Congratulations to Conor and Madeleine, Felicity and Great Uncle Bulgaria

Congratulations to Good Counsel Staff Member Conor Carroll and his wife Madeleine

on the birth of their baby Felicity on Wednesday 30th March.

And to Stuart who is now a Great Uncle even if he's not Bulgarian.

The Anunciation

Have a

Blessed Feast

of the

Annunciation

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto. (Ave Maria)
Ecce ancilla Domini.
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. (Ave Maria)

Et Verbum caro factum est.
Et habitavit in nobis. (Ave Maria)
Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. (Oremus)

Gratiam tuam, quaesumus Domine, mentibus nostris infunde: ut qui, Angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem ejus et crucem ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Chile Protects the Unborn, And the Spanish Bishops Promote Sanctity of Vulnerable Life at All Stages

Need some good news about life for the Feast of the Anunciation? Have a look at what a Government who protects life and a group of Bishops who respect the Church's teaching on life can do to encourage people to respect life.


Have a look at these beautiful adverts produced by the Chilean Government, as seen over at Monstrous Regiment of Women. That's not just Chile, it's really cool!





And if that doesn't cheer you up, have a look at this video, made by the Spanish Bishops. Further proof that there's nothing like a bit of persecution to make you a real Catholic, or a real Catholic bishop for that matter!





God bless you and your families on this Feast.





Good Counsel

Five-fold Increase in Women Coming to Good Counsel - Help Us Feed and House Mothers and Babies Today

Babies - they and their mums are what it's all about.

It is always a great blessing to be busy in our work. The more women we see, the more women we can offer alternative options and support, and the more of them we can pray for - hopefully resulting in more women keeping their babies.
Through various initiatives to spread our work, we have recently had a more than five-fold increase in the women that we are seeing. And almost all of them are coming to us set on abortion.
This has meant a great increase in the number of women who have chosen life for their children.
What we have not had however is a five-fold increase in the financial support we receive. Nor even a two-fold increase. So I am writing this to ask you to put your hand in your pockets to help us out at his time. We urgently need some lenten sacrificial giving or the weekly vouchers we send out to Mothers who are not entitled to any other support will be threatened by our lack of funds. Our resources are depleting rapidly and yet 23 women are currently dependent on us for food each week and 9 of these are being housed by us.
Many of them will only need our help for about 1 year, before going back to independence, but in their hour of need we cannot let them down.
There are several options for donating which you can see here.
If you can help, please do and please pass this message on to your friends by sending them a link.
We always need your prayers for expectant mums under pressure, especially Ann, Una and Alana.
And lastly if you can help with donations of baby goods please click here to see what we need:
http://www.goodcounselnet.co.uk/Donating-Baby-Items.html and phone us on 02077231740 or email us at info@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk to arrange collection or a time for you to drop it off.

Clare McCullough

Annunciation Pilgrimage to Walsingham

Leeds People For Life annual Pilgrimage to Walsingham, Friday 25th March. Patronal Feast of the Shrine and the start of 950th Anniversary celebration. Non-Leeds Pro-Lifers welcome

PROGRAMME

6-7am Depart Leeds. Joyful and Luminous Mysteries on coach

11-11.45am Confessions (chapel of Reconciliation)

12noon Angelus and Holy Mass

1.30pm Lunch

2pm Eucharistic Adoration

3pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction

3.15pm Holy Mile Walk-Sorrowful Mysteries

4pm Stations of Cross in Church of Annunciation or optional visit to Priory grounds.

5pm Depart for home (stop en route for refreshments)

Coach £15 concessions for children , students and families

Pick-up points:- 6am St Marys Horsforth; 6.15 Leeds Playhouse; 6.20 St Augustines; 6.35 St Theresa’s Crossgates

Possibly Heckmondwike or Wakefield 7am

TEL 01132582745. Mob 07747698553. Email: patriciamarysammon@btinternet.com

Priests invited to lead the Pilgrimage, our 18th Annunciation pilgrimage of Reparation.

Stuart McCullough

Saint Margaret Clitherow on Television

The remarkable story of the life and death of Saint Margaret Clitherow, English Catholic Martyr, who was executed for hiding hunted Catholic Priests during the reign of Elizabeth I. A Patron Saint of Good Counsel, because it is believed that she was pregnant when she was put to death. This hour long documentry will be shown on EWTN (sky 589 or online) on Monday 21st March at 3pm, Wednesday 23rd March 8am or Thursday 24th March at 8pm.

Stuart McCullough

Irish Catholicism, A Blessing and A Firm Anchor

A St Patrick's Day blog.


My parents Rita and Stan McCarrick.

