Novena for the Safe Re-opening of the Churches and the Restoration of Public Mass as soon as possible

We are writing today to ask you to join us in prayer for a very important intention, the Litany below will be said by Catholics across the UK from Sunday, 26th April, (The Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel) until the following week Monday, 4th May, the Feast of the English Martyrs.

This novena petitions Our Lord, the Good Shepherd, that it may be safe to re-open Churches and restore public Masses as soon as possible.

We know that many Catholics are finding it difficult in these times, separated from Our Lord’s Sacramental Presence in the tabernacle in His Churches. And, of course, many have been affected by the coronavirus, many have died and others have lost loved ones.

We know that care must be taken to ensure the safety of all, so we earnestly entreat Our Lord that, it will be safe to reopen the Churches and restore public Masses as soon as possible.

Please join us. If you hear about it later than those dates, please join anyway.

We continue to pray daily for all our supporters, especially those afflicted by this illness, and for the Mothers in need of our support, which we have continued to provide during the lockdown.

Please do share the Novena with your friends too.

Novena for the Safe Re-opening of the Churches and the Restoration of Public Mass as soon as possible

 

The Litany of the Sacred Heart

For the Intention that it may be safe to re-open the Churches and restore public Masses as soon as possible, we pray:

Lord, have mercy on us.

-          Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

-          Christ, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

-          Christ, graciously hear us.

 God the Father of Heaven,

-          Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

-          Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit,

-          Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Formed by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mother,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Substantially united to the Word of God,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Of Infinite Majesty,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Holy Temple of God,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Burning Furnace of charity,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Vessel of Justice and love,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Full of goodness and love,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Abyss of all virtues,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Most worthy of all praises,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, King and centre of all hearts,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, In Whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, In Whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Divinity,

-          Have mercy on us. 

Heart of Jesus, in Whom the Father is well pleased,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Of Whose fullness we have all received,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Desire of the everlasting hills,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Patient and abounding in mercy,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Rich unto all who call upon Thee,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Fountain of life and holiness,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Atonement for our sins,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Filled with reproaches,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Bruised for our offenses,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Made obedient unto death,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Pierced with a lance,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Source of all consolation,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Our Life and Resurrection,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Our Peace and Reconciliation,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Victim for our sins,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Salvation of those who hope in Thee,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Hope of those who die in Thee,

-          Have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Delight of all the Saints,

-          Have mercy on us.

Lamb of God Who takest away the sins of the world,

-          Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God Who takest away the sins of the world,

-          Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God Who takest away the sins of the world,

-          Have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

-          Make our hearts like unto Thine.

 

Let us pray.

 

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thine most-beloved Son, and upon the praises and satisfaction He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and appeased by worthy homage, pardon those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy Great Goodness in the name of the same Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

113 MPs Demand Laws Which Will Increase Abortions

As one of several moves by Members of Parliament to increase the numbers of abortions in the UK, 113 MPs have asked the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to intervene to stop pro-life vigils outside abortion centres.
These MPs in their wisdom, have not made any effort to meet with those women who have chosen life for their babies. They don't know who these women are, they don't care who these women are, or what pressures they face and why they are often very willing to choose life when offered support.
Here is Anna, one of the Mothers we have supported, who changed her mind at an abortion centre talking about the help she received.

And why she thinks help should be offered outside an abortion centre.

If the plans of those 113 MPs were already in place at that time Anna went for her abortion, her child would be dead.
Donate here to help us support Mothers in need. Come and pray at our vigils.

"Pro-Choice Feminists" Harass Pregnant Mums and Counsellors

Please share this picture far and wide, Sister Supporter the 'pro-choice, feminists' turned up at Ealing abortion centre today to film and record women entering Marie Stopes as our Counsellors speak to them. Here is one of their male 'feminists' filming a woman who has just entered, who our Counsellor to the left of the gate was speaking to. Do you think filming women entering Marie Stopes is OK? Do you think recording them speaking or choosing not to speak to a Counsellor is OK? This is what Rupa Huq the local MP has encouraged by supporting Sister Supporter protests.

And now Sister Supporter are standing in the street screaming that our Counsellors are filming women going in because we took photos of them filming women going in. God help us, I salute the two incredibly Christlike Counsellors there this morning.

Support a Pro-Life vigil and help women who need real help; http://www.goodcounselnet.co.uk/Abortion--apos-Clinic-apos--Vigils.html

The Women Who Have Been Silenced Speak Out

Hear from the people who really count, the Mothers who changed their minds at abortion centres because they were offered help by pro-lifers outside. As BPAS intensify their campaign to keep business booming, hear the truth from the women the media and the abortion industry want to keep silent.

