At The Pro-Life Vigil We Are There To Offer Help And Support

Yesterday at our 40 Days for Life vigil in Brixton, Gabriella, one of our staff members spoke with a mother who is 8 weeks pregnant. She shared that she feels confident in having her abortion, though her heart seems set she did accept one of our leaflets that offer help. At the 40 Days for Life vigil we are there to stand peacefully, offering help and prayers for both mother and child. Please join us in praying for this mother as only God can change hearts. 

Heavenly Father, we cry out for your mercy and ask You to remove the scourge of abortion from our land. Use us as your vessels, Lord, to bring the light of truth to our nation once again.

Pregnant? Find help and support.

Come and pray at our vigil in Brixton or one of the other vigils around the Country.

For vigils outside the UK see here.

"Please Keep Going"

One of the Pro-Life vigil volunteers gave the following  testimony, at the recent 40 Days for Life launch event in Brixton. Please read it, share it and then decide if you should come to the vigil as well.

First of all, I want to say thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for standing faithfully, often quietly, and sometimes in very difficult circumstances. Many of you will never fully see the impact of what you do—but I am here today as living proof that your presence matters more than you may ever know.

 

Who I Am & Where I Came From

I grew up in a practising Catholic home. At 21, I immigrated alone to Spain. At 22, I married in the Church.

I was young, far from my family, in a new country, trying to build a life and a marriage with faith and hope.

 

Pregnancy & Sudden Crisis

When I found out I was pregnant, I was about eight weeks along. Despite everything else that was going on, I was filled with joy. There was joy in my heart because I loved my baby. At the same time, my marriage had become unsafe. The man I had married—someone I loved—had bipolar disorder, he stopped taking his medication, and our home became unbearable and frightening. What should have been a time of protection and care became a time of fear. I felt shocked, confused, alone—and deeply ashamed to reach out to my family.

 

Turning to the System for Help 

Eventually, I reached out to social services and a local women’s organisation. I remember feeling relieved. I truly believed these people would help me and my baby. Around the same time, I went alone to my first routine pregnancy check-up. I was filled with fear and uncertainty.

As I sat there, I noticed pamphlets everywhere—about gestational diabetes, pregnancy complications, and abortion. I remember thinking, “Oh no… I am alone in this. How would I ever get through this?” And yet—even in all that fear—abortion never crossed my mind.

 

Abortion as the Default Response

During the appointment, I shared my situation with the doctor. She handed me pamphlets I had already seen. Among them was one for social services, and I thought, “Good. They will help me with my baby.”

What happened next shocked me. When I went to social services and explained the domestic violence I was experiencing, every professional involved in my case was quick to offer abortion. I kept hearing the same sentence, again and again: “You know you have a choice. You are only 8… 10… 12 weeks.” Not one person asked me what I wanted. Not one person asked if I wanted to keep my baby. Not one explored what support might make that possible.

Erosion of Confidence & Hope

After hearing this repeatedly, I began to doubt myself. My confidence disappeared. The little hope I had left began to fade. For the first time, the thought of abortion—something completely against my values—started to feel like a possibility. Not because I wanted it, but because of the fear I was being fed. Abortion no longer felt like an option. It felt like the only way forward.

I felt ashamed. I lost my sense of who I was. I felt like a puppet—being referred from one place to another, always with the same offer: abortion first, and support later.

 

Second Medical Visit & ‘Easy Pills’

To clarify, in Spain women are often referred to specialised abortion clinics later in the first trimester. So my second check-up was still at a regular GP, this is often where the abortion pills are offered. I was told, “It’s simple. Just pills.” I didn’t accept. I said I needed time to decide. Inside, I felt shattered. Conflicted. Weak. Helpless.

