Alton and Juliana Davis chose Sunday, May 17th, the day that President Obama was honored at Notre Dame University, to make a public revelation of their own failure to follow Church teaching on contraception early in their marriage and to acknowledge the probability that they had aborted their first children through so-called "silent abortions," because of their use of artificial contraception.
The Davis's are co-founders of an apostolate called The Leaven, whose purpose is to defend the Catholic Church's teaching on the value of human life, and to support and promote Natural Family Planning in Nebraska by promulgation of the Church's encyclical on the sacredness of life and sexuality, Humanae Vitae.
"Today, May 17, 2009, is the day I decided to come out about my so-called 'silent' abortions caused by artificial contraception," said Juliana in a press release.
"I had abortions that I never realized I had until I learned how several methods of birth control I used in the early 70's worked; that is, they caused the tiny babies (embryos) growing within my womb to abort without my knowing it because they were unable to implant in my uterine wall."
"This is my first public acknowledgement of my abortions by contraception, and of course, it is embarrassing to reveal past sins publicly," Juliana said. "God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself, but now I think I must let other women know, especially young women, that many forms of birth control, such as Plan B emergency contraception RU-486 as well as the Pill cause early abortion that has damaging psychological side effects as real as any surgical abortion."
In her personal testimony about her journey to the truth about contraception, Juliana says, "In June of 1987, we began an apostolate called The Leaven, which we felt the Lord had asked us to name it, to honor those who honor Him by accepting the teachings of the Church in Humanae Vitae. We thought we would do family retreats to help others understand how wonderful marriage could be, as we had found it to be once we knew and accepted the truth.
"Humanae Vitae is a prophetic document," Alton Davis added, "and its truth is not only for Catholics, but for all people for all time."
"As I began reflecting on my personal story," Juliana continued. "I also began to allow into my consciousness the "funny period" that I had back in the mid '70's. I began to face that I have probably had an abortion, and my impression is that she was our first daughter, that we had actually had the six children that we hoped for when we married. It has begun to dawn on me that my story is going to include that I have had a so-called silent abortion (another lie of contraception: no abortion is silent!)."
"Contraception hurts women," Juliana concludes, "but our God is a healing Father who forgives and gives the living water of new life as we become able to receive it."
Juliana is also the Nebraska Regional Coordinator for the internationally known Silent No More Awareness Campaign, a project of Priests for Life and Anglicans for Life which promotes public awareness of the devastation abortion brings to women and men. The campaign seeks to expose and heal the secrecy and silence surrounding the emotional and physical pain of abortion.
Link: Silent No More Awareness Campaign
Contact: Thaddeus M. Baklinski
Source: May 20, 2009
Publish Date: LifeSiteNews.com
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