Fr Hugh Thwaites RIP

Fr Hugh Thwaites at our wedding.

The great pro-life stalwart Fr James Morrow is behind him.

A few years ago, about 10 actually, Fr Thwaites accompanied my husband Stuart and I to Youth 2000 in Walsingham. It was not exactly his scene, to say the least, but he had been tempted there by reports of mass confessions and vocations.

There were many things he did not like about the festival - as you might imagine. He was only saying the Old Rite Mass by that time and so he said Mass everyday at the friend's house he stayed at. And, while praying each day in the marquee, he said the general goings on - loud music, loud sermons and so on - meant it was the most distracted praying of his brieviary that he had ever experienced.

But Fr Thwaites was always a gentleman and always looking for ways to bring souls closer to Christ. He also said the whole festival was totally geared to bringing forth vocations, which he loved. And he made himself available for confessions morning, noon and night. Not a bad effort in a damp field for someone in his mid eighties and definitely out of his comfort zone!!!

The most amazing thing for me was to see how everyone knew him. Here he was, an old man, often saying the Old Rite Mass alone in a private chapel, and here we were with a load of youngsters, mostly New Rite Mass only ones at that, and everyone knew him. And if they didn't know him personally their mum knew him, he had converted their dad to the faith, he had married their aunty and uncle or I don't know what. And they flocked to him.

He was overjoyed to meet seminarians and his advice to them was, if you want to always have enough money, always buy rosaries and have them in your pockets ready to give out. That way, he said, Our Lady would always make sure you would have enough money for more :).

I remember when he used to stand at the back of the Church at the end of Mass in Spanish Place when he was there. He would have a table laden with bottles of holy water, a large handful of Miraculous Medals and would be given them out wholesale. And he was wonderful with children.

He was a really saintly person. Someone who succeeded in bringing hundreds, probably thousands, to the faith. I look forward to the first good biography of him.

I wish I had a better picture of him. We always thought that you could see heaven in his crystal blue eyes.

It's hard to imagine him being anywhere other than in heaven, but no doubt he would be the first to ask for prayers for the repose of his soul.

New Intake for Good Counsel's Intern Programme

Following on the success of our first Intern Programme, we plan to continue the Programme for men and women of all ages who want to make a full-time temporary commitment to our work.

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. There are two houses, one for men and one for women.

Although we are strapped for cash at the present, we have decided to continue the programme as so far the Interns have helped to save many, many lives, including 4 turnarounds from Whitfield St marie stopes in one week.

Intern placements are available for periods of 2 to 6 months commencing on 1st September. Please email me if you are interested info@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk

If you have applied previously, but we didn't have enough places available, you are welcome to apply again.

Clare McCullough

£800 raised for Good Counsel, on GK Chesterton Pilgrimage

After last year’s Chesterton Pilgrimage, I said, 'next year we'll walk'. The plan was simple, walk from St George's (c of E) Kensington, where GK Chesterton was Baptised in 1874, to Beaconsfield where this great man is buried. I planned to do this on 14th June the Anniversary of his death, this date had to be abandoned. And so we re-booked for 28th July, the nearest Saturday to the 90th Anniversary of GKC's Conversion to The Catholic Church. No doubt this was Chesterton's plan all along!

A few days before the Pilgrimage, I noticed that I had got the distances wrong! It was too late to change the start time, as 9am had gone out on posters, newsletters and blogs. So having allowed myself four and a half hours to walk nine miles from Kensington to Mass in Uxbridge, stopping for breakfast on the way, I now found that I had fourteen miles to do! So I started at 9am sharp, I read the first paragraph of GKC’s Autobiography out loud and said the GK Chesterton Prayer and 'we' were off.

I stopped to buy knee supports in Shepherd's Bush, as my knees have not been right since my Stroll on Rome 12 year's ago, Belloc's fault. Then I got a phone call from The Good Counsel office, "Stella, is outside Saint George's!" Stella was amazed to find that a Catholic event had started on time, as she was there by 9.10am. I called her with my location, she caught up and off we went. We walked in a straight line along the Uxbridge Road until we got Ealing where we turned into Mattock Lane to say the GKC Prayer outside that abortuary, and then on to Hanwell, where we joined the canal to Uxbridge. Fr Schofield kindly delayed the 1.30pm Mass, until 2pm and we arrived just after Mass had started! (You can read Father's excellent Sermon here)

My long suffering Wife had packed me a wonderful lunch. But as I had not announced a plan for lunch, we now headed back into Uxbribge to find a shop. I say 'we', for after Mass our Pilgrimage had doubled in size for the second time that day, as William and Lucy were joining us for the walk on to Beaconsfield. There were a number of others at the Mass (Old Rite) offered in thanksgiving for Chesterton's Conversion.

