :)), but I find it worth it.  The truth doesn’t change, even if language does and the explanations are very helpful.  You just have to figure out which old words mean which new ones. :)

I think this is why the pro-life movement is shooting itself in the foot.  With attitudes like the people who are denigrating Abby Johnson’s ministry, its no wonder the pro-life movement can’t make any headway.  I don’t think that we do enough for the women after they have chosen to have their babies.  Sure, perhaps for a few months afterward but what about a long term support system?  If they don’t have those systems, then they will go right back out and abort the next baby they conceive.  I am fervently pro-life but I don’t have any enthusiasm for the movement as a whole.  The other reason is because the pro-life movement has decided to ally themselves too much with the republican party.  So much so that pro-life rallies (especially the one in Washington DC) resemble republican party rallies.  Also, there are other issues that I think need to be on the pro-life list too but apparently if you mention war or drone attacks, there are plenty of dyed in the wool pro-lifers who will stand there and fiercely defend them.  I think we need to be pro-life in everything and that means showing love to all.  I think this is a good ministry that Abby Johnson is doing and God bless her.

I feel so extremist about the whole thing, but I’m not understanding where anyone would feel conflicted about this. I am not at all predisposed to feel compassion towards anyone who is actively participating in the abortion industry. I should not be broached with any kind of defense of an abortion related job because my response will not be kind or gentle or loving. But the very second someone wants to leave, I would do whatever was in my power to help them out of the industry. As soon as there is any desire to stop, the past is no longer important, at least in terms of my view of the individual. So Abby Johnson has my full support. We won’t win this by being faint-hearted in terms of what is right and wrong as far as abortion is concerned, but we won’t win by being hard-hearted when it comes to potential conversion either. We need everyone to see the truth however that may come about and no matter what their level of participation.

This ministry is so necessary, and I’m definitely going to support it.  In addition to being pro-life, we (this Catholic subset of the pro-life movement) are also in the business of saving souls (and by that I mean making it possible and easy in whatever way we can for others to accept the grace of God).  Removing a stumbling block from another’s way?  Sign me up.

Glory and praise to Jesus for Abby Johnson’s conversion!  This is the beginning of a marvelous work by Him, through her.  So much healing is needed for the victims of the Culture of Death.  Former abortion clinic workers, with love and support, will become the strongest voices promoting the Culture of Life.  Pro-life people need to open their minds and hearts, keep praying, and always remember that the bigger picture is His.  He ways are beyond our comprehensive and we must TRUST above all in His will.  Bless you, Abby Johnson.