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.

Our Lady's Maternity Ward - A Birth At the Good Counsel's Mother and Baby Home

OUR LADY OF THE GOOD COUNSEL IS REALLY THE MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACES!

Paraphrasing the sayings of St. Paul in one his letters to the Romans that for all those who love and trust in God, all things work for their good (see Rom.8:28), I begin this narrative about the miraculous birth of baby Moses inside the living room of Our Lady of Good Counsel Home for Mothers; another great sign of the powerfulness of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary-Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Baby Moses' Mother went into labour about 3am on Sunday 19th and was sent to the hospital by ambulance by 6.30am. When the Nuns rang to know how she was progressing, they were told that this mother had been sent back home as the Labour was not very far along. By about 2.30pm, she was back at the house still in birth travail. She, with help of the Nuns and other mothers in the house went on strolling to help quicken the labour. Immediately after the supper, the labour seemed to advance as her waters broke about 7.40pm and hospital attention was called. The medic who answered the phone gave a conditional response saying that the woman could be sent in but would still be sent back if not found advanced in labour. And they said that the baby may not come in the next 24 hours. As the poor mother kept on screaming uncontrollably, we rang 999 for ambulance services. About twenty minutes after that came the ambulance with some paramedics. After examining Moses' Mother, they decided that she would not make it to the hospital and as they didn’t want him to be delivered inside the ambulance, they decided to deliver him in the Mother's House living room. What a miracle!
At about 11.50pm, there was a little bit of panicking as Moses' mother who is naturally a strong girl has started getting her strength exhausted. While the Pentecostal girls in the house continued praying in their Pentecostal manner outside the living room, the Nuns went before the Blessed Sacrament prostrating before the Lord, one of the Nuns said this prayer:
‘Beloved Mother Mary, God may not hear me instantly now as I want because of my sinfulness; but you our dearest Mother is sinless and therefore could be heard by God without delay. Please plead with your Son as you did in the wedding at Cana to loose whatever that is holding this baby, to let him come out so that we may hear this baby’s cry now.’
The Nun just had time to say Amen, and the next thing heard was "Waa! Waa! Waa!" Thus baby Moses’ cry that weighed 3.64kg at birth was heard at exactly 12.15am on a Monday in February. Moses became the first recorded baby born inside Our Lady of Good Counsel Home for Mothers. To God be the greatest Glory and Honour.
People may question why the Hospital exposed baby Moses Mother and her carers to such a big risk. It is only God who would give an appropriate response to the why. As for we the children of the Blessed Virgin Mary-the Mother of the Good Counsel and the Holy Family, the reason for all this is for all those who doubt the powerfulness of the intercession of the Mother of God to know that they are missing a lot by their failure to recourse to her.
Oh Mary conceived without original sin continue to pray for those who have recourse to Thee. Amen.

Donate to support this Catholic Pro-Life Home.

Mary Joseph J Ogbuokiri, HFSN.

Feed A Mum on Fridays

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.

Juventutem Mass for Good Counsel

"If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single Mass."~ Saint Padre Pio

Join Juventutem London for Solemn High Mass (Old Rite) on the Friday.

Friday, 24th February, 6.30pm
Saint Mary Moorfields Catholic Church, 4-5 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LS

After Mass there will be a social downstairs for those aged 18-35 with an exception for priests and religious.

The Mass is open to anyone of any age. It is only the social events that are designed for 18-35 year olds.

This Mass and all our monthly Masses are offered for the work of The Good Counsel Network, a pro-life pregnancy centre that reaches out to mothers in desperate need of support, who would otherwise feel they have no other option than to have an abortion. Their work is founded on prayer and the teachings of the Catholic Church.

If you plan on coming to the social please RSVP either by emailing me, or by clicking 'Attending' on our Facebook event page.

Please let others know about this Mass by forwarding on this email, by inviting your friends on Facebook or by word of mouth.

If you are receiving this email but don't live in London or anywhere near it, I have sent it to you to keep you up to date with what we're doing and to request your prayers for Juventutem London and its members. If you'd like to be removed from this mailing list just send me an email saying so.

"Whatever we do in the political and social order, the indispensable foundation is prayer, the heart of which is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the perfect prayer of Christ Himself, Priest and Victim, recreating in an unbloody manner, the bloody selfsame Sacrifice of Calvary."
~ John Senior

Photo; St Mary Moorfields, Good Friday 2011

National Day of Prayer & Fasting for Life

And He said to them; This kind (of demon) can go out by nothing but prayer and fasting.

Gospel of Mark 9:29.

Since the 5th July 2008 The Good Counsel Network has organised monthly National days of prayer and fasting for life, the first was to prevent the passing of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Although the bill was passed some of the more damaging anti-life amendments were not added to it, including an attack on pro-life counselling and the extension to Northern Ireland of the Abortion Act. There had also been 40 days of Prayer and Fasting in Northern Ireland to ensure that this law was not extended. This only confirmed what we already knew; it is clear from the work that we do at Good Counsel Network, advising women who are strongly set on abortion, that the struggle to end abortion is a spiritual struggle and not merely one of practical concerns or politics.

February 22nd, Ash Wednesday is the next National Day of Prayer and Fasting for Life. Please join us in fasting. You could fast from all food except bread and water for the day or fast from a particular food or luxury, e.g. chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes or tv. Fast from whatever you can given your state of health etc, but make sure that it is something that involves a sacrifice to yourself. We are asking people to say a Rosary (or an extra Rosary if you say it daily already). You could also offer an extra effort such as going to Mass, or an extra Mass, on the day, or going to Adoration.