After we had eaten, we left Uxbridge following country foot paths, as many of these were overgrown, it was at times very slow going. William pointed out that, "All walk leaders are liars!" and then we lost the footpath! (Photo shows us re finding it). Each time we crossed a bridge we made William the walk leader, as he has a ritual for walking across bridges, which varied depending on what the bridge crossed. But I would remember that "All walk leaders are liars!" If you attend next year's Pilgrimage then you will learn these rituals as well as some of the songs from William's drinking songs book. We did say a Rosary at some point in the day.

And so finally we turned into Candlemas Lane in Beaconsfield, I put away my map, only to realise at the end of it, that we should have turned into the small lane on the left as entered Candlemas Lane. And so back we went! The gate to the cemetery was still open. I then remembered that Lucy had, a number of hours before, when I said my feet & knees were hurting, said something about getting to his graveside before me, so off I ran and won the race. 9.30pm! Next year we will start earlier and take a different route in the afternoon, all walkers cheer! But remember that, "All walk leaders are liars".

(On a 'silly' footnote, I've written this post over a number of days, but 'am finishing it at 4am while filling a hot water bottle for my Wife, who has toothache!)

So far I've raised £800 of my £1000 target from this walk, for Good Counsel.

What m*r*e stopes fears most about our Vigils, in their own words: "baby pink and blue rosary beads"

Eddie and a fellow vigil keeper. Not filming anyone, harassing anyone, shouting at anyone, running after anyone or even cuddling anyone - just another normal day of loving women in trouble and their babies by offering them support and help.

Well since everyone is talking about it here and here and here, we may as well blog about it ourselves! Please consider making a donation to the excellent work of the Thomas More Legal Centre here, they kindly acted on our behalf free of charge.

Have a read of m*r*e stopes letter below, and note how similar the accusations they have thrown at us and those BPAS threw at 40 Days for Life and are now throwing at Abort67.

Re the camera and filming accusations, we DO NOT film the women at the vigil and have not in the past, and although we have taken pictures of the abortuary, we have always avoided doing so when women are entering. However, we do reserve the right to film the vigil itself to protect our staff and volunteers from the kind of false accusations made in this letter. Even if we do so, we still will avoid filming the women going in, if for no other reason than the fact that our whole aim is to offer them help and support. Not harrass them, scare them, humiliate them or judge them. For the most part we find that they have experienced rather a lot of this type of treatment by others already. And we don't think filming them would be very conducive to getting them to consider an offer of support!

From the solicitors of m*r*e stopes:

16th July 2012

Dear Sirs

Re: Protests outside of Marie Stopes international centres

We represent Marie Stopes International (MSI).
We have been asked to write to you in connection with the
ongoing activities of protestors affiliated with your organisation who protest
regularly outside of MSI’s centres. We have set out below our client’s concerns
in relation to such activities. Whilst MSI acknowledges your organisation’s
(and that of its members) right to protest, we strongly urge you to consider
how such protests may be conducted respectfully and without potentially
infringing the law and breaching MSI’s rights and those of its clients.

Approaching MSI’s clients

We understand that protestors have engaged in various acts
or conduct including shouted ‘Don’t
apologise just leave!’ or used
similar vocabulary at MSI’s clients, have approached clients with plastic
foetus’ asking the client to pray for the foetus, have attempted to intimidate
clients by running up to them, have handed out baby pink and blue rosary beads,
and have handed out leaflets containing graphic images. We further understand
that on occasion, where a client has stopped in response to a protestor, the
client has been surrounded by protestors who have tried to ‘cuddle’ the client.
These activities have caused some of MSI’s clients immense distress. We further
understand that at least one client was physically injured whilst being pursued
by a protestor.
Section 3A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (the
“Act”) provides for a civil right of action against harassment and allows one
to seek injunctive relief. Under the Act, a person must not pursue a course of
conduct which amounts to harassment of another and which he/she knows or ought
ot know amounts to harassment of the other. ‘Harassment’ includes a conduct
which causes distress. Our client is therefore concerned that some of your
activities may be in breach of the Act.