 

Pro-Abortion Media Storm; A Response

Today the Mail on Sunday have published an inflammatory article attacking the outreach to women outside abortion centres which Good Counsel and other groups are involved in.

This will be the launch of a spectacular media campaign, inspired (orchestrated?) by BPAS to encourage MPs to back a new buffer zone bill (the aim of BPAS’ #Backoff business initiative to prevent women backing out of abortion when they are offered help by pro-lifers). Last year a small number of MPs backed efforts to bring in “Buffer Zones” round abortion centres.

So, backed by the most biased research team ever (Dr Pam Lowe, darling of Abortion Rights and Dr Graeme Hayes of Aston University) BPAS will now re-launch this campaign with the help of Keir Starmer, MP.

Dr Pam Lowe of Aston University speaking to Paul Tully of SPUC and Clare McCullough at the March for Life in May. Despite agreeing to do so, Dr Lowe and her colleague Dr Graeme Hayes have repeatedly neglected to respond to our invitation to speak to women who accepted help  from us outside abortion centres. Yet her research on Pro-life Vigils is used to promote the Buffer Zone movement

To help them do this, their favourite media chums (Channel 4, The Guardian and now the Mail on Sunday) have left no stone unturned.

Since February 2016, Good Counsel, 40 Days for Life and Abort 67 have had a selection of undercover ‘journalists’ on their tails. These ‘journalists’ have made a series of spectacular new discoveries:

• Good Counsel mentions that there are many studies showing an increased risk of breast cancer following abortion, while acknowledging that the medical establishment does not accept there is a proven link. (First reported 1998)
• Abort 67 displays graphic images at abortion sites. (Acknowledged all over their website and known by everybody who has ever read an article on pro-life witnesses).

And Shockingly

• 40 Days for Life was an idea that first came from – wait for it – AMERICA!

Yes. I am afraid it’s all true.

What is not true however is that we harass, shout at, follow or film women going to abortion centres. This is one lie that has been repeated so often it is now “fact” to the general public.

Unfortunately the Mail on Sunday and the Channel 4 Dispatches Programme (this Wednesday, 5^th October 11pm) as well as Aston University’s Research team refused to accept our offer to speak to any number of the 100’s of Mothers who have chosen life after accepting Good Counsel’s help outside an abortion centre; the very women who could tell them everything about what we do and don’t do, if they really wanted to know.

Please read and watch these and other reports on pro-life witnesses at abortion centres over the next few days and write in demanding that these women get their chance to speak.

There will be many important updates on this story from Good Counsel, so follow us on Facebook and on Twitter  Send us an email asking to receive updates
info(at)goodcounselnetwork.com Don’t miss the next part of this ongoing attempt by the abortionists and their media stooges to stop pregnant Mothers receiving the offer of help and alternative to abortion that so many of them want.
www.goodcounselnetwork.com

Who Can Catholics And Other Pro-Lifers Vote For?

There is a lot of mixed opinion about what we should consider before deciding who to vote for. But I believe that if we looked at any mass killing of human beings other than abortion where hundreds of thousands of lives were being taken every year, such as in Nazi Germany for example, no-one (retrospectively at least) would say "We can't just vote on that one issue"!*@ Until abortion is ended, no other issue can compare with the huge and wholesale slaughter that deprives my unborn neighbour of his right to life, her right to own property, his right to work, her right to be educated, his right to have food on her table, his right to freedom. All rights are pointless if we do not have a right to be born! Fr Frank Pavone illustrates this perfectly in the following article, from his website, which is so good I am including it in this blog in full.
If we don't believe abortion is a big enough issue to be worth casting our vote on, how on earth do we imagine that any parliamentary candidate is going to? Read on...

by Clare McCullough

The following article was taken from the Priests for Life website www.priestsforlife.org

You Wouldn’t Even Ask….
By Fr. Frank Pavone

If a candidate who supported terrorism asked for your vote, would you say, "I disagree with you on terrorism, but where do you stand on other issues?

"I doubt it.

In fact, if a terrorism sympathizer presented him/herself for your vote, you would immediately know that such a position disqualifies the candidate for public office -- no matter how good he or she may be on other issues. The horror of terrorism dwarfs whatever good might be found in the candidate's plan for housing, education, or health care. Regarding those plans, you wouldn't even ask.

