Your CSAF Dollars at Work
Rachel’s Vineyard Twin Cities

 
The Most Reverend Andrew H. Cozzens, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

“Many women and men carry the wounds and scars of an abortion from their past. God’s desire for them is that they would know his merciful love and healing. Rachel’s Vineyard retreats offer women and men a safe, confidential, and powerful opportunity to receive the healing love of Christ into the painful experiences of their past. Rachel’s Vineyard Twin Cities makes present the compassion of Christ to all who come at whatever stage they find themselves in processing their past. This apostolate performs an essential role of the Church’s pro-life, pro-woman, care for those who have been wounded by abortion.”

 
Susanne, Rachel's Vineyard Twin Cities Retreat Participant

“When I came to Rachel’s Vineyard, I arrived with a 'silver bullet' in my heart. The 'silver bullet' contained all my grief and pain that I had carried since my abortion. Until I encountered the Divine Healer at Rachel’s Vineyard, I did not even know what the 'silver bullet' contained, and for sure I was not convinced that it could ever be removed. 
 
"During the retreat, I encountered God’s infinite love and mercy for me. Each step of the way during the retreat, I felt like I was a little rubber-band in our Lord’s hands. He was stretching me to the max with each exercise—I felt at times that I was going to break and give up due to the intensity of it all. But I never did. Our Lord knew exactly how far He could stretch me and I am so glad that I stuck with Him.
 
"When the 'silver bullet' was finally removed, I saw for the first time the biggest piece that I was carrying around within the 'silver bullet'. Until this moment, I did not realize that my biggest pain was that I had never asked my aborted baby for forgiveness. I never asked him to forgive me for not letting him experience his first birthday, his first day of school, graduation, wedding day, first child, etc. But most of all, that he never got to experience my loving arms holding him and comforting him. 
 
"For the first time in my life, Rachel’s Vineyard gave me the beautiful gift of healing and the opportunity to ask for forgiveness. And most of all, Rachel’s Vineyard gave me the gift of encountering God’s infinite love and mercy at a much deeper level that I had not thought was possible!”

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Rachel’s Vineyard Twin Cities

Rachel’s Vineyard Twin Cities (RVTC) was established in 1999 and became its own 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2010. RVTC offers the Catholic version of Rachel’s Vineyard retreats where women and men of all faiths are welcome to attend.

There are 12 team members that take turns serving on the retreat weekends. These members come from a variety of backgrounds, ages, and experiences. They are teachers, lawyers, corporate employees, nurses, administrative assistants, and business owners. Some are married, some single, some have children and grandchildren, some have just pets.

A RVTC weekend retreat team consists of 1-2 priests, a licensed professional counselor, a site leader, and 2-3 team members. Their priests and counselors are very gentle and compassionate with a lot of experience in healing ministries.

Since the first retreat in November of 1999, RVTC has offered more than 48 retreats in the Twin Cities area, served 515+ women and men, and have remembered over 890 babies at their memorial services. Team members of RVTC are passionate about its mission and the retreats, knowing from personal experience that this healing process works.

2018 CSAF Goal Amount: $26,875