A Consistent Ethic for Life – Te Kahu-O-Te-Ora

  Abortion: protecting life Dr Joseph and Cushla Hassan When trying to understand why we have so many abortions in New Zealand we find reflecting on our own faults and…

 

Abortion: protecting life

Dr Joseph and Cushla Hassan

When trying to understand why we have so many abortions in New Zealand we find reflecting on our own faults and failings is a good starting point.
In Nelson we have set up a free general-practice-based Crisis Pregnancy Support Service – Hapai Taumaha Hapūtanga.

Women come to us with unplanned pregnancies and we allow them time and space to recover from their initial shock and explore how they might continue their pregnancy with support.

Our service is staffed by volunteer health professionals who also co-ordinate with other services to offer comprehensive care to women. We receive help from volunteers in the community who provide meals, accommodation, driving lessons and similar services to women.

Many choose to continue their pregnancy with this support and health professionals increasingly refer women to us.

Sadly, in New Zealand, many women feel they have no option but to have an abortion.

What can we do to better support these women?

We need to learn how to offer hope and become a community of love for our women and children so that abortion need not be an option.

Why do so many choose abortion? From our experience many do not actually make a free ‘choice’ and many have unwanted abortions.

Many are suffering private anguish and dilemmas, too afraid to seek support. These sufferings are hidden in our community.

The problems are often societal and the best solutions will often come from the community.
In most cases women would choose to continue their pregnancy if given more options and offered support. There are many in the community prepared to help.

However, unexpected pregnancy is seen as a medical issue with abortion being the main solution offered. We can offer hope in many ways and help reduce abortion.

We are blessed with rich resources in the Holy Scriptures, the Sacraments and Church teaching on sexuality, marriage and family, which offer great wisdom and ‘life to the full’. We give our families a wonderful life-giving gift when we bring them up in these teachings.

There are many agencies offering excellent support to women facing unplanned pregnancy. These include St Vincent De Paul, Pregnancy Counselling Services, Pregnancy Help, House of Grace, Hope House, Family Life International, Crisis Pregnancy Support, Greenstone Door, Voice for Life, Focus on the Family and others.

Getting involved in volunteering help or providing resources is a good way to live out our belief in the sanctity of life.

The Church community also has an important role to play in helping those affected by abortion to access healing. As health professionals we have come to understand more the impact abortion can have on women, their partners and their extended family.

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats and the Post Abortion Trauma Healing Service (PATHS) both have a growing role in offering healing for all people a
ffected by abortion.

Our parishes also have a role in ensuring support for those who have suffered trauma, offering them help to find hope and healing through Christ. Visit
www.crisispregnancysupport.co.nz to find out more about our service.

Dr Joseph and Cushla Hassan established and work as health professionals at Crisis Pregnancy Support – Hapai Taumaha Hapūtanga, Nelson.