From the time she was a child, Charlotte’s life was marked by what St. John Paul II called the “seven deadly wounds”: Rejection, abandonment, confusion, fear, shame, powerlessness, and hopelessness. 

Born to an alcoholic father and a mother full of her own unhealed trauma, Charlotte learned early to live in survival mode. 

Abuse marked her childhood and adolescence, and by the time she reached adulthood, she had come to believe pain was simply part of existence.

As a teen, Charlotte became pregnant twice, and both pregnancies ended in abortion. 

In the years that followed, her life unraveled further. 

Substance abuse, the suicide of a boyfriend, and a series of destructive relationships deepened her sense of fear and worthlessness. 

Over the course of her life, Charlotte experienced four abortions, each occurring in a context of pressure, isolation, and confusion.

Charlotte sought help — counselors, psychiatrists, medications — but the abortions were never named as part of the wound, and her grief remained. 

PTSD led to multiple suicide attempts and reinforced her belief that she was beyond repair.

A search for healing

For years, Charlotte faithfully prayed for her children, both living and lost. But she never prayed for herself. She didn’t feel worthy. 

Fortunately, the Holy Spirit was at work behind the scenes.

Charlotte met the man who would become her husband. As their relationship deepened, she decided to convert to Catholicism and enrolled in Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). 

“I felt like I wasn’t good enough, but my OCIA teacher was ready for me,” she said. 

“I believe the Holy Spirit put her there to help me.”

As she prepared for marriage in the Church, Charlotte met with a priest and eventually shared her past. 

While she expected to be judged and shamed, she found mercy and forgiveness instead. 

The priest also shared something that changed Charlotte’s life: a photo of a radiant woman.

This woman, the priest explained, had been in the same place that Charlotte had, with a history of abortions and the sense she was beyond forgiveness. 

What changed her life? A Rachel’s Vineyard (RV) Retreat.

The retreat

Charlotte longed to have that radiant happiness and decided to try a retreat. But getting there wasn’t easy. 

“The evil one attacked me relentlessly; all those awful feelings and symptoms overcame me,” she remembered. 

Yet, she went.

Jesus was patiently at Charlotte’s side throughout the weekend, guiding her to the Father, while the Holy Spirit filled her with love and peace. 

“We all walked in with holes in our hearts that the Holy Spirit filled with the love of Jesus,” shared Charlotte. 

“We all witnessed divine intervention. RV is so infused with the Holy Spirit, even my hardened heart couldn’t escape the works of God.”

Healing continues

Today, Charlotte’s life isn’t perfect, but it is free. 

She speaks to God throughout her day. She leans on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. She no longer believes healing is something she must earn.

For those who carry abortion in their past, her message is simple and brave: The wound is real, and it cannot be healed alone. God already knows your sins — and still calls you by name. 

Your fear may be the sign that the Holy Spirit is inviting you to begin again.

And for those who don’t share this experience, she offers a gentle challenge: Every sin has a wound beneath it. 

Healing begins not with comparison or judgment, but with compassion. 

The Holy Spirit does not measure brokenness. He restores hearts.

Charlotte’s story is not ultimately about what she has done, but about what the Holy Spirit has done in her. And what He is still doing.

The Diocese of Madison can offer Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats and other resources related to human life and dignity thanks to your generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal. 

Your gift helps bring healing to those suffering the effects of abortion and helps build up a culture of life here in our diocese.