SAN DIEGO — A local pro-life ministry now celebrating its 30th anniversary has helped more than 2,500 people to heal from the grief and shame of abortion.
Over the past three decades, more than 600 women have attended healing retreats offered in English by Rachel’s Hope. Approximately 1,600 women and 400 men have attended retreats given by La Esperanza de Raquel, the ministry’s Spanish-language counterpart, which is now celebrating 23 years.
Rosemary Benefield, founder and CEO of Rachel’s Hope, explained the ministry’s mission simply: “to bring healing for women and reconciliation with God, themselves and others.”
Lulu Valdivia, who for the past 18 years has directed La Esperanza de Raquel, was a participant in a Rachel’s Hope retreat in July of 2006. She credits it with “a complete change in the perspective of my life.”
About 250 people gathered Oct. 5 at Our Mother of Confidence Parish for a bilingual anniversary gala for Rachel’s Hope and La Esperanza de Raquel.
The evening included dinner, music and dancing, and talks, including testimonials from post-abortive women and a keynote address by Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano. Awards were presented to Kent Peters, retired director of the diocesan Office for Social Ministry, and Esther Miranda, who assists Valdivia with La Esperanza de Raquel, in recognition of their support.
“Rachel’s Hope is one of the important ways we can help people find healing in their lives after the painful and awful experience of an abortion or miscarriage,” said Bishop Bejarano. “It is a great beginning for a new life –– our true life –– the life that God always intended for us.”
“Don’t be a prisoner of the past. It is not a life-sentence,” the bishop urged.
Peters, who was among the gala speakers, told The Southern Cross that Rachel’s Hope typifies “the essence of Christianity, which is reconciling and bringing people into a relationship with Jesus.”
“All women, (on) some level, suffer from having an abortion,” Benefield said.
“Even if they’ve been to confession, they will feel that maybe God has forgiven them, but they can’t forgive themselves,” she said. “And so, they deal with a lot of depression.”
In addition to depression, abortion can have “all kinds of negative effects,” she said, noting that many post-abortive women are often plagued by substance abuse and bad relationships.
Rachel’s Hope offers weekend retreats for women three times a year in English, while La Esperanza de Raquel annually holds about six retreats –– four for women and two for men.
“Going into the retreat on Friday night, the women have this big, heavy cloud hanging over them,” said Benefield, reflecting on what she has seen at the English-language retreats.
“By Sunday evening, it’s the Resurrection,” she said. “They’re just set free.”
Valdivia said, “After each retreat, (I have) a sense of completeness, a sense of feeling fulfilled. … I just kneel and put my head over the floor and say (to God), ‘You did it again. Thank You.’”
After-Abortion Healing Retreat
Presented by Rachel’s Hope in English, Nov. 1 to 3, at the diocesan Pastoral Center. Cost: $60; partial scholarships available. For information, visit RachelsHope.org, call (858) 581-3022, text (858) 752-9378 or email rachels_hope@juno.com.
