The next retreats are
About Rachel’s Vineyard
April 9 - 11, 2010
and November 19-21, 2010
The mission of Rachel’s Vineyard is to provide a haven where men and women can come in order to heal from the traumatic wound of abortion. Because abortion is often kept secret, these men and women may have never explored its effect or resolved the grief, sorrow and anger than can follow abortion. Rachel’s Vineyard is provided in a weekend retreat format. The retreat process is first and foremost a journey of faith. Rachel’s Vineyard is rooted in the Lord Jesus Christ.
History of Rachel’s Vineyard
The curriculum was created by Theresa Burke, Ph.D., along with Barbara Cullen, in 1993. Initially intended as the basis of weekly support groups, the program was first offered by Theresa as a weekend retreat in the Philadelphia area in 1995. Two years later, a post-abortion support group in Kansas heard of it and invited Theresa to visit and train their ministry team. The Rachel’s Vineyard Manual was published in 2000 so that other local groups could start offering the retreat.
Currently, Rachel’s Vineyard ministry teams are offering retreats in forty-five states, and in Australia, Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Portugal. The retreat manual has been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. French, Dutch and Japanese translations are forthcoming. The retreats, on a local level, are offered by different supporting organizations, including Project Rachel offices, churches, crisis pregnancy centers, Rosary circles, independent post-abortion ministries, diocesan Respect Life offices, and Catholic Charities.
On the weekend
The primary emphasis on the weekend retreat is entering and moving through the process of grief, recognizing and dealing with anger, mourning the lost child, renewing a spiritual life through the Living Scripture exercises and developing a spiritual relationship with the aborted children. The meditations and rituals will reveal God’s compassion and forgiveness and invite repentance and reconciliation.
Those who are willing to journey through their grief will experience the power of resurrection in their own lives. They will find meaning in what has happened and allow God to transform the experience into something that gives hope, liberation and peace.
Comments from retreat participants
“At the end of the retreat, I felt RELIEF AND HOPE! Release from the feeling of terrible unworthiness and hopelessness. It was incredible to see that so many others felt the same way and gathered their courage to come on the retreat.”
“My impression was wonderful and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to experience this journey with other women in the same situation. I don’t feel alone or unworthy anymore. I found sharing our stories and also meditating on our feelings was a beautiful way of releasing my guilt and sadness. I feel that I have let go of so much anger.”
“It was a very intense and powerful weekend. A lot was accomplished. I was amazed at the sense of support felt. For the first time, it was okay to talk about what happened and know that everyone has experienced the same feelings. The Living Scriptures are very helpful to restore peace. It enables us to face fears and overcome them, allows us a period of rightful grief, mourning and presents a new starting point for living guilt-free.”
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A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping. Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because her children are no more. This is what the Lord says: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears. There is hope for your future, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 31:15-16 |