Current propaganda would have us believe that life in 1930’s Ireland was a bit of hell on earth, and that this was all the fault of the Catholic Church. Yet some who grew up at that time lived a different experience.
My father was born in Sligo, Ireland in 1918. He was the most well educated person I have ever met. He attended the National School until his early teens when he got a scholarship to St Nathy’s College in Roscommon. He was a smart fella. One of his younger schoolmates from his early schooldays remembers that after he left the National School, the teacher there used to tell stories about how he used to get my father to point out the major towns and rivers of various countries on a map with a stick – not so brilliant a trick except that he was doing it behind his back!
At college he learnt Latin and Greek in addition to his English and Gaelic, like everyone else, and had to write compositions in all four languages. He once won an all-Ireland essay competition, for a composition entitled “The Press and Catholic Action”. Unfortunately he didn’t keep a copy of the prize-winning essay, so when he was asked to produce a copy by his teacher sometime later, he had to write it again from scratch! But he was delighted with the “Guinea’s worth of books” that he won in any case.
He didn’t enjoy his time at college. The reason for this was that he was blisteringly poor and couldn’t afford a trip to the cinema, the shop or any of the other things boarders pass their terms with, and he frequently had shoes with huge holes in the soles or worn out clothes to live with. But for the rest of his life he referred back to that college as a perfect environment, where boys were brought up to behave honourably and justly. He regarded the teachers in that school – all Priests - as the finest men he met in his life. And his fellow pupils, shaped by those men, as not far behind them. He had been sent to the college probably with a hope that he would choose the priesthood, but no word was ever said to him when he did not. In his case, anyway, there was no pressure.
They had fun too, in that college. One of his friends, later a Priest, invented a litany in Latin of all the student’s names, to which they all had to reply “Ora pro nobis”. My Father, though known as Stanley after his middle name, was officially Charles McCarrick, so in the litany he was “Carolus Carrickedes” to which he duly replied “Ora pro nobis”. Once when one of their teachers drank a small quantity of sulphuric acid in error (and apparently survived!) a rhyme went round the school about the poor priest: “Old ------- died last night, his like we’ll see no more. For what he thought was H20 was H2S04.”
Was the Church harsh? Well, he said he remembered the parish priest preaching in fury when some girl or other locally got pregnant before marriage – something that was felt to be necessary in order that other girls would not make the same mistake. Though she wasn’t named of course everyone knew who she was. But he also knew the other side of that- the pastoral care that was provided for those wanting to put right such situations – he was a witness at a Marriage of two of his friends , where the woman was pregnant beforehand. Their marriage was held at midnight with just the 2 witnesses and the Priest present with the couple. The two spouses then returned to their homes and later she went to live with her husband, thus ensuring that nobody knew when the wedding took place – and thus that nobody knew that she was pregnant before the wedding took place. Other girls were hidden in Church run institutions. Those I have met speak about these places as hard work but a place where they were treated fairly, contrary to stories in films such as "The Magdalene Laundries" - and we have to consider also in passing judgement on the harshness of that society that girls today are left to sleep on the street at 7 months pregnant* if they don't accept the "merciful" solution our society offers them; abortion.
The beatings and harshness that my father witnessed in school took place in the National (state) lay run school, rather than the college run by Priests, in his case. Down in Cork, my Mother experienced this harshness from the lay run National school too – her sister was once forced to stand in front of a fire until her legs blistered terribly as a punishment for some minor misdemeanour. Not only did the local Police take no notice of this when asked to intervene, but my aunt was left with a painful and disfigured leg for life and no-one cared less. So my parents never particularly associated the harshness of the times with either Catholicism or the priesthood or religious life.
My father had such a strong faith in the Church, and the Holy Father and a devotion to Our Lady which deepened throughout his life. And he carried that sense of justice which he learnt in college to the grave. He couldn’t bear to see someone bullied or taken advantage of by another and would have to intervene at whatever personal risk. Many was the drunk he carried home in his time. Many the unaccompanied girl he saw safely to her door. He fought off an intruder in our home when he was 90, because the fellow had no right to be there!
He remembered his life in Aclare, County Sligo, as a life founded on living out the Gospel teaching of love of neighbour. No door needed to be locked, no-one would see their neighbour in trouble without offering to help bring in the crops, share what they had, lend goods or a hand where they could. His own father, the local magistrate, used to call the poor of the local village up to their home the day before he would see them in court and give them the money to pay the fines he would fine them the next day!!! No wonder they were penniless.
Dad spent his life from the 1960’s onwards writing more and more letters to the press, to MPs and TDs (the Irish equivalent) about abortion, and to a lesser extent other moral issues like divorce. He also wrote to Bishops and Priests about the dreadful errors in catechesis which sprang up following (though not beacuse of) Vatican II. Abortion, when the reality of it hit him, was his most urgent moral concern, second only to the urgent need for catechesis and evangelisation. In this I see the depth of his formation in the faith. He had a great clarity about right and wrong and didn’t fluff the major issues of his time.
Lastly, his education and upbringing gave him a certain humility about his own prospects. ~He warned us many times before his death that if anyone attempted to give a eulogy at his funeral, or suggest that he was in heaven already –( the premature canonisation we sadly see at so many funerals these days!) – that by whatever means needed he would break the lid of his coffin! Our Parish Priest was clever on this point however – he pointed out that Dad wore his brown scapular and was faithful to the promises associated with it. Therefore he would surely have received the Sabbatine Privilege; by which Our Blessed Lady promises those who wear the scapular and keep the promises that she will bring them to heaven on the Saturday following their death. My father died on Saint Patrick’s Day 2010– most appropriate for one who spent his life defending what Ireland of his youth was really all about – but he was buried on the 26th March. Between those two dates a Saturday had passed. Therefore my PP stated, we could be sure Dad was in heaven.
Now Dad, there’s a dilemma! Even you would have struggled with that one. Do we take you at your word and assume you are in need of our prayers? Or do we take Our Lady at her word and accept you are in heaven? Well maybe we will just have to believe that you are in heaven, but assume that you needed all the prayers and Masses that we can still muster to have gotten there! (Padre Pio gives a great explanation of how his Grandmother was already in heaven because of Masses he had yet to say – earthly time not being relevant to heaven). In any case, the lid of your coffin remained intact! Carolus Carrickedes, in heaven or in purgatory, ora pro nobis!
As for Ireland, People will say what they will about the Church and some will honestly relate horrible and harsh experiences at the hands of priests and sisters. But my family’s experience of Irish Catholicism in the first half of the 20th Century has been a blessing and has given our family such a firm anchor in the faith that has allowed us to stay faithful to Our Mother the Church this far (despite many slips) and will continue to do so we hope and pray.

