Priest requests prayers for abortion practitioners

Washington D.C., Jul 5, 2006 / 22:00 pm

The national director of Priests of Life is calling on Christians to pray for the continued conversion of abortion practitioners.

According to Fr. Frank Pavone, hundreds of abortionists and their staff across the country experience repentance, conversion, and healing each year.

In a recent column, Fr. Frank Pavone wrote about the Society of Centurions, an organization for former abortion providers.

The organization is named after the centurion in the Gospel, who stood at the foot of Christ’s cross of Christ and suddenly became horrified at the crucifixion he was ordered to carry out. When Christ died, the centurion recognized Christ’s innocence, dropped his sword and had a conversion.

Fr. Pavone wrote of the pain these repentant abortion providers experience each day and their long road to healing. In attempt to make amends and to bring about reconciliation, some former abortionists try to contact every woman on whom they had ever performed an abortion and apologize to her. Others have dedicated each day to one of the children they killed. They would also name those children, write them letters, and pray a profound prayer of apology.

Fr. Pavone explained that their conversion, as determined by Dr. Philip Ney, usually comes about due to a combination of several factors, including evidence of the infant's humanity, a spiritual experience, personal distress, evidence of the mother's distress, scientific articles, being accepted as a person, a personal relationship with a pro-lifer, and pro-life pickets.

Priests for Life, which operates the world's largest abortion recovery program, Rachel's Vineyard, also assists former abortionists in their journey of healing and repentance.