Below are excerpts. To read the full article go to National Catholic Register.
Corcoran’s experience mirrors what Kevin Burke, co-founder of Rachel’s Vineyard, says he has witnessed for decades in abortion-healing work with men. According to Burke, one of the greatest misconceptions surrounding abortion is that men are largely unaffected.
“Because men don’t undergo the physical procedure, people assume they don’t experience emotional or spiritual wounds,” he said. “But many men carry a deep sense of shame rooted in the belief that they failed to protect their child.”
That unresolved grief, he explained, often surfaces in destructive ways. When those feelings aren’t brought to “a healing process,” they can come out through “anger, addiction, pornography, gambling or broken relationships.”
Founded with his wife, Theresa Burke, Rachel’s Vineyard offers weekend retreats rooted in Scripture, therapeutic exercises and the sacraments, particularly reconciliation. While some men benefit from male-only spaces such as Project Joseph (a separate initiative developed by staff and alumni from the organization’s Dallas site), Burke noted that most retreats include both men and women.
“Abortion is a relational experience,” he said. “Its repercussions often show up in relationships. When men and women hear each other’s grief, healing can begin.”
Burke also pointed to the growing prevalence of chemical abortion, emphasizing that many abortions now take place at home with men present during the physical trauma. “There’s no distance from it,” he said. “That reality underscores the need for education and awareness, especially for young people, so abortion isn’t seen as a simple or detached experience.”