Clare McCullough

*Good Counsel is regularly brought heavily pregnant women who are or are about to be sleeping on the street.

Photo Of An Aborted Baby Saves A Life

I was counselling a pregnant married muslim Mother a few days ago. She already has a number of young children and has just moved house and felt that she could not cope with another baby just yet. I explained about the development of her child, its heart had started to beat between day 18 & 21, she could see the fingers and the eyes in the nice picture that I showed her. We talked about what abortion would do to the baby and I showed her a beautiful photo of a baby at 8 weeks before and after abortion. We talked about the medical risks to her health & we talked a bit about God, but she interrupted me at that point to say, "I changed my mind when you showed me the photo" and she pointed at the not very nice before and after photo (now face down on the table) . We then spent some time talking about all the help we could give her.
It is important to use graphic abortion photos, along with all the other means at our disposal, to help women avoid abortion.

But I know as well that it is important not to become too fixed on the idea that just one pro-life solution (such as showing graphic pictures of aborted babies) is the only thing that works; I have seen many women who have seen what abortion really involves, but have still gone ahead and had one anyway.

I have seen women keep their baby after seeing the 'nice' baby photos.

Often solving a real practical problem such as housing, or help with immigration issues etc, will save the baby's life.

Most often God is clearly the one who changes the heart and mind of the woman, via all the above-mentioned information.

So please Pray & Fast for the end of abortion. To see what abortion really looks like (WARNING it is not nice) click here.

Stuart McCullough

Food For Mothers

Dear friends and supporters, Once a month we hold a "Mother's meeting" in central London which is open to any of the Mothers whom we support currently or have supported in the past. It is an opportunity for them to meet other people in a similar situation, to make friends and relax a little. Their children can play together for the afternoon. During this time, we normally have a talk aimed at helping them either practically or explaining aspects of morality or faith. We have Mass, followed by Lunch, which we provide each month. At the end of the meeting we normally distribute baby goods and catch up with the Mothers to ensure we are providing the best support possible.

In order to try to cut our costs, thus helping us to be able to help more Mothers, we are looking at ways to get the lunch donated to us by local food shops. If you have any links with a restaurant or food store etc. who might be willing to donate food (near to but not past the sell by date is ok) please contact Conor on 0207 723 1740. or email info@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk.

Many Thanks in advance. Conor Carroll

"Don't give me any of your Pro-Life #*@!"

