Christians V Barbarians in Bedford Square

Nice to see the proponents of "choice" were out last night to deny us our right to free speech. It was a powerful vigil, especially as lent moves on towards Holy Week, as so many of the prayers and meditations referred to the ridiculing of Christ and of the rejection of Him. It was all very relevant to our society's rejection of the unborn.

It was a blessing to have the Bishop there. One that BPAS and their supporters had been deeply disturbed by. Even now we should write and thank Bishop Hopes who will certainly have got a lot of flack for coming, both from outside and probably from inside the Church, sadly.

There was something beautiful about standing and kneeling together in a dignified and peaceful, prayerful presence, while something sounding like the fighting Uruk-hai bawled and banged away next to us.

Oops sorry I meant...

If aliens landed in Bedford Square last night they would have instinctively stood with the pro-lifers, the other side looked like they would probably eat them.

I was proud to be standing with the Bishop and my fellow pro-lifers last night.

Oh and one last thing, if the pro-abortionists outnumbered us 2 to 1 last night, most of them must have been pregnant!

Clare McCullough

Our Lady of Sorrows and Bedford Square

On the Old Rite Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, let us pray for every single soul that sets foot in Bedford Square tonight, that after our conversions we may all merrily meet in heaven.

Clare McCullough

Good Counsel Launches Intern Programme

Happy Feast of the Annunciation. The Good Counsel Network chose today to launch it's new Intern Programme.

The Programme allows those wishing to get hands on experience in frontline pro-life work, such as pavement counselling and working in a Catholic Pregnancy Centre, to do so. All interns will receive expert training.

Interns receive free accommodation and living costs and will live together in a community, praying and working together. Our first female intern starts work next week when the Women's Intern House opens. The men's house will follow shortly.

Intern placements are available for periods of 2 and 3 months. please email us if you are interested info@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk

Clare McCullough

Pro-Lifers Give DOUBLE During 40 Days

The Unborn: Help us to keep them safe and their Mothers supported!

A supporter of BPAS has set up a fundraising page called Boycott 40 Days for Life where pro-abortionists donate for each hour or day that 40 Days witnesses outside BPAS Central London abortuary. They are now approaching their fundraising target of £4,000 by 1st April, they have
raised over £3,000 so far. The intention is to deter 40 Days Vigillers by making them feel that their presence is raising money for the abortuary.

We are asking you to show women in need that pro-lifers care more for their Crisis Pregnancy Centres by donating double the total BPAS raise to Good Counsel.

As we blogged about last March, we have had a FIVE-FOLD increase in women coming to
us and receiving support instead of aborting. But we haven't had as great an increase in support in that time, we have had a drop in income, with the recession and higher living costs. We cannot survive this, and financially we are on the brink of disaster, so please support our
appeal, 'Pro-Lifers Give Double' today and help us raise £8,000 by 1st April.

Find all the options for donating here on our website including online donations. Direct transfers, the quickest way of donating can be made to:

THE GUILD OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL,

Sort code: 23 – 83 – 95 Account no: 00287036

and cheques made payable to THE GUILD OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL can be posted to GCN, PO Box 46679, LONDON, NW9 8ZT

You can also support us via http://www.justgiving.com/Pro-LifersGiveDouble page. This is not the fastest way to give. But we will be logging all the donations received there, so check in to see how generous pro-lifers really are!

Lastly, you can give by text message. Just text the code MQYD73 followed by £ and the amount you wish to donate (eg MQYD73 £1 if you want to donate £1) and send it to 70070.

As well as supporting our work financially, your donation will show your moral support for the peaceful, prayerful 40 Days Vigil. And will allow us to financially support 3 of the 4 turnarounds (the 4th did not need financial help when she chose life) they have had during this campaign so far. It will also prove the truth of the Title of this blog! So please help if you can and please spread the word.

Please attend the 40 Days Vigil if you can. Why not attend on Friday 30th March to support Bishop Hopes who will be there from 7pm - 8.30pm. The BPAS abortuary is at 26-27
Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3HP. Nearest tubes are Tottenham Court Rd or Goodge St.

Many thanks, Clare McCullough

Happy Down Syndrome Day

BPAS Campaign of Intimidation Against Bishop Hopes - or Theology 101 by BPAS

NO BISHOPS WANTED. BY ORDER OF BPAS.

The following comment appeared in The Evening Standard on 14th March. My comments are in bold.