So why do so many people say, "This candidate favors legal abortion. I disagree. But I'm voting for this person because she has good ideas about health care (or some other issue).

"Such a position makes no sense whatsoever, unless one is completely blind to the violence of abortion. That, of course, is the problem. But we need only see what abortion looks like, or read descriptions from the abortionists themselves, and the evidence is clear. (USA Today refused to sell me space for an ad that quoted abortionists describing their work because the readers would be traumatized just by the words!)

Abortion is no less violent than terrorism. Any candidate who says abortion should be kept legal disqualifies him/herself from public service. We need look no further, we need pay no attention to what that candidate says on other issues. Support for abortion is enough for us to decide not to vote for such a person.

Pope John Paul II put it this way: "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination" (Christifideles Laici, 1988).

False and illusory. Those are strong and clear words that call for our further reflection.

"I stand for adequate and comprehensive health care." So far, so good. But as soon as you say that a procedure that tears the arms off of little babies is part of "health care," then your understanding of the term "health care" is obviously quite different from the actual meaning of the words. In short, you lose credibility. Your claim to health care is "illusory." It sounds good, but is in fact destructive, because it masks an act of violence.

"My plan for adequate housing will succeed." Fine. But what are houses for, if not for people to live in them? If you allow the killing of the children who would otherwise live in those houses, how am I supposed to get excited by your housing project?

It's easy to get confused by all the arguments in an election year. But if you start by asking where candidates stand on abortion, you can eliminate a lot of other questions you needn't even ask.

For more election related articles and information, visit www.priestsforlife.org/elections (US)

See how your MP has voted on Life Issues in the past and how your other local candidates would vote if elected;
https://www.spuc.org.uk/campaigns/general_election_2015/ (UK)

 

So it is no good just voting for this Party or that, you need to ask all your local Candidates where they stand on abortion and how they will vote if elected.

Ambulance Arrives at Abortion Centre London

Safe, Legal Abortion?

Above: Marie Stopes Ealing - ambulance is called for client in the first week of 40 Days for Life, 13-22nd February 2013.

Ambulance Marie Stopes Ealing 28th February 2013

Paramedics and Ambulance attend Marie Stopes Ealing 1st March 2013

Ambulance Marie Stopes Ealing 9th March 2013 

Paramedics and Ambulance Marie Stopes Ealing 14th March 2013

Abortion Providers are always striving to portray Pro-lifers as liars, especially when we talk about the risks of abortion. marie stopes, that bastion of honesty and integrity, take it upon themselves to take our leaflets from girls as they enter their centres. And BPAS can be seen here on Twitter attacking that same leaflet.

Yet as the above pictures of ambulances show, abortion is far from the safe, simple procedure with no after-affects that these groups pretend it is. Since BPAS and marie stopes deny almost every complication of abortion, it is hard to believe that the women who were taken away in these ambulances were forewarned that this was a possible outcome.

Our volunteers have helped sick and faint girls to their feet outside the abortion centre when they are vomiting or weak and sick on leaving on several occassions.

So as we reach the final two days of the 40 Days for Life Campaign, we are aware of well over 20 women who have kept their babies, just from the vigils at Whitfield St and Ealing, not including those from the Bedford Square campaign.

We still pray there please come and join us in prayer; http://www.goodcounselnet.co.uk/Abortion--Clinic--Vigils.html

Please donate to Good Counsel so that we can continue to help the Mothers, who change their minds on the very doorstep of this abortuary.

As always, we have ensured that any women entering the abortion centre were NOT captured in any of the pictures taken.

Please note: These photos belong to the Good Counsel Network you may reproduce them on condition that you include a link to this original blogpost.

Clare McCullough

40 Days for Life this Lent, in England and now Wales!

This Lent, from February 13th - March 24th, our community will be one of many cities joining together for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history -- the 40 Days for Life campaign.
40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life effort that consists of:
 

• 40 days of prayer and fasting
• 40 days of peaceful vigil
• 40 days of community outreach
 

We are praying that, with God's help, this groundbreaking effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in our city -- and throughout England and Wales. Here is a list of the vigils in England and Wales this Lent. Go to the website of your local vigil and click on the vigil schedule to sign up to cover some of the hours needed. 6,749 babies saved ... 27 abortion centers closed by God through 40 Days for Life!

