Rachel’s Vineyard, RVA, offers retreatants God’s mercy, love, grace
Richmond’s chapter of Rachel’s Vineyard, the world’s largest post-abortion healing ministry, has helped hundreds of women and men find peace after the trauma of abortion and pregnancy loss. Maggie Carlson, Matt Freeman and Marty Montgomery- Jennings – who refer to themselves as “M3” – serve as the chapter’s co-facilitators, each feeling spiritually called to its unique mission.
“I have a front-row seat of witnessing the miracle of God’s mercy and love and grace,” said Carlson, who has been with Rachel’s Vineyard for 17 years. “I am also humbled and honored to journey with each participant as their chains are broken and their hearts and souls restored.”
Along with other team members and volunteers, they dedicate themselves to helping people repair what they thought was irreparably severed: their connection to God.
Freeman explained that many who have had an abortion believe they have committed an “unforgivable sin.”
“The shame and guilt are too great for them to share their stories with anyone else; this silent suffering suffering makes the effects of abortion – guilt, shame, anger, despair – grow more and more intense, because they have no way to come to terms with these feelings,” he said. “They become trapped in a loop of self-condemnation from which there seems to be no escape.”
He added that this can result in depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, and suicidal impulses.
Support for all
Theresa Burke, who has a doctorate in counseling psychology, first introduced the idea of post-abortion healing in the 1980s.
“She realized there was such a need for it, yet no one was talking about it,” Carlson said, noting that post-abortion healing was revolutionary for the time. “It was taboo, the pain didn’t exist, it was too controversial. Healing for post-abortive men and women wasn’t readily available because it wasn’t recognized. This caused many to suffer in silence.”
Burke started a support group for women struggling after abortion and later created the Rachel’s Vineyard retreat curriculum in the 1990s. Started in Philadelphia, Rachel’s Vineyard chapters exist in more than 70 countries.
The Richmond chapter was founded by Kay Marie and Joe Geiger in 1995, who trained directly under Burke. Weekend retreats have been offered since 1997.
Originally sponsored by Church of the Epiphany, the local Rachel’s Vineyard is now sponsored by Our Lady of Lourdes, Richmond. OLL pastor Father Jonathan Goertz, who has been a strong supporter of the ministry since he was a seminarian, serves as its sponsor priest.
Rachel’s Vineyard relies heavily on a Respect Life grant from the Diocese of Richmond as well as donations collected throughout the year. A total of $21,972.87 of Respect Life funds was awarded to Rachel’s Vineyard in 2022. The ministry asks all parishes in the diocese to publish information about the program four times a year in their bulletins.
Though Burke is Catholic and the program is rooted in Christian teachings, Rachel’s Vineyard is open to people of all faiths or of no faith at all. Though a fee is usually charged to attend a retreat, Rachel’s Vineyard also offers financial assistance depending on the individual situation. No one who needs help is turned away.
“The entire program is designed to build trust and connection with God, themselves, their children, each other and the team, noted Montgomery-Jennings, who has a Master of Social Work and is a licensed therapist. “The team is a group of trained and dedicated people who truly have servants’ hearts and compassion for those who are suffering.”
Team members complete a two-year formation training program that includes a dozen meetings, extensive reading and several group activities. Richmond’s team members have helped establish other chapters across the country, and recently helped translate materials for a new chapter in Romania.
“The healing starts with the individual making the first phone call or sending the first email,” said Carlson. “This takes a tremendous amount of courage on their part. We recognize this as a huge step because it is often the first time they are surrendering to the belief that healing just might be possible. The mustard seed of hope.”
Each retreat is facilitated by multiple trained team members, a licensed professional counselor and a priest. Participants are invited but not required to pray, receive the Eucharist if they are Catholic, and attend a memorial service at the conclusion of the retreat.
“As the weekend progresses, they come to understand the truth of God’s love for them, the nature of the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit to give them the strength to face the truth of their pasts, and the hope to embrace the truth of God’s love,” said Freeman.
Continued healing
Retreats are conducted twice a year at an undisclosed location to protect attendees’ privacy. Rachel’s Vineyard takes the trust retreatants have placed in them seriously and does all they can to ensure everyone feels respected and welcomed. All attendees must adhere to a strict pledge of confidentiality, and the use of social media is not permitted.
“Once they arrive, they are surrounded with others who understand how they feel, have empathy, and with whom they are able to feel safe,” said Montgomery-Jennings.
The retreats include Living Scripture exercises that utilize guided meditation, Scripture readings and Scripture re-enactments.
One Scripture passage that is examined is the story of the woman charged with adultery and her impending punishment of being stoned to death. When Jesus challenges anyone who is free from sin to cast the first stone, the woman is not killed.
Freeman explained they begin by having attendees read the story and then meditate, imagining themselves as the condemned woman, before the re-enactment begins.
“We introduce an actual stone, the size and type that would have been used to stone people to death back then. One at a time, each participant or retreat team member holds the rock, and contemplates what it’s like to feel condemned, by themselves or by society at large,” he said. “Then, each has a chance to re-enact the exchange between Jesus and the woman. The exercise ends when all retreatants have been told they are not condemned, and to say that they condemn no one.”
The retreatants’ journeys do not end when the retreat does.
About a month later, there is a reunion with a potluck lunch and several hours of group work, followed by a free 14-week virtual online course. Retreatants are also invited to reach out anytime they need support.
Twenty-five years after Richmond’s first retreat, M3 looks to the future with hope.
“Healing is possible,” said Carlson. “God loves all his children, and he doesn’t want them to live in the darkness, secrets, unworthiness and shame. Find the courage to make the first call or send the first email… You will not regret it. “
Editor’s note: To learn more about Rachel’s Vineyard or to donate to the ministry, please visit RV4Hope.org or email [email protected].