Filming MSI’s clients

We understand that protestors have filmed clients entering
and leaving MSI’s centres. Given that MSI’s clients state their names via the
intercom system upon entering the centre which can be heard by protestors
located by the entrance, the filming of MSI’s clients amounts to processing of
personal data. This activity can cause distress to MSI’s clients.

Section 10 of the Data Protection Act 1998 provides for a
right to prevent processing of personal data that causes distress. The
continued filming of MSI’s clients could force our client to seek a court order
to prevent a breach of the data protection rights of MSI’s clients.

Leaflets

It has further been brought to MSI’s attention that
protestors from your organisation distribute a leaflet entitled. “Pregnant...Worried?”
(the “leaflet”) which contains factually incorrect and/or misleading
information. The Leaflet claims that abortion can result in breast cancer,
disruption of the menstrual cycle and the inability to become pregnant in the
future. These claims are wholly unfounded. Likewise, the possible psychological
implications of abortion set out in the leaflet are also misleading.
MSI is entitled to make a complaint to the Advertising
Standards Authority on the basis that the information published in the leaflet
regarding the physical and psychological implications of abortion is
misleading, unsubstantiated and in some circumstances untrue.
We understand that your organisation has a right to protest
and our client recognises this right. The purpose of this letter is to inform
you of MSI’s concerns. Should your organisation or its members continue to
engage in activities which MSI considers unlawful, our client reserves the
right to seek all remedies as may be necessary, including injunctive relief.

Yours faithfully

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP

Our Reply, from Mr Neil Addison, of the Thomas More Legal Centre

Dear ...........

I am instructed on behalf of my client the Good Counsel Network (Good Counsel) to reply to your letter of 16th July sent on behalf of your client Marie Stopes International (MSI). I note at the outset that Good Counsel disagree with your description of their acts as being a "protest", it is rather a prayer vigil where Good Counsel pray for the unborn children daily killed by MSI and also for the mothers of those children. It is also an opportunity to offer women contemplating Abortion an alternative choice and is there to assist them in choosing to allow their child to live rather than be killed. Good Counsel offers counselling, practical help and moral support to women who are contemplating Abortion and also to women who have had Abortions and are suffering trauma afterwards. Ultimately the final decision is that of the mother of the child but Good Counsel, unlike MSI, does provide mothers with an alternative to Abortion. In any event whether called a prayer vigil or a protest the actions of Good Counsel are always carried out peacefully and lawfully and are protected under Common Law rights of peaceful assembly and under Articles 9, 10, 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. With regard to the specific allegations made in your letter

APPROACHING MSI'S CLIENTS Good Counsel deny that they or any person associated with them has shouted at clients of MSI indeed to do so would be completely counter productive and contrary to the purpose of Good Counsel which is to reach out to and talk to women. Representatives of Good Counsel do not seek to intimidate anyone whether by running up to them or otherwise. Representatives of Good Counsel approach women with leaflets which offer help to women considering a decision which, we assume, MSI would agree is an important decision and not one to be made lightly or on the basis of inadequate information. They do have models of pre-born children which may be shown to women and which are useful in showing women the accurate developmental stage of their child. This is a valid part of any counseling which is committed to ensuring that pregnant women have accurate information before they make any irrevocable decision.Good Counsel do indeed have Rosary beads which are in both "baby pink and blue" to use the description in your letter, the colours being chosen in memory of the baby girls and baby boys killed daily by MSI. These Rosary beads are not forced upon anyone and possession and use of the Holy Rosary is a "manifestation of religion" protected under Article 9. Leaflets containing graphic, but accurate, images of abortion are kept by Good Counsel representatives but they are not handed out in an indiscriminate manner as is suggested in your letter. Such pictures are shown on a one to one basis when the Good Counsel representative is in discussion with someone about Abortion. The leaflets are only given to someone when they request a copy which is often done in order to show the images to someone else who is pressuring the woman to have an Abortion. This constitutes the "imparting of information" and as such is protected under Article 10. I note at this point that the information provided to representatives of Good Counsel is that women who take any leaflets provided by Good Counsel are having them taken off them by staff members of MSI even when the woman wants to retain the leaflet and read it. I am informed by my Client that in the last month at least 2 women who had their leaflets taken from them by MSI staff asked for further copies from Good Counsel representatives after leaving MSI premises. They then went on to accept the support offered by Good Counsel and decided to keep their babies as a result of the help they were offered. [my emphasis] This action by MSI staff is an interference with the Article 10 rights of these women to "receive information" so it would seem that MSI are interfering with the Human Rights of pregnant women as well as, of course, ending the Right to Life of unborn children. Good Counsel by contrast is upholding the Human Rights of pregnant women as well as the right to life of their unborn children.Good Counsel deny that they or anyone associated with them has surrounded MSI clients or attempted to "cuddle" them against their will so as to cause them distress. I note at this point that MSI has frequently called the Police in order to complain about the activities of Good Counsel but the Police once called have never found any evidence of wrong doing by Good Counsel. Had persons associated with Good Counsel been surrounding women or attempting to touch them against their will, as your letter alleges, then that would be conduct contrary to the Public Order Act and the Police would have taken action. The fact that the Police have not done so is indicative of the fact that this alleged harassment has not occurred.You state that one of MSI clients was physically injured by someone associated with Good Counsel. I assume that such a serious incident, if it has actually occurred, will have been reported to the Police as an Assault. Can I therefore please be provided with confirmation of the Police station to which the alleged assault was reported, the date it was reported and the Police Crime Incident number. If this alleged assault was not reported to the Police then why not, certainly Good Counsel are not aware of any injury or any allegations of injury being suffered by any client of MSI.

PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT s3A. We note your reference to this Act and its requirements however you have failed to mention the defences in the Act in particular s1(3)(c) "that in the particular circumstances the pursuit of the course of conduct was reasonable." As already mentioned Good Counsel is exercising Common Law rights of peaceful assembly and rights guaranteed under Articles 9, 10, 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and as such its conduct is reasonable. I mention this defence without prejudice to the fact that Good Counsel deny that their vigil has caused harassment, alarm or distress or that any reasonable person would consider that the vigil amounts to harassment. In addition the allegations made by MSI do not reach the level of seriousness which the Courts in such cases as Majrowski v Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Trust [2006] UKHL 34 and Veakins v Kier Islington Ltd [2009] EWCA Civ 1288 have stated is required in order to justify either a Civil or a Criminal allegation of harassment.

FILMING MSI's CLIENTS Good Counsel categorically deny that they or anyone associated with them has filmed or photographed clients entering or leaving MSI's premises. Participants in a vigil have on occasions videoed themselves as part of the provision of information to supporters etc about the vigil but Good Counsel do not and have not filmed clients of MSI or processed their personal data contrary to the Data Protection Act. Good Counsel do however reserve the right to film their vigil in the future as evidence of the peaceful manner in which it is conducted and as a defence against unfounded and inaccurate allegations of the type made in your letter. They will of course continue with their existing policy of not filming MSI clients.

LEAFLETS If you wish to waste your time and MSI's money by referring Good Counsel's leaflets to the Advertising Standards Authority you are of course at liberty to do so. I would however make the point that it is your own case that these leaflets are distributed by protestors as part of a protest and it would be an extraordinary extension of the remit of the ASA if it were suddenly to assume that it had the right to vet information given out as part of a protest. I frankly regard this suggestion that you would refer the matter to the ASA as simply an attempt to intimidate Good Counsel by making a threat which you yourselves must know is legally fatuous.

In any event Good Counsel is prepared if necessary to defend before the ASA or a Court everything said in its leaflets the contents of which are based on solid scientific study and on the testimony and experience of many women who have had Abortions. Good Counsel and organisations like it deal daily with women suffering the physical and psychological effects of Abortion; effects which MSI attempts to ignore. Let us be blunt Marie Stopes International makes a great deal of money by persuading women to kill their unborn babies and makes no money if women decide to keep their babies. Marie Stopes International is by no stretch of the imagination a neutral and impartial voice on the physical and psychological effects of Abortion and has a substantial financial interest in trying to silence any person or organisation which questions the effect of, or provides alternative information about, Abortion. That is very clearly what they are trying to do with regard to the work of the Good Counsel Network.

We would also remind you, MSI, and if necessary the ASA or a Court of the words of Mr Justice Supperstone in the case of British Pregnancy Advisory Service v Secretary of State for Health [2011] EWHC 235 (Admin )

"Abortion remains a controversial subject in respect of which there are differing deeply-held views."

and also the words of Mr Justice Munby in Smeaton v Secretary of State for Health [2002] EWHC 610 (Admin)

"Our society, including the most thoughtful and concerned sections of our society, are deeply troubled by, and indeed deeply divided over, such issues [ie Abortion]. These are topics on which men and woman of different faiths, or indeed of no faith at all, may and do hold, passionately and with the utmost sincerity, starkly differing views. All of those views are entitled to the greatest respect but it is not for a judge to choose between them"

Should MSI decide to pursue any form of legal action against Good Counsel that action will be defended with vigour Should you wish to correspond further on this issue I would be obliged if those communications were sent to me, (contact details...)

