[1][2][3] Rachel's Vineyard is funded by Priests for Life[4] and has a broadly Roman Catholic ethos with a Catholic Mass celebrated as an integral part of the retreat, but also runs non-denominational retreats for non-Catholics.
[5][6][7] In 1996, Theresa Karminski Burke started one of the first therapeutic support groups for women who had had abortions.
Burke's Rachel's Vineyard: A Psychological and Spiritual Journey for Post Abortion Healing (written with Barbara Cullen) was published in 1994 as a support group model for counselors helping women with post abortion grief.
In 2003, Rachel’s Vineyard was reorganised and became a ministry of Priests for Life, with Frank Pavone as the Pastoral Director.
[9] A retreat is generally designed for about a dozen clients and a priest and a licensed therapist are typically present.