The Final Day of the 40 and a Tricky Encounter

As a vigil neophyte, I had not quite appreciated the strain put on the English language to misconstrue the purpose of our signs and indeed our mere presence. I had not realised that praying quietly and passively on a street corner amounted to the ‘obstruction’ and ‘intimidation’ of those seeking ‘healthcare’. Having directed the lady speaking to us to our two signs and asked about her objection, we were told that suggesting women deserve something better than abortion is to shame them. We then learned that both this sentiment and the boards’ stock image of a mother and child, offers of help with clothing, housing, and immigration status are all ‘implied’ acts of intimidation. Moreover, we were informed that our stance aligns us with the forces of ‘fascism’ and the ‘far right’. I can only suppose that in her charity, the lady speaking to us took our offer of referrals to immigration help as proof of how our succour to nefarious forces was at least an unwitting one. 

Calumny is hardly a novel tactic and much of the above is nothing new under the sun (though is no less bewildering for that). My only purpose in relaying this encounter is to remind us that even when faced with unobjectionable sentiments and an offer of help to those at the mercy of often terrible circumstances, our opponents will persist in constructing windows into our souls that reaffirm their very worst prejudices about us. That, then, should prompt us to be found perfect in our intentions and to act as we are prompted in 1 Corinthians: with love. When we smart at defamations and fail to endure them by responding with malice, pride, or impatience, then in that moment we fail our cause and fail to confound the prejudices of those who lie about us. 

I cannot ultimately say what effect, if any, our encounter with the lady at the vigil yesterday will have in the long run. From her emotion towards the end of our encounter, I strongly suspect that abortion is something proximate to her and the motivations she ascribed to us came from a place of great hurt and perhaps having been horribly wronged by men in the past. I was sorrowed seeing her upset and am sorrowed to recall it now. Perhaps hiding the full reality of the things that we do from our own sight can be a mercy at times, and who am I to suppose myself to be any less guilty of terrible omissions in other areas of my life? I only hope that, when the hour comes, I might be shown the loving mercy we should feel in our hearts for those Brixton passersby who are so wracked with suffering and anger but do not quite know why. 

Nathan

For help in pregnancy see here or for help when suffering after an abortion see here

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Valerie Bears Witness to the Truth of Pro-Life Vigils

Today, some leftists in Brixton decided to have a "Defend Abortion Rights" Demonstration to "send the message that shame and intimidation are not welcome in our community". It seems that the groups involved did not read our signs before deciding to take offence, or they would surely have seen that we are only offering alternatives to abortion to those who want them. Furthermore, we are not there to shame or intimidate anyone, and have had many conversations with those who have had abortions, whatever their views, without feeling the need to shame or intimiate anyone. They went on to say in their leaflet that "Reform UK and Nigel Farage are in support of these kind of ['anti-abortion'] campaigns" - another favoured trope of the pro-abortion campaigner that all pro-lifers are racist, anti-immigrant, right wing, gun supporting, vaccine hating blah, blah,blah. 

The truth is far more diverse. The pro-life movement is full of people of all colours and races and every strand of political belief. Many people come into the movement because of their own, or a loved one's abortion and it's aftermath. Many others arrive into the movement after finding that scientifically a newly conceived life can only be a very tiny human - "A person's a person no matter how small" as Dr Seuss tells us!

This group met on the steps of Lambeth Town Hall at midday and they ranted about those anti-choicers up at our vigil. Their demo was about to close when a brave black woman - I'll call her Valerie - stepped forward to speak. She told them that she did not agree with them, that she herself had had two abortions. She said her first abortion when she was only in her teens was in the Brixton abortion centre. She said that she wished the vigil had been there for her, and she might have been able to choose life for her child instead. She described the pain and suffering of having a second abortion, because no-one was there to offer her help or support. They began to respond and tell her she was only 1 person and not everyone felt like her. She refused to be brushed off by this and she said "There are others who feel like I do. You are criticising the people praying up the road, but what can you offer to people like me who are suffering after an abortion? You want me to have abortions and you want to demand my right to abortion, but I have had an abortion and I have the pain and trauma of going through that. What help have you got for me?" Of course the answer is "No help at all". But the protestors did not answer her at all. They began to walk away. When she told them "Abortion kills a child" they told her she was being agressive, and they all left. 

However, after they left, Valerie came up to the Vigil to meet with us, and to recount what had happened. 

While this was going on, up at the vigil, no doubt encouraged by the demo, a local jogger stopped to pointedly spit at our sign which proclaims "Women and children deserve better than abortion" and which bears our helpline number. Meanwhile a passing driver put their hand on the horn for a full minute while waving at us with just one finger. Then a local passing by came up to us with a confused look on his face and said "I've been up the road and down the road and I want to ask, - Why are people giving you such abuse?" - a very good question!