"A major protest is now planned for March 30 at the clinic and campaigners claim it will be led by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Westminster, Alan Hopes.
BPAS said there was “no moral justification” for bishops to get involved in such a campaign."
BPAS talking about moral justification? The mind boggles.
"Abigail Fitzgibbon, policy manager for the 'charity' [my inverted comma's], warned that “vocal” anti-abortion MPs were also stirring up protesters.
She told the Standard:
“I can quite understand that people want a debate on abortion but it’s another matter when they’re haranguing and intimidating women and staff.“If bishops are getting behind this then I can’t see how it’s morally justified especially when women have already made up their minds.”
While it's nice of Abigail to be so understanding. I don't want a debate on abortion personally. I want every woman considering abortion to be given really good other options. I also want abortion to be made completely illegal.
Regarding her belief that there is no moral justification for a Bishop to support his flock in rescuing those who are being dragged to death, try Proverbs 24:11-12 Alison, it may clear this up for you somewhat.
Since January 2011, over 40 women who "had already made up their minds" according to BPAS were given leaflets outside abortuaries and came to Good Counsel to talk about keeping their babies and to obtain the help and support necessary to do so. Many of them complained about having the help leaflets taken from them by abortuary staff if they went into the abortuary and had to ask pro-lifers for new copies when they came out. Groups like The Helpers of God's Precious Infants and 40 Days for Life would be there if 1 woman had turned around, or indeed if none had.

Does anyone get the feeling that BPAS and their hoards are still reeling from the shock of about 200 people - yes that's 200 people - turning up to pray at the new Stratford abortuary a week ago with over 10 priests and religious joining them? No wonder they are desperate to stop Bishop Hopes attending.

The Guardian and it's pro-abortion cronies as well as the Standard were raging at 40 Days last week when someone turned up at the Vigil and filmed parts of it. The pro-death lobby were concerned that any woman may have been filmed. Yet a few days before this a group turned up to film Good Counsel's peaceful prayer vigil at Marie Stopes abortuary in Whitfield St. Volunteer, Justina was actually filmed while speaking to one of the expectant mums approaching the abortuary. Those doing the filming went in and out of Marie Stopes abortuary and chatted with the staff. Strange that the abortionists think that was ok.

Please pray for Bishop Hopes and please support the 40 Days vigil especially on 30 March when the Bishop attends. Please pray for Good Counsel's Whitfield St Vigil too and attend any day if you can Mon-Fri 9-1.30 and Wed 1.30-5.30 also.

Clare McCullough

A Father Who Taught Me How to Protect the Weak and the Innocent

My Father is the reason why I am pro-life.

His total fidelity to the Church's teaching wasn't a blind obedience. But it was a complete and a totally free obedience.

He often said that "abortion" was just a word to him when he first came to England in the 50's. Though he and his friends thought abortion was something degrading and scandalous, he never connected the word with a death of a baby. Much later on, when abortion was legalised, during the years when he had his own children, the real understanding of what abortion was dawned upon him. As an avid reader he followed news and politics and wrote and spoke out against abortion at every opportunity.

He was always a defender of the weak. The sort of man who stays there when someone is being threatened by some well-built thug. Who stands up for the person being ridiculed, at whatever cost to themselves. When he was 90, he wrestled with an intruder in our home to protect his family. So it makes sense that once he realised what abortion really meant he would fight it tooth and nail.

Being Catholic for me as a child was an uplifting experience. Both my parents had a very strong faith and loved devotions honouring the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady.

My Mother has a very serene and gentle character, always full of goodness towards everyone, which lends itself to doing good. But my Father gave goodness very definite avenues, directing us all towards not just good works in general, but particularly those that defended the innocent and the weak - those that the Popes of his later years stressed as being the most urgent.

Abortion, euthanasia as well as the attacks on the Church and on morality.

I thank God for the grace to be born into a pro-life family.

And I thank God especially for the gift of my Father, Stanley McCarrick.

Today, on the 2nd anniversary of his death St Patrick's Day 2010, please pray for the repose of his soul.

Clare McCullough

Lenten Almsgiving: Don't Make A Mother and Baby Fast Everyday!

Choosing what to give alms to this Lent?

Why not give what you can each Friday in Lent to help Good Counsel feed destitute Mothers and Babies?

We spend £40,000 per year on feeding Mothers. And we give this help when a Mother has no wage, no right to benefits and no other means of support.

Some of our Mothers were sleeping on buses or on the street as late as 7 months into their pregnancies.

Many others considered abortion because of their devastating poverty when their baby's father chose not to support them in having their baby.

Those readers who have been pregnant and who know the awful hunger pangs you can endure in pregnancy even when you have plenty to eat will understand how terrible real hunger in pregnancy can be!

We always deliver the help that we promise an expectant Mother. We don't provide luxuries, but we do provide the basics. But at the moment funds are at an all time low.That's why we need your support especially during Lent.These women that we support witness to other women who are considering abortion - showing that there is real hope and real help for those in poverty who continue their pregnancies.

What does it cost?

It costs us £35 to feed an new Mother for 1 week.

It costs us £25 to feed an expectant Mother for 1 week.

It costs £15 to pay for baby milk each week when a Mother cannot breastfeed.

It costs us £7 a week to buy nappies for a baby.

It costs about £3.60 a day to feed an expectant Mother.

Can you donate any of these amounts weekly through Lent as part of your Lenten almsgiving?

Click here to donate online or to find out about other ways to donate.