 

Encounter with Pro‑Life Presence: The Turning Point

As I walked out of the GP, I saw a small group of men and women outside. One was praying the rosary. They were handing out leaflets quietly. As I passed them, one handed me a leaflet. It showed a mother and her baby and said, “We are here to help.” At first, I thought it was another abortion leaflet. But on the bus, I read it carefully.
It said: ADEVIDA – “We are here to listen. We can help. No to abortion.” My heart skipped a beat. It was a light in the darkest days of my life.

 

Support, Restoration & Community

I got off the bus, crossed the road, and caught the bus back—hoping they would still be there. They were. I spoke to them. The next morning, I went to their centre. ADEVIDA is an organisation like the Good Counsel Network. They offered practical support, counselling, and a community of other mothers. For the first time, I felt listened to. Seen. Supported as both a woman and a mother.

Their presence outside that abortion centre was the voice I had been longing to hear. The voice that restored my strength. The voice that restored my hope.

 

Why Your Work Matters

This is why what you do matters. You offer presence where there is pressure. Support where there is silence. Hope where fear has taken over. Please know that your quiet faithfulness reaches further than you will ever see.

 

Encouragement & Commissioning

Thank you for believing that women are strong.
Thank you for believing that babies matter.
Thank you for being the voice that says, “You can do this—and you don’t have to do it alone.”

Please keep going.

The 40 Days for Life vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am until 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday 29^th March. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be of great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Hill and Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book please call Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

Just the Right Time for A Pro-Life Witness

Belinda didn’t want to go for an abortion in the first place because as a Christian she knew it was wrong. However she felt like she had no choice because her boyfriend, the father of her child, refused to help her in any way as he wanted her to have the abortion. If she didn’t go through with the abortion she would be  homeless almost immediately. 

She postponed her appointment by a day and then got up as late as possible, hoping against hope she would miss her abortion. She made her way slowly to the abortion centre, alone.  She asked a few people for directions to the abortion place, all of them told her not to go there, to keep her baby instead. When she arrived, Lorraine, one of Good Counsel's counsellors met her at the gates of the abortion centre. Belinda was grateful for the offer of help but decided to go inside anyway. Inside the abortion centre was extremely busy, there were lots of women waiting for their abortion. Belinda was shocked by the large numbers, and thought about how many babies lives were going to be ended that day. She decided that she would accept Good Counsel's help and that her baby was not going to die that day.  She

went back out and spoke to Lorraine, who told her that the Good Counsel Network could help find her accommodation and help her financially, she was very happy when she heard this and decided to come to our centre to find more about the help that was available to her. She turned up homeless with her suitcase at our centre. Here we placed her in temporary accommodation and helped her financially throughout her pregnancy and well beyond it. When her son was born she moved into a flat we helped her to find. Belinda found part-time work while her son was small. She now works full time. Her son is a practising Catholic, doing well at school and is hoping to go to university to become a lawyer.

Lorraine pointed out to Belinda that if she had attended her original appointment on the previous day or if she had come on time on the day of her new appointment she would have missed meeting Lorraine who would not have been there at those times. But God had another plan for Belinda and her son!

Help us reach out to Mother’s like Belinda with prayer, help and support by attending the 40 Days for Life Vigil near you.

The vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am until 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday 29^th March. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be of great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Hill and Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book please call Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

Preaching the Gospel of Life through Prayerful Witness

 

At the 40 Days for Life vigil in Brixton on Thursday one of our vigil volunteers had a positive interaction with a passer-by on the street. He was a young man who had noticed our volunteers standing quietly in prayer and had stopped to ask what they were doing and why. He reacted so positively to the explanation that he was given that the vigil volunteers invited him to join them in prayer. They said the Our Father together, he explained that he was non-denominational, he then offered up a lovely prayer asking God to bless us and our work, it was beautifully sincere and heartfelt. That moment really cheered up our volunteers. This blessed moment helps remind us why we stand at these vigils in the first place. Unexpected conversations, shared prayers with strangers are all powerful signs of hope. We are a reminder to the world that the unborn child is human and that their lives matter.