I am authorised by my Client to receive service of any legal documents should MSI be ill advised enough to want to go down that route. Good Counsel reserve the right to publicise your original letter, this reply and any response from you.

Sincerely

Neil Addison

(Barrister)

Thomas More Legal Centre

The 2nd Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage is today, Better late than never!

The Delayed 2nd Annual GK Chesterton Walking Pilgrimage, is TODAY, Saturday 28th July.

After a disasterous false start a few weeks ago, Stuart is doing this as a sponsored walk and you can sponsor him here. He's only £40 away from raising his target funds of £750. Can you help him get there? Or would you like to join the pilgrimage?

The details of the pilgrimage are:

9am Meet outside St George's C of E Church, Aubrey Walk, London, W8 7JG where GKC was Baptised as a baby.
Walk to Uxbridge (14 miles approx), stopping for breakfast.

1.30pm Old Rite Mass in thanks giving for Chesterton's Conversion, which took place 90 years ago this month. This will be at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Michael Catholic Church, Osborn Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1UE, you are welcome to attend the Mass even if you are not doing the walk.

Walk on to Beaconsfield (10 miles approx) where Chesterton lived, converted, died and is buried.
Say the prayer for the Beatification of GK Chesterton at his graveside.
See here for more details about Chesterton. To financially support the sponsored walk see here . To join the pilgrimage on the day or to find out how it's progressing, follow Stuart's updates on Twitter day, @Stuart1927 .

Why not join Stuart in prayer, you can offer the Prayer for the Beatification of GK Chesterton (see below) for the conversion of those you love, since many people hold Chesterton responsible for their own conversions, it seems to be his particular gift.

God Our Father, Thou didst fill the life of Thy servant Gilbert Keith Chesterton with a sense of wonder and joy, and gave him a faith which was the foundation of his ceaseless work, a charity towards all men, particularly his opponents, and a hope which sprang from his lifelong gratitude for the gift of human life. May his innocence and his laughter, his constancy in fighting for the Christian faith in a world losing belief, his lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his love for all men, especially for the poor, bring cheerfulness to those in despair, conviction and warmth to lukewarm believers and the knowledge of God to those without faith. We beg Thee to grant the favours we ask through his intercession, the end of abortion in this Country [and especially for……] so that his holiness may be recognised by all and the Church may proclaim him Blessed. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

See here for copies of this prayer in Spanish, French and Italian and for printable prayercards

Sarcasm and "anti-choice *****" God deepens our understanding at the abortuary vigil.

I was outside marie stopes one day, handing out leaflets that give info on the help available to women who will, with God’s help, decide to choose life instead of abortion. Sometimes people think that we are there to condemn and judge the ladies that are coming to the clinic which, I might add, we definitely are not there to do. So people sometimes shout abuse at us while
passing by, or tell us that they don’t like what we are doing, even though they don’t take the time to ask about what we are doing!
So anyway, I tried to hand a lady who was passing by a leaflet and she promptly told me that she didn’t want any of my “anti-choice ***** ”. That we were “out of order” being there. So I told her we were pro­-life. She argued that we were not so I asked her when she thought life began. To which she answered “At birth”.
I then told her that medical scientists & biologists largely agreed that life begins at conception. She disagreed with this fact and told me she thought it was untrue, as she worked for the Department of Health .
I then made the mistake of asking her, sarcastically, if she was a scientist or a biologist, to
which she replied that she was and then walked off!
We are taught to see the person of Christ in all the people we meet while we are outside the abortuary, (especially the ones who are nasty to us). So instead of being sarcastic, what I
should have done was pray for God’s blessing on her. But while we are doing the vigil, God reveals things like that to us all the time.
Later while I was praying a few things came me; While looking through one of the leaflets, I noticed there were plenty of choices in it- just not the one option of killing a baby in the womb.
My thoughts and prayers also came around to the horrible murder of pregnant Nikitta Grender and her unborn daughter who she had already named Kelsey Mae
May they rest in peace. It had been all over the news that
the perpetrator of this horrendous crime would also be charged with child destruction and rightfully so.

