When I first started working for Good Counsel, I was asked to meet with a young Irish girl, Veronica. She had come to England to get an abortion, she didn't think she could face telling her mum about her pregnancy. But once she got to the abortion centre, she realised that there was no way she could have the abortion. It felt so wrong. She tried to work out some plan with the baby's father, but he didn't want to be tied down and wasn't offering her any support if she wanted to keep the baby.
She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. She just knew she couldn't go home.
So - after some pro-lifers in Ireland put me in touch with her -she came to stay with me, and my parents. She was a really shy young woman, but found my parents, who were Irish like her own, easy to talk to. Particularly in the evening, when there was little else to do, she would often sit and chat with my mum. My dear mum was very kind and gentle, and sympathetic. One evening when they were chatting alone, Veronica asked Mum "What should I do?". "Well" Mum answered, "If you were my daughter, I would be really worried about you. I would really want you to tell me what had happened. I would really want to know." Veronica broke down and had a good cry. "Yes, I have to tell her." she replied. My mum promised to pray, she had already been praying for Veronica and her baby.
She went and phoned her straight away. She told her she was pregnant. Her mother, who only knew that her daughter had gone to London, but did not know why, had that sixth sense of a Mother - and feeling that something was wrong - had been terribly worried. Veronica's confession that she was pregnant shocked her, but almost immediately she felt a great sense of relief - finally she understood what the problem was. "Come home Veronica. Come home and have your baby." her mum said.
Veronica booked a ticket home the next day and was welcomed with great joy by her parents.
Some months later, my mum received a letter from Veronica's mum. She had had a Mass said for my mum. She wanted to thank her again and again for the help she had given Veronica. Veronica enclosed a note of thanks with her mum's letter, and a picture of her gorgeous baby son.
My mum was ecstatic. A little generosity of spirit, a little of her time, a kind word and she had helped to save a life and also to make the lives of Veronica and her son happier. - Clare
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