Join us at  Brixton for the 40 Days for Life Brixton Vigil

The vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am until 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday 29th March. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be a great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Hill and Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book to attend please call Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

English Archbishop Leads Public Pro-Life Witness

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live - Deuteronomy 30:19, The reading from the Mass today.

This morning we were blessed to have the Archbishop of Southwark The Right Reverend John Wilson celebrate Mass in Corpus Christi Church across the road from where the vigil takes place. He offered this Mass for the 40 Days for Life campaign in Brixton, London and all the volunteers involved, a beautiful reminder that the Church is with us, praying and offering Masses for us.

We were then joined at the prayer vigil by the Archbishop and three priests - Fr Matthew O' Gorman, Fr Godfrey Ogwang and Fr Philip Andrews who led us in prayer. As the vigil continues throughout Lent the opening of this morning’s vigil should give all of us hope that many graces and blessings will be given to all who volunteer in the pro-life movement. The reading from the Mass today reminds us why we attend these vigils, this verse shows that God calls everyone to protect life and future generations. By taking part in these vigils we are helping people to choose life for their children and therefore protecting future generations.

The vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am until 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday 29th March. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be a great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Hill and Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book to attend please call Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

Rose

Bishop David Waller also came to the vigil on Shrove Tuesday

Your Presence at the 40 Days for Life Pro-Life Vigil Matters!

This Lent we have a 40 Days for Life campaign in Brixton, London. 40 Days for Life is a global movement to end abortion through prayer, fasting and peaceful prayer vigils for 40 days held outside or near abortion clinics. At these vigils at least two people will always attend; one hands out leaflets offering help to mothers while the other prays. People unite all over the world in prayer during this time and countless lives are saved. With the current number of abortions sky high, it is time for us all to take action and be involved in the end of abortion in this country and the whole world. Attending a prayer vigil is a public witness to show we believe every human life has value.

Who knows, you may be the reason a mother chooses life for her baby; your presence matters more than you may ever see.

Just remember you are not alone. People are attending 40 Days for Life vigils worldwide and we are united to them in prayer. It is not meant to be easy, but we do it for the unborn babies, mothers and fathers. Let us ask God to close the abortion clinic in Brixton this Lent, for with God nothing is impossible - Luke 1:37.

The vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am until 8pm, seven days a week from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday. If you could spare an hour or more to come and pray with us, it would be a great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Hill and Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book to attend please call Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

[Photo of Bishop David Waller leading the prayers on Shrove Tuesday]

Rose

Should We Bother to Pray Near Abortion Centres?

You might well wonder what is the point of attending a prayer vigil outside an abortion centre, especially since the buffer zone law came in a year ago. What purpose does it serve to stand 150 metres away from the centre? You’ll see so many people walking past and so few actually going into the centre. Would those attending the vigil receive a lot of abuse? These were all my thoughts as a new intern before attending my first vigil.

To answer my first question, yes, most of the people passing by are not heading to the abortion centre but it is 100% worth being there even though you may never know what good you have done. Attending a vigil really makes you realize the power of prayer as you can never change hearts without it. I admit it can be hard standing on the pavement in the pouring rain and everyone refuses the leaflets you try to offer but you never know what’s going on behind the scenes, it could be that a woman sees the sign we display at the vigil and realises someone cares for her and her baby and she might never turn up to that abortion appointment. It could even be that the leaflet that someone grabbed off you and threw on the ground further down the street might get into the right hands and help a mother in need! God has a plan with everything.

To talk about the abuse received, I find it is not nearly as bad as I expected, generally passersby just walk past and pay no attention. However there are always a few exceptions to this, a few people will hurl insults as they stride past. I find it helpful to remember in these cases that there is no knowing what this person has gone through in their life, many of these people have probably been directly affected by the horrors of abortion and they take their anger out on those of us who oppose it.                                    

Rose

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