Pope Leo XIV’s quiet words to a post-abortive woman continue to echo in a Church seeking to heal and evangelize.

While Pope Leo XIV (formerly Bishop Robert Prevost) was born in Chicago, he spent much of his priestly ministry serving in Peru and is a naturalized Peruvian citizen.

In 2019 our Peruvian Rachel’s Vineyard team met with then-Msgr. Prevost to ask for his blessing and support of their new Rachel’s Vineyard (El Viñedo de Raquel) site in the Archdiocese of Lima.

Upon the election of Pope Leo, a Peruvian woman shared a beautiful reflection on her encounter with then-Bishop Prevost. Her message speaks powerfully to a connection between those who have experienced abortion healing in the Church and the New Evangelization — the call for Catholics to share the Gospel with those who may have drifted away, or feel alienated from the faith:

Today I want to share a moment that has deeply marked my soul.

I went to ask for permission and blessing for the realization of the El Viñedo de Raquel Retreat, a profoundly healing experience for women and men who carry in their hearts the silenced pain of abortion. A retreat that does not judge, but embraces. That does not condemn, but accompanies. That does not point, but heals.

Because there are wounds so intimate, so invisible, that only the infinite love of God can touch, reconcile and transform.

I was welcomed by a man of God — American and Peruvian, like me — with a life dedicated to evangelization and an admirable clarity about the spiritual and human order. His words stuck with me like a compass:

‘Whatever you do, may God always be the center. Respect the order of love. And never stray from the truth.’

Today, more than ever, I understand that Holy Orders protects us, that true love redeems, and that truth — even if it hurts — always sets us free.

I left that encounter with a peaceful soul, a grateful heart and a renewed strength to serve. Yes, I’m coming home. To my vocation. To my mission. To that inner flame that was never extinguished: to serve, to accompany, to evangelize.

Thank you, Lord, for once again confirming the path.

God bless our Pope Leo XIV.

This reflection reveals the truth that bringing the healing light of Christ and his Church to dark, intimate wounds like abortion and abuse, creates a fertile soil for the New Evangelization. Over time, this healing yields a rich harvest for local Church ministry.

Emma Boe, a former Rachel’s Vineyard coordinator for a Florida diocese, shared, “One of the wonderful fruits of abortion healing that I have seen is the large number of our alumni who respond to a call to serve in their churches as catechists, pro-life volunteers, lectors, homeless shelter workers and abortion healing outreach.”

On behalf of the many volunteers, clergy and religious laboring throughout the world in Rachel’s Vineyard, we share our deepest appreciation for Pope Leo’s blessing on those who need healing after abortion and those in the Church who minister to them. Pope Leo, be assured of our continued support and prayers as you begin this new chapter in your priestly vocation, as the successor of St. Peter.

Theresa Burke, Ph.D., and Kevin Burke, MSS, are pastoral associates of Priests for Life and co-founders of Rachel’s Vineyard.