The pain of regret can be crippling. But the Church offers a message of hope: nothing is beyond God’s mercy.

As we near the conclusion of the Year of Mission within the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reminded that the Eucharist is not just a celebration. It’s an invitation—to healing, to renewal, to a deeper encounter with Christ. Project Rachel embraces this mission by extending God’s love and forgiveness to those suffering from the wounds of abortion. Through prayer and sacramental grace, this ministry reminds us that no burden is too heavy for the One who gave Himself entirely for us.

Project Rachel is a confidential Catholic ministry offering hope and healing to those affected by abortion. Through spiritual counseling, advocacy and peer support, women and men experience God’s grace. Natalie felt this grace when she first learned of Project Rachel. She said that after her abortion, “Every day I would relive my abortion from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed. My life had been taken over by the idea that I didn’t deserve anything good and that anything bad that happened was punishment for what I had done.”

When she passed a Catholic church while walking one day, Natalie felt compelled to go inside. Soon after, she signed up for OCIA classes and began welcoming God into her life. A priest connected her with Project Rachel, where she now walks with mothers in difficult situations, speaks to men and women affected by abortion and shares her story with others.

“Since Project Rachel, I have experienced that God wants me,” said Natalie. “All of me—even the parts that I want to hide. Knowing that He loves me that deeply and entirely, I am in awe that He would give Himself for me, especially in the Eucharist. He allows me to receive Him into myself, even after I have committed such a terrible sin. He wants to be in it with me.”
Natalie describes Project Rachel as a place where she can share her deepest thoughts and be met with love and understanding. More than just a support group, Project Rachel is a reflection of God’s mercy, revealing His presence in every conversation.

“We all fall,” said Natalie. “[However], through the grace of God and through Him in the Eucharist, we are able to live a life of gratitude, bringing the love of God to those around us.”

Natalie continued, “I hope people see that there is no such thing as ‘too far gone.’ God desires each of us and He can and does use everything we go through to bring us closer to Him. There are people who don’t even know you, but who care about you and want to make sure you know how loved you are. Lastly, but certainly not least, there is no sin too great or grave for God. He is not scandalized by us.”

This article appeared in the April 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.