When Valerie arrived, she told us the whole story of what had happened. She too was confused by the fact that her story was of no interest to the self-styled "women's rights advocates". But as someone with a faith in God, she quickly recognised that their movement was all about politics and not about people. As she told them of her sorrow at the loss of her two children, they explained to her that 'there are too many children in the world anyway.' 

She thanked us and asked God to bless us. She said she had prayed about whether to come today, and felt that God wanted her too. She thanked God for sending her a son after she had gone through two abortions and she told us how repentant she felt about them. And before she left us, she encouraged us to keep praying, and she said "I've got your back!"

It's not easy being at a vigil. I take my hat off to the vigil volunteers who are there daily or several times a week and put up with all kinds of abuse from passers by. But on the worst of days, we need to remember the many "Valeries" out there, not all as brave as today's Valerie, and not all willing to speak up, but those who pass by quietly and offer a prayer in their hearts for lost children and those who try to reach out and help Mothers.

Clare

The Prayer Vigil in Brixton will run for 12 hours a day, 8am to 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 of great help. The vigil takes place at the corner of Brixton Water Lane, London, SW2 5BJ. For more details or to book to attend please contact Gabriella on 07745711064 or 02077231740

For details about 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigils in Reading, Ealing, Southend, Liverpool, Nottingham, Glasgow, Leicester, Bournemouth and Sheffield see here and for the rest of the World see here

PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK AND THE MOTHERS AND BABIES IN MOST NEED

Donate by Bank Transfer to:

The Guild of Our Lady of Good Counsel

Sort Code: 40-06-30                          

Account Number: 13994678

By Credit Card over the phone:

Call 0207-723-1740

Monday to Friday, 10.30-6pm

Via Paypal: Paypal.me/SaveLivesGCN

BBC Live from an abortuary & the women they don't want to speak to

One that got away - A Baby Whose Mum Chose Life after Visiting an Abortuary
You will probably have heard by now about this programme at 10am today on BBC Radio 5 Live;

"Victoria [Derbyshire] speaks to doctors, nurses and patients live from an abortion clinic [sic].

It is hard to believe that this will be anything other than a bit of pro-death propaganda. No doubt some of the tragedy of abortion may come through, but it will be presented as a necessary evil, and a better option than raising a child in difficult circumstances - ultimately a good thing for society, but hard. That's our bet anyway. If you are listening-in, please don't hesitate to give some feedback to provide balance. The details are:

Call 0500 909693 [free from most landlines; other networks may vary]. Text:
85058 [standard message rate]. Email: Victoria@bbc.co.uk. Twitter: @vicderbyshire.

If you would like to hear the other side of the story, the real help that women need, and what it is like for a woman who changes her mind at the abortuary doorstep, or what it is like for those who go through the abortion because they have no other choice, or if you want to hear from someone who spends her life providing real help to women in crisis pregnancies, read on. Robert Colquhoun of 40 Days for Life, has interviewed 4 such women at the Good Counsel Centre.

Here are interviews with two women who turned around on the doorsteps of the abortuary, because Catholics were there to offer them help, when both felt had that they had no choice. http://www.divshare.com/download/17571772-a3d (10 minutes) & http://www.divshare.com/download/17571864-4dc (20 minutes)

This third women has had an abortion and needs her vioce to be heard. Please send this link to everyone you know; http://www.divshare.com/download/17571931-cd3 (20 minutes)
Finally here is Ronni a volunteer with Good Counsel; http://www.divshare.com/download/17571913-6ce (11 minutes)

To give Mums-to-be a real chioce involves a lot of time, money and prayer, - we don't have enough of any of these to help all the turnarounds currently needing our help - if we all do our bit to help, even more lives will be saved. Please spread the word.

Clare and Stuart McCullough

40 Days For Life is back in London

"Wednesday 14th September, 7pm, Farm Street Parish Hall, London, W1K 3AH - Cast the Vision event. We will meet to launch London's third 40 Days for Life Campaign. We have Rachel's Vineyard post-abortion help and Fiona Mansford coming to speak. Refreshments will be provided. Hope to see you there. The Committee."

This is well worth supporting, as it saves babies from abortion as well helping Mothers avoid abortion. If you cannot be there do see their website to see what else you can do to help. After their first Campaign Good Counsel carried on with the daily vigil.

