From Silence to Strength: My Journey Through Abortion, Healing, and Mercy

By Elizabeth Sutcliffe

For years, I lived with a secret I never thought I’d share.

The day I had an abortion in 2001 seemed like the end of a crisis—but it was only the beginning of a silent battle I fought within myself for years. What follows is the story I once vowed to keep hidden. Now, I share it so others know they are not alone, healing is possible, and God’s mercy is real.

A Childhood Rooted in Faith

I was born to Portuguese immigrant parents and raised in a devout Catholic home with a deep love for Our Lady of Fatima. As a teenager, I proudly held the title of Miss Osoyoos, representing my community across Western Canada and learning the art of public speaking through Toastmasters.

But beneath the surface of that polished exterior were wounds I didn’t yet understand.

The Wound I Tried to Bury

In 2001, I made the painful decision to have an abortion. The emotional, physical, and spiritual aftermath of that day haunted me for years. I tried to carry on with life, burying the truth, but the weight of regret was relentless. I thought I had forfeited my voice forever.

A Seed of Healing

It was at a work conference in Orlando that I first found the courage to share my story—with a woman named Jan who reminded me of Jesus’ love and mercy. That moment planted a seed of healing that eventually led me back to the Church, the sacraments, and my identity as a beloved daughter of God.

I named my daughter Grace, and I often say she was the one who led me home.

A Calling is Born

I walked into Abbotsford Right to Life in search of healing—and walked out with a calling. This was the beginning of my professional pro-life career.

I joined a small, dedicated team during a time of transformation. Together, we rebranded the organization into what is now known as Advokate Life & Education Services, which has since become Canada’s largest pro-life organization. I was hired specifically to help launch their new pregnancy care ministry—and that seed grew into the Hope for Women Crisis Pregnancy Centre, which now has three locations across British Columbia and is working toward expanding to more in the province.

Serving the Front Lines

As Client Care Manager, I was entrusted with building the foundation of client services. I trained and supervised volunteers, developed intake and support protocols, and offered compassionate, Christ-centered care to women in crisis. I provided post-abortion counseling, helped lead school presentations, and trained others to offer truth with compassion to those facing life-altering decisions.

Speaking Out Through Silent No More

Through the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, I began sharing my story publicly. I’ve spoken in classrooms, churches, university campuses, women’s retreats, and at national pro-life conferences—always with the goal of replacing silence with healing, and shame with mercy.

Each time I speak, I carry with me not only my own story, but the stories of the women I’ve served.

Ministry in the Okanagan

Even after relocating to the Okanagan in 2018, I remained a voice for life and healing—witnessing outside hospitals with my “I Regret My Abortion” sign and staying connected to the ministry through prayer and personal outreach.

In 2024, I returned to Advokate as a board member, helping to shape the direction of the ministry at a leadership level.

A Mission That Continues

I now travel across Canada and the U.S. as a Catholic Speaker, Post-Abortive Advocate, and Pro-Life Educator, offering talks and workshops rooted in personal testimony, frontline experience, and the unshakable truth of God’s mercy.

This isn’t just my story—it’s my mission.

A Spiritual Battle

My ministry has taught me that abortion is not just a social issue—it’s a spiritual battle. I’ve experienced firsthand how the enemy attacks women, families, friendships, and identity. During my most difficult seasons, God fought for me.

Through confession, the Eucharist, Divine Mercy, and the Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots, I found restoration in my marriage, in my motherhood, and in my mission.

Where I Am Today

I now live in the Okanagan Valley with my husband and have two adult children. I serve on the board of Advokate Life & Education Services and have returned full-time to my ministry as a speaker and advocate.

My heart’s desire is to reach those still hurting, to equip others to speak for life, and to glorify the One who made beauty from ashes.

Invite Me to Speak

If you’re looking for a speaker who blends raw honesty with deep compassion—and who can help your audience understand both the reality of abortion and the hope of healing—I would be honored to serve your mission.

👉 Click here to view my Speaker One-Sheet

📧 Contact: info@elizabethspeakstruth.com

We’ve Had 50 Years to Fight Abortion in Canada. Maybe It’s Time We Change Tactics


Young people carry the banner of Canada’s National March for Life through Ottawa on May 11. Photo by Jake Wright

By Elizabeth Sutcliffe

It has now been over 50 years since abortion became legal in Canada. A generation and a half has grown up under a system where preborn children have no legal protection, and where abortion is funded, normalized, and often unchallenged.

We’ve marched. We’ve prayed. We’ve legislated. We’ve picketed. And we’ve saved lives, praise God. But with every passing year, the mountain only seems to grow steeper, and the culture more entrenched.

If we’re honest, our movement has plateaued. Not for lack of passion, truth, or effort—but perhaps because we’ve been fighting with natural tools against a supernatural evil.

Abortion is not just a political issue or a personal tragedy. It is a spiritual battle, a direct assault on life, identity, and the image of God. And it is time we begin fighting it like one.

Grace Must Lead the Way

The most powerful force on earth is sanctifying grace. It is what makes the Church a beacon in the darkness. Yet, many pro-life organizations operate without it, not out of malice, but by omission.

When we forget the sacraments, when we ignore the spiritual dimensions of abortion, we risk becoming just another social movement. But we are more than that. We are a prophetic voice—a Church commissioned to proclaim the Gospel of Life, not just protect it legally.

We don’t just need more strategy. We need more sanctity.

Why Post-Abortive Voices Matter Now More Than Ever

I speak as someone who once chose abortion. I also speak as someone who found healing through the mercy of Christ and His Church.

There are countless women like me in our pews, in our schools, and on our sidewalks. Wounded, silenced, afraid to speak up for life because they believe their past disqualifies them.

The truth is post-abortive voices carry a rare authority. We can expose the lie because we once believed it. We can reach the broken because we were them. And when we speak from a place of healing and grace, we disarm the enemy in a way arguments never could.

The future of the pro-life movement depends on restoring these voices to the front lines not in shame, but in redemption.

A Call to Return

We need a renewed focus on spiritual preparation: confession, Eucharistic adoration, intercessory prayer, and deliverance. We need to call our leaders, speakers, and sidewalk teams to be in a state of grace. And we need to stop being afraid of sounding “too Catholic” in a culture that desperately needs the fullness of truth.

This is not about abandoning politics or public witness. It’s about reclaiming our identity and fighting with the weapons that heaven has given us.

God has already won the war. But He is asking us to show up for the battle.

It’s time we do on our knees!