I was outside marie stopes last week. Handing out leaflets that give info on the help available to women who will, with God’s help, decide to choose life instead of abortion. Sometimes people think that we are there to condemn and judge the ladies that are coming to the abortuary which, I might add, we definitely are not there to do. So people sometimes shout abuse at us while passing by, or tell us that they don’t like what we are doing, even though they don’t take the time to ask about what we are doing!
So anyway, I tried to hand a lady a leaflet and she promptly told me that she didn’t want any of my “anti-choice ***** ”. That we were “out of order” being there.
So I told her we were pro-life. She argued that we were not so I asked her when she thought life began. To which she answered “At birth”.
I then told her that medical scientists & biologists largely agreed that life begins at conception. She disagreed with this fact and told me she thought it was untrue, as she worked for the Department of Health .
I then made he mistake of asking her, sarcastically, if she was a scientist or a biologist, to which she replied that she was and then walked off!
We are taught to see the person of Christ in all the people we meet while we are outside the abortuary.( especially the ones who are nasty to us). So instead of being sarcastic, what I should have done was pray for God’s blessing on her. But while we are doing the vigil, God reveals things like that to us all the time.
Later while I was praying a few things came me; While looking through one of the leaflets, I noticed there were plenty of choices in it- just not the one option of killing a baby in the womb.
My thoughts and prayers also came around to the horrible murder of pregnant Nikitta Grender and her unborn daughter who she had already named Kelsey Mae. May they rest in peace. It had been all over the news that the perpetrator of this horrendous crime would also be charged with child destruction and rightfully so. The lady who said that she worked for the health deptartment might not agree but thank God, in this case, the Crown Prosecution Service does.

Eddie Bauer

What to do for Lent?

What should I do For Lent? Go and pray at marie stopes abortuary at 108 Whitfield Street, London, W1T 5EA, with Good Counsel, 9am until 1.30pm Monday to Friday each week? Or should I go to Bedford Square, London, WC1X and pray outside the bpas abortuary as part of the 40 Days for Life? Or should I go to Both?

As this is quite a large undertaking for the Pro-Life Movement in London, so please do what you can to help.

If comming to Whitfield Street please let us know if you can as that helps our schedule.
Text 07932105696

Stuart McCullough

Dr Bernard Nathanson RIP

Others have written and will write much more about this former abortionist turned Pro-Lifer, turned Catholic who died last week, than I will. But I was privileged to serve Mass for the repose of his soul in the chapel of the Good Counsel Network on Monday evening, the day he was buried. It was also nice to hear that he became Catholic in 1996, the year that I was Baptised.

If you have not seen his short Pro-Life film The Silent Screem click here.

Stuart McCullough

Mass for Good Counsel in Oxford Tonight

The first meeting of Juventutem Oxford will take place on Wednesday 2nd March. The usual Wednesday evening Mass at SS Gregory & Augustine will become a Sung Mass: it is the Feast of St Chad, the patron of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. There will be the usual 'social' afterwards.

See the Juventutem London blog.

Mass will be accompanied by the Schola Abelis.

If you can't come, please say a prayer for the success of this new apostolate.

I have taken this from Dr Shaw's blog and have been informed that the Mass will be offered for Good Counsel.

Stuart McCullough

Pope Speaks on Abortion and Post-Abortion Suffering

LifeSite News has reported on pope Benedict's words to the Pontifical Academy for Life on Saturday 26th February.
Pope: ‘Abortion resolves nothing, rather it kills the child, destroys the woman’
by John-Henry Westen

Pope Benedict XVI VATICAN, February 28, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pope Benedict XVI addressed the Pontifical Academy for Life Saturday saying, “doctors are called to show particular fortitude in continuing to affirm that abortion resolves nothing; rather it kills the child, destroys the woman and blinds the conscience of the child’s father, often devastating family life.”

His comments were made in reference to the question of post-abortion syndrome ( PAS) which was being examined by the assembly. “The issue of post-abortion syndrome - namely the severe psychological problems commonly experienced by women who have had an abortion voluntary - reveals the irrepressible voice of moral conscience and the terrible wound it suffers each time a human action betrays the human being’s innate vocation to good,” he said.

The moral conscience, said the pope, is universal, not something that comes from external pressure or emotions, nor something unique to Christians and believers. “Through moral conscience God speaks to each of us, inviting us to defend human life at all times, and in this personal bond with the Creator lies the profound dignity of moral conscience and the reason for its inviolability,” he said.

Benedict XVI also spoke of the ramifications of abortion on the consciences of men. “In your reflections it would also be helpful to focus attention on the sometimes-clouded conscience of the children’s fathers, who often abandon pregnant women,” he explained. He also noted that care must be given to those experiencing trauma after abortion, reminding those suffering that even when they have rejected the truth, God offers forgiveness and healing.

Turning his attention to the medical profession the pope stressed that “doctors, in particular, must not fail in their serious duty to ensure that women’s consciences are not tricked into believing that abortion will resolve family, economic and social difficulties, or the health problems of their child.” He added: “In this latter situation in particular, women are often convinced, at times by the doctors themselves, that abortion represents not only a morally acceptable choice but even a ‘therapeutic’ act necessary to avoid suffering for the child and its family, and to remove an ‘unjust’ burden from society.”

The pope concluded the point, saying, “It is necessary that society as a whole must defend the conceived child’s right to life and the true good of the woman who can never, in any circumstances, find fulfilment in the decision to abort.”
LifeSite News
H/t to Robert Colquhoun

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!