On November 18, 1920, the USSR became the first country in the world to legalize abortion on request. According to Johnston’s Archive, more than 260 million abortions were performed during the 70 years of Soviet rule. The widespread legality and accessibility of the procedure contributed to the emergence of a so-called “abortion culture” within society.
By Sr. Wiera (Elena) Isachenko, SMCB
“In the Soviet era,” explains psychologist Irina Maltseva, “abortion was considered a routine procedure. It has a destructive impact on the entire family, leading to psychological issues, emotional detachment, and even violence. That is why I believe that today, across the post-Soviet world, nearly every person is affected—directly or indirectly—by the consequences of post-abortion trauma.”
The consequences of abortion began to enter public discussion in Russia in the late 1990s. However, the conversation was largely confined to religious and psychological circles.
Nearly two decades later, the first legislative measures appeared. For example, in 2011, a mandatory “week of silence” was introduced—a mandatory waiting period before an abortion, intended to give women a chance to reconsider their decision.
Spiritual healing from the trauma
Since the early 2000s, various Catholic communities have sought to host “Rachel’s Vineyard” retreats. This path of spiritual healing from the trauma of abortion—through deeply personal grieving and the experience of God’s mercy in a supportive environment—was developed by American psychologist Theresa Burke.
In Russia and Kazakhstan, the program has flourished thanks to the combined efforts of clergy and laypeople who have chosen the protection of life as their life’s calling.
The Rachel’s Vineyard team in Vladivostok (Sr. Stella in the center). Photo: CJD Archive
“I Promise to Protect Life”
For Irina Maltseva, the path to pro-life ministry began with a seminar led by psychologist Andrzej Winkler at a cathedral in Moscow.
“I didn’t have the money to participate,” she recalls. “When I called the vicar and explained my situation, he said: ‘Promise me that you will dedicate yourself to protecting life.’ And I promised.”
Lay people and clergy, together
In 2018, Irina participated in a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat that had been reestablished in the Russian Far East by Sr. M. Stella Witter, CJD. Their meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative effort between laity and clergy who recognized the defense of life as their true vocation. Today, six teams are active across Russia and Kazakhstan.
“Monasteries and parish houses became the venues for ‘Rachel’s Vineyard’ in these countries,” says Sr. Stella. “This solved many logistical issues. The sisters know the parishioners and their life stories well. They invite people to the retreats and provide spiritual support.”
Support in prayer
“Each of us is a professional in some way,” notes Sr. Anna Zakharova, FMM, a team member in Saint Petersburg.
“In our team, laywoman Natalya Proskurina is the counseling psychologist. She often tells me that what is expected from the sisters, first and foremost, is prayer.” The Carmelite monasteries serve as a special prayer stronghold for the members of Rachel’s Vineyard.
“We always know when a retreat is happening in Russia or Kazakhstan,” says Sr. M. Ida Khan, OCD, “and we support them in prayer. In our community, three sisters have participated in the program; for us, it has been a unique and profound experience.”
Sr. Ida, OCD: “For us, Rachel’s Vineyard is not simply spiritual exercises, but a time of true battle for souls.” Photo: OCD Usolye-Sibirskoye Archive.
“How deeply we all need healing”
The journey toward appreciating each other’s roles was not always easy. “I came to the Vineyard with my own pain, my own abortions,” says Viktoria Ilyinskaya, a volunteer from Karaganda, Kazakhstan.
“There were a priest and sisters in my group. I rebelled: why are they here? It’s not like they’ve had abortions. But as I lived through my pain alongside everyone else and saw the tears of others, I realized how deeply we all need healing.”
Each team member speaks of this shared experience as participation in the suffering Body of Christ.
Tears finally allowed to fall
The work of these teams extends far beyond the retreats themselves. They have initiated new spiritual traditions dedicated to protecting life: the spiritual adoption of unborn children, Lenten Way of the Cross prayers for the unborn, and all-night vigils held on the anniversary of abortion legalization.
“For many,” Irina Maltseva testifies, “these forms of prayer become the tears they are finally allowed to shed. After an abortion, a silence often settles over a family. I still remember a man who approached me during a Vineyard retreat and said, ‘I feel such pain. My heart is about to burst. What is happening to me?’ I told him: ‘This is the pain for the children lost to abortion, a pain you never permitted yourself to feel.’ He was attending the retreat with his wife. On the third day, for the first time during the spiritual exercises, he sat beside her and held her hand. They wept together. Those tears transformed their lives.”
Overcoming the “abortion culture”
According to data from the Ministries of Health of both Russia and Kazakhstan, the number of abortions has decreased over the past few years.
However, overcoming the “abortion culture” is a long journey—one that laypeople and clergy must continue to walk hand in hand.
Rachel’s Vineyard leaders and volunteers in Kazakhstan (center: Irina Maltseva). Photo: SMCB Archive.
