Reclaiming Fatherhood

Last week marked the second annual Reclaiming Fatherhood Conference hosted by the Knights of Columbus in Chicago, IL. It was a wonderful time of learning more about how abortion affects fathers, how men process grief, and how word is spreading that abortion hurts so many.... Following is a quote from the Men and Abortion web site explaining the reason for and scope of such a conference:

The impact of an abortion experience on men is unrecognized by many. Men are hidden partners in every abortion decision. More than 40 million abortions have occurred in the U.S. alone since abortion was legalized here. Worldwide the estimates are that more than 43 million abortions occur in a year. In every abortion decision there is a male involved in some way. The man's role or lack of role in the decision can create a stream of consequences that may accompany the man through the rest of his life. Because men are told they have no say in the abortion decision--that it is about a woman and her choice--they later struggle with the questions they pose to themselves and the emotions they feel. Men often say "I don't feel entitled to my grief. It was her choice. Why do I feel so badly?" More men are recognizing that abortion was a life changing event for them. The difficulty for the man who wants to process the experience, is that there are few resources available to him. Mental health professionals have not recognized that an abortion loss may be a significant event in the life of a man. Addiction counselors, grief facilitators and clergy may not recognize the unresolved grief of an abortion experience that may have occurred many years ago. We are not sensitized to the ways that a hidden loss may play itself out in the lives of those who experience it.

This conference is designed to bring to the forefront what is known about how pregnancy may impact the male partner, the various roles a male can play in an abortion decision, and the implications of reproductive technology as it pertains to fatherhood.

Vicki Thorn of NORPAH is the person spearheading these conferences. Vicki has been involved in abortion recovery for almost three decades and is one of the true pioneers -- along with a number of the other speakers at this conference -- where the abortion wound and subsequent methods of healing are concerned. Other speakers at this conference included: Dr. Vincent Rue, Dr. Catherine Coyle, Greg Hasek, MA/MFT LPC, Tom Golden, LCSW, and Reverend Martin Pable, Ph.D.

It's been a long road, and will be a longer one still, but the truth is being spoken, eyes are being opened, and our world is beginning to learn of the countless numbers of people wounded by abortion. Please keep these speakers and organizations in your prayers. They are on the front lines and the battle is heating up. Visit their web sites, be informed about the work they are doing, and send them notes of encouragement from time to time. They are committed to helping fathers reclaim their fatherhood and their position of leadership in families, our society and our world.

For more information, contact Vicki Thorn.

Godspeed, Vicki -- and to all involved in this awesome work!