And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least...God saw their efforts to renounce their evil ways. And God relented about the disaster which He had threatened to bring on them, and He did not bring it. Jonah 3:5,10.

For more information and a printable poster click here.

This Lent come and pray with us at an abortuary, there is our daily vigil in London, 40 Days 4 Life will start on Ash Wednesday in London, in Birmingham, in Brighton and in Manchester. For details of others vigils around the Country see here.

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.

I thank God, that my Mother did not abort me

I once wanted to makes stickers that said this in a speech bubble, to stick on adverts on the Underground. Nick Cannon was asked after he made this video, if he was Pro-Life, he said he was just Pro-Nick! Today is my 11th Wedding Anniversary, so I also thank God for my beautiful Wife's Mam & Dad.

Strange, but if my Mother chose not to have me, then my son would not be here, all of my nieces and nephews would have missed out on such a great uncle!

It may be a bit long, but please use this; #IthankGodthatmymotherdidnotabortme on twitter on you Birthday, Anniversary or whenever!

Pro-Life Mass on Friday, followed by a Social

"If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy."
~ Saint John Vianney

Join Juventutem London as we celebrate the feast of Saint John Chrysostom with Solemn High Mass (Old Rite, normally offered for Good Counsel).

Saint Mary Moorfields Catholic Church, 4-5 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LS
Friday, 27th January, 6.30pm

Music:Missa Ecce sacerdos magnus (K, G, S, A) Palestrina
Ecce sacerdos magnus Victoria
Alma redemptoris Mater Palestrina

After Mass there will be a social downstairs for those aged 18-35 with an exception for priests and religious.
The Mass, of course, is open to all.

If you plan on coming to the social please click 'Attending' on our Facebook event page.
Please let others know about this Mass by forwarding this post or by inviting your friends on Facebook.

"When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the divine victim immolated on the altar."
~ Saint John Chrysostom

WHAT IS JUVENTUTEM?

Juventutem London is a group for young Catholic adults that meets with the blessing of Bishop Alan Hopes and Fr Peter Newby, whose parish church, St Mary Moorfields on Eldon Street, we use for Mass. We currently offer the only regular Solemn High Mass in London, which takes place on the 4th Friday of every month (generally - check 5-weeked months to make sure). Following Mass we have a social and a meal. We also meet for 'unofficial' socials on the greater feasts of the Church, after Masses offered in other locations in London.

The International Juventutem Federation is an international Catholic organisation for young people (18-35) with an interest in and love of the Traditional Latin Mass, also known as the Extraordinary Form and the 'Tridentine' or Gregorian Mass. They are in good standing with the Church and obedient to her Magisterium. They have received letters of praise from Cardinal Levada of the CDF. The name 'Juventutem' itself is the Latin word for youth and it appears in the opening lines of the traditional Mass.

Christi's Choice

As the result of an abortion, Christi Stile ended up in a persistent vegetative state for life. Presented as an emotional interview with her mother, Kay tries to explain what happened and how her family tries to cope with it.

This well made and very moving 30 minute programme will be on EWTN on Tuesday 24th January at 2am, 10.30am and 9pm (sky589 or online)

BLOODMONEY: THE BUSINESS OF ABORTION

BLOODMONEY: THE BUSINESS OF ABORTION

Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. exposes the truth behind the Abortion Industry from the Pro Life perspective, and hosts an examination of the history of abortion in America.

This very well made 60 minute programme will be on EWTN on Monday 23rd January at 9.30am (sky589 or online)

Happy Birthday Good Counsel

Today is the 15th Anniversary of the founding of the Good Counsel Network

in the UK.

Please keep our work in your prayers.
Our Lady Mother of Good Counsel, and St Jude, Pray for us!

15 Years of The Good Counsel Network!

There will be an Old Rite Mass organised by the Latin Mass Society, on Friday 13th January at 6.30pm at Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane, London. This Mass is offered for the work of the Good Counsel Network. This will be the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Good Counsel Network.

Fast for life Thursday 12th January

And He said to them; This kind (of demon) can go out by nothing but prayer and fasting. Gospel of Mark 9:29.

Since the 5th July 2008 The Good Counsel Network has organised monthly National days of prayer and fasting for life, the first was to prevent the passing of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Although the bill was passed some of the more damaging anti-life amendments were not added to it, including an attack on pro-life counselling and the extension to Northern Ireland of the Abortion Act. There had also been 40 days of Prayer and Fasting in Northern Ireland to ensure that this law was not extended. This only confirmed what we already knew; it is clear from the work that we do at Good Counsel Network, advising women who are strongly set on abortion, that the struggle to end abortion is a spiritual struggle and not merely one of practical concerns or politics.

Thursday the 12th January is the next National Day of Prayer and Fasting for Life, it is the eve of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Good Counsel Network. Please join us in fasting. You could fast from all food except bread and water for the day or fast from a particular food or luxury, e.g. chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes or tv. Fast from whatever you can given your state of health etc, but make sure that it is something that involves a sacrifice to yourself. We are asking people to say a Rosary (or an extra Rosary if you say it daily already). You could also offer an extra effort such as going to Mass, or an extra Mass, on the day, or going to Adoration.

And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least...God saw their efforts to renounce their evil ways. And God relented about the disaster which He had threatened to bring on them, and He did not bring it. Jonah 3:5,10.

For more information and a printable poster click here. Or if you have problems with this link go to http://www.goodcounselnetwork.com/ and find the Days of Prayer and Fasting page.