Stuart McCullough

Botched Abortion Driftwood

Perhaps its because we are meeting more women immediately after their abortions through both our own Whitfield St abortuary Vigil and the Forty Days for Life Vigil at Bedford Square, but it suddenly seems as though we are meeting more and more victims of botched abortions. These women are like driftwood washed up on the shore. No-one seems to know what to do with them, the abortuary fobs them off, the NHS seems embarrassed - and no wonder since they are in bed with bothe BPAS and Marie Stopes. Sadly there is no bank of Pro-Life doctors or nurses, surgeons or gynecologists to turn to for help. Though there are some good pro-life doctors out there, they have usually avoided gynecology and obstetrics in order to avoid abortion and so few if any are specialists in the fields we need them in.

Just recently we have seen a number of these women in special need. Una who took the abortion pill but found herself still pregnant - perhaps because the scan done at the abortuary was 2 weeks out in dating her baby. Sandra who had a surgical abortion but was told by the abortuary that it was a "missed abortion" - i.e. she is probably still pregnant. Pamela who had an abortion, was told by the abortuary a fortnight later that everything was gone, but who later had to have a suction "procedure" to remove tissue from the womb.

Additionally complications of abortion arise when women are not offered all the facts and real life-giving choices beforehand. Kate, a victim of rape who was shuttled through an abortion at the speed of light without an offer of any alternative help, panicked after taking the first pill, recognised that abortion is wrong and changed her "choice" - she is still waiting to see if her baby will survive.

These are just a handful of the women we have seen recently. How many more are coping with these horrible situations, without good medical care and without support?

Please pray for these women - the driftwood remains of a holocaust - their suffering is tremendous. May God save the lives of their babies where there is still a chance of this, and the souls of the Mothers and those who performed the abortions on them.

Clare McCullough

3 Women, 14 Abortions.

As we have blogged about recently, we have had a great increase in clients in the first quarter of this year. Many have come to us very set on abortion, but by God's grace we have already seen many "turnarounds" this year, where girls have opened their heart to their baby and chosen life instead. Add to this the girls changing their minds at our Whitfield St abortuary Vigil and then the turnarounds from 40 Days for Life at Bedford Square abortuary and you will see why we are run off our feet!

In the last week we have seen a lot of very broken women. 3 girls that we spoke to had between them a total of 14 previous abortions. It takes something to move from that lifestyle to one of acknowledging the sanctity of their baby's life. These ladies can be absolutely terrified to face their pregnancy and the baby it will bring them, because they know it will force them too deal with the previous abortions too and the thought of that is simply overwhelmingly unbearable.

Please keep these ladies in your prayers. And please remember our appeal for babygoods and newborn clothes. We especially need boys clothes 0-6 months and light buggies but ones which are suitable for newborns (i.e. they lie flat). We need 2 twin buggies at present - the one in front of the other tandam type, not side by side twins as women can't get them on the bus - their main form of transfer. For more information on what we need click here, and please spread the word.

Lastly, if you or someone you know are suffering after an abortion, click here to call us for one-to-one counselling or to get a number for ARCH telephone counselling or Rachel's Vineyard weekend Retreats.

Clare 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

Send us Labourers O Lord

I met Paulina a little while ago. She had gone for an abortion having approached several organisations for help in her pregnancy, but finding none. She went to an 'abortion clinic' as they like to call them. A briefer than brief consultation was done and, hey presto, she was given the first part of the 'abortion pill' (it is actually several pills given over two stages). No blood tests were done, despite the risks of the pill, no questions were asked.
Outside the abortuary a volunteer was giving out our help leaflets. Unfortunately she arrived just after Paulina. Paulina stopped to speak to her on her way home, desolate at her loss and inconsolable that she had missed the offer of help.
Then began her nightmares; her son appeared to her as a young boy, drowning or trapped in deadly situations from which she couldn't rescue him. She would wake screaming, crying, sweating. She felt like her existence was pointless.
Worse was to come, she found she had an infection and though at a return visit to the abortuary they said she was fine, she eventually ended up in hospital where they found she was severely anaaemic and something else was wrong. Did she have an ectopic pregnancy? Was it a cyst? Ne, eventually they decided it was 'retained products of conception' or baby parts inside her. This time a surgical abortion followed to remove her dead baby's remains.
Eventually she came back to see us, remembering the kindness she had received from to of our workers that she had met. She was so low she said 'I am not suicidal because I feel I am already dead.'
Friendship, advice and time have helped Paulina to heal, but the real turning points have been Confession and a Requiem Mass for her son. She is now passionately pro-life and determined to live a good life from this point on.
Please pray for her as she still suffers a lot physically and psychologically and pray for all those women going for an abortion who never get an offer of help or support to keep their babies because 'The labourers are few.'

Clare McCullough