London Whitfield Street
http://40daysforlife.com/london-whitfield/
Eddie 07932105696 or 02077231740
Email GCNVigil@yahoo.co.uk

London Ealing
http://40daysforlife.com/london-ealing/
Justyna 07540286688 or 02077231740
GCNVigil@yahoo.co.uk

London Bedford Square
http://www.40daysforlife.com/london/
Robert - 07947698195
Email - 40daysforlifelondon@gmail.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/40-Days-for-Life-London/114071638700765

Birmingham
http://www.40daysforlife.com/birmingham-uk/
Isabel - 07773501721 or Aline - 07861005895
Email - 40daysforlife.bham@gmail.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?sk=events&ap=1#!/event.php?eid=158146297591490

Brighton
http://www.40daysforlife.com/brighton-uk/
40daysforlifebrighton@gmail.com

Cardiff

http://40daysforlife.com/cardiff/

Clare Jackson 07580275698

Email: clare40dfl@gmail.com

Leamington Spa
http://40daysforlife.com/leamingtonspa/
Eera 07801819855
40dfl.lspa@gmail.com

Manchester
http://www.40daysforlife.com/manchester-uk/
John 07909 920 739
E-mail: 40d4l.mcr@cathfell.co.uk

Milton Keynes
http://www.40daysforlife.com/miltonkeynes/
Andy Burton 07765 884791
ajlburton@gmail.com

Southampton
http://www.40daysforlife.com/southampton/
Email: souuk40dfl@yahoo.com

For America, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Spain see here.

8th Anniversay of the death of a Saint?

This article was written a number of years ago, but is well worth reading again and has been added to at the end;

You gave me shelter….
….Louisa Staunton RIP

Miss Louisa Staunton, a deceased benefactor of The Good Counsel Network, saved a lot of time and money as well as saving a lot of lives by her generous response to an appeal for housing.

Louisa originally came to The Good Counsel Network, a Catholic Pro-Life organisation, to attend the Counsellor Training Course we run. One day when attending one of the sessions, she overheard one of us phoning around trying to find accommodation for a woman who was turned around outside an abortion clinic and who wanted to keep her baby, but could not go home as her boyfriend had threatened both her and her baby. Louisa immediately said, “she can stay with me!”.

Without regard for her own safety or comfort, Louisa took this lady home with her and there began her new work of looking after vulnerable expectant mums. Louisa turned her whole house over to us, having as many as 3 members of our staff/volunteers living with her at any time as well as up to 4 mothers-to-be. She hated to accept any money from the mothers who stayed with her and was regarded as a grandmotherly figure by them all. The last Friday before she died, I brought another girl to stay with Louisa. “Mary” had spent the previous night sleeping on various London buses, after being made homeless by her employer because of her pregnancy. We had tried to find her a place wherever we could and Louisa was the first to say yes, even though there were already 4 other women staying with her. When we arrived she made Mary very welcome and cheered her up no end by her friendliness. The last time I saw Louisa conscious she was blowing bubbles in the living room to entertain Mary. “Its Our Lady’s house” she told us as we thanked her for taking Mary in.

Louisa went to bed that night but could not be woken in the morning. She was taken to hospital where she remained unconscious until Monday. Doctors found she had had bleeding around the brain during Friday night. On Monday a Priest came to the hospital to say Mass in her room. The gospel that day was the cure of the woman with a hemorrhage. Louisa died immediately after the Mass, having never regained consciousness.

During her life Louisa worked as a nurse, later a psychiatric nurse and also an assistant to the blind. She was involved in many Catholic organisations, especially the Legion of Mary. Even at the age of 75, she did the shopping for many ill and housebound neighbours and was known well by all who lived near her. She gave away anything that was asked of her to others, including on one occasion where she gave her car to a family she had just met whose car had broken down!

Louisa was involved in the Justice and Peace movement throughout her life and regarded justice and peace for the unborn as a priority. She had supported various pro-life causes over the years and while working with us she housed over 20 mothers and many babies, who may not otherwise have come into he world.

She did not confine herself to providing a roof for these girls but really loved them and took and interest in their lives. From serving ice cream to them at midnight to helping them repair their relationships with their families, she was always there for them. The more difficult the girl, the more she loved.

She was a special friend to the lonely and depressed. She loved Our Lord and had a strong devotion to Our Lady, particularly Our Lady of Good Counsel and Our Lady of All Nations.

Louisa had spent a long period of her life wanting to become a religious sister. Speaking at her funeral, one of her brothers pointed out that although she had not been able to achieve this she made her world a kind of convent where she could serve God through prayer and through her actions to those around her.

Through a strange series of events she was buried wearing a Carmelite habit and was buried on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
May God rest your soul Louisa, our great pro-life friend and sister in Christ.

Please pray for the repose of her soul, and also ask her prayers for your intentions.

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand. ‘Come, O Blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me”. Matt 25 v34-36

Due to the generosity of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, we have been allowed to continue housing pregnant women at Louisa’s house.

Last year Louisa's house was sold and a new one purchased. It is nice to know that nine Mothers/Mums-to-be are still being housed by Louisa!

The baby in the photo really will be able to say, when a little older, "Louisa Staunton, You gave me shelter."

Saving lives from abortion costs

Have you ever thought what it would feel like to know you’ve saved someone’s life? How many people can say that if it weren’t for their action or sacrifice, another human being would have died a premature death? Now there’s a way the average person can save one or perhaps more lives each year.

The Good Counsel Network has saved hundreds of babies from abortion at a cost of about £350 for each child saved.

Without generous individuals providing the funds to save these babies, the Good Counsel Network would be unable to save them.

Hence, all donors participate in our lifesaving efforts and are themselves truly lifesavers.
To recognise the people who help us save babies and to provide stable funding for our baby-saving work, the Good Counsel Network has established the Lifesavers’ Circle.

You are invited to belong to the Circle, which requires a £350 per year commitment, payable in one lump sum or in monthly instalments of £30. You will be the spiritual parent of the baby you help us save from abortion.

Click here to join the Lifesaver Circle (Print off form and post completed to the address at the bottom)

A counsellor from the Good Counsel Network was able to help this little baby thanks to the prayeful and financial support of people like you.

If you have a desire for even greater heroism, you might consider joining our St Margaret Clitherow Society, named after the heroic sacrifice of St Margaret Clitherow, martyr for the Faith who was martyred in York on 25 March 1586. St Margaret lived a life of total self-giving to God. As well as sheltering Priests from those who would arrest and kill them Margaret lived a holy married life. Her martyrdom was carried out by pressing her to death with a sharp stone under her back and a door on top of her on which heavy weights were laid. Margaret was pregnant when she was killed, but even this did not cause her to flinch from giving her life when called to, rather than betray the Catholic Faith.

St Margaret Clitherow Society members sacrifice at least £1,000 per year, either in a lump sum or in monthly or quarterly instalments.

Click here to join the St Margaret Clitherow Society (Print off form and post completed to the address at the bottom)

Many members struggle to give £84 per month. The value of their sacrifice, often disproportionate to their means, is laden with grace, not only for themselves but also for our apostolate.Note that pledges are not legally or morally binding. If circumstances require that you terminate or change your commitment, we understand completely. All we ask is a good faith effort.

If you would like to make a one off donation or set up a standing order online Via Justgiving Click Here and choose One-off Donation or monthly donation.

Any point praying outside an abortuary?

Good Counsel just had a call from "Susan" who is a turnaround from our daily vigil at Whitfield Street abortuary. She has just had a "beautiful baby girl". We first met her outside the abortuary, and after speaking to her for over 30 minutes managed to convince her to come to our centre instead of going into the Abortion 'clinic'. She had two children and was living with them in one room in a hostel, with no permanent job and no future prospects. Having another baby seemed impossible, to her. In the months since then we have been able to help her to find a three bedroom home, full-time employment (She is now on maternity leave) and convince her to keep her unborn child. She is now extremely happy to have her new baby. She is also determined to pay back all the financial help we have given her. This is a great success story and we must thank God and ask Him to continue giving "Susan" the grace to continue!


Please come and join us if you can. For details of weekend vigils and for ones outside London see here. Pray for the Mothers that we help. Donate so we can offer the help these Mothers need to keep their children.

Pro-Life Fundraising Ball

Good Counsel would like to invite you all to our Annual Fundraising Ball. Last year this was an amazing success, raising us lots of money to help more Mothers choose life for their children and a very good night out for all. This year we have a wonderful location in the heart of South Kensington where we will provide a 3-course meal, live music and a great night for all.

It is being held at Ognisko, 55 Exhibition Road, London SW7 2PN on Saturday 19th November, starting at 6.30pm. Tickets are £70 each with discounts for tables of 10 or 12. Please see our website for full details.

Last year we sold out and had to turn people away, so please book as soon as possible. It is essential that if you have any dietary requirements that you let us know in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Conor Carroll