The lady who said that she worked for the health deptartment might not agree but thank God, in this case, the Crown Prosecution Service does.

Eddie Bauer

Making Good Decisions

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
As a Christian and Catholic, I believe that every human life is precious, from conception to natural death. Not one is more or less important than another, no matter what age, gender,
religion, race or ability. In this secular world that we live in, the dignity of every person isn’t respected and I want to protect those whose dignity has been forgotten.

In many situations when a woman falls pregnant, in today’s society, it is seen either as a “problem” or a blessing, depending on whether a baby is “unwanted” or loved. Facts are, not
one baby is a problem, and every single one is loved and is wanted by someone. Scientifically, in each and every conception, there is a completely unique set of DNA, every baby being unique. When someone has a problem, it is natural to look for solutions. Not every problem is black and white. It’s easiest to look for a physical state in a person to try to change. Most times, the problems are further below the surface. By “changing” physical state, you only risk increasing emotional, psychological and very often mental issues. I believe if someone is going to make a decision, they should look at all their options, at every angle.

We all have fallen from God’s grace but we all have the same opportunity to make choices to try and choose the best path. Sometimes bad choices are made with good intentions. Bad choices
are made because not every choice is presented, and not every possible consequence of each of these choices is revealed. Women and often their partners are led towards the closest, quickest and therefore easiest solution without thinking of how it will affect them negatively.

Many times a mother has not seen the alternate options before having an abortion. Many times also, needless-to-say, a father who has been involved in an abortion has not seen the alternate options. We must not push aside the harm of these abortions, no matter how long ago they were, just because the “product” of the abortion is not physically present. It is extremely important for this mother or father to talk about it. The healing they can get from knowing of God’s forgiveness is crucial. The healing they can get from properly grieving, like they would for the loss of
any other loved one, is also crucial.

As a person of pro-life beliefs I want to show women that there are other options, that give every person involved a chance at life and that there are people who won’t judge, but want to help them in a long term way. Every choice you make has long term effects, whether you choose life or not, but in a pregnancy, choosing life is the choice that continues to keep good options open.

Rachael McEvoy

I thought she had had the abortion...

We were praying at abortuary as usual. While I was kneeling on the pavement and saying the rosary, a young woman approached me. I didn’t recognise her straight away. Then I remembered that I spoke to her two weeks ago. She was not sure what to do because her boyfriend had left her and she was scared and alone. I had seen her one other time, a week ago, going in to the abortuary and I assumed that she had had an abortion.

I was over the moon when she showed me an ultrasound scan photo of her 9 week unborn baby. She said that she wants to keep the baby. She was so happy that she came to us to share this great news. The friend who was with her was pregnant too, so hopefully they will support each other. I wonder how many other women changed their minds because of our prayers and presence at the abortuary at Whitfield street.

Justyna Pasek

Hope and Generosity

I have been attending the prayer vigils and counselling outside the Marie Stopes abortuary in Whitfield Street for the last week and a half, with Justyna, Eddie and several other supporters of the Good Counsel Network. Unfortunately there have been no turn-arounds at Whitfield Street as far as we know during this time, but we can hope and pray that some of the leaflets that we handed out, or the conversations we managed to have with women who went in might have had a “delayed action” effect and they might have changed their mind. This can be disheartening and I might be tempted to think that this method does not work, but last Saturday a couple chose life for their baby at another abortuary in Ealing after having talked to a volunteer. “That’s my baby”, said the father, showing the scan. And we know that God hears all the prayers we direct to Him, so we have to keep knocking on the door, like the friend that came late at night asking for bread.
Good Counsel needs donations to make it’s work possible. This morning something quite extraordinary happened. When Justyna and I were praying while Lorraine was counselling, two homeless Polish men saw the “exhibit for life” on the pavement, approached us and one of them tried to give us some money. We explained what we were doing there and that we were not asking for money. But these coins were really the “widow’s mite”, an example of generosity
that puts all of us to shame.

Jesus Gonzalez Nicolas

Why I am Pro-Life - An Intern's View

Thine eyes have seen my
unformed substance;
And in thine book they were
all written,
The days that were ordained
for me,
When as yet there was not one
of them.
(Psalm 139: 13-16)

This beautiful passage illustrates God’s intimate relationship with every being He creates and the unique purpose we have each been created for. Bible passages such as Psalm 139 inspire me to seek to protect the unborn and tell others of the sanctity of human life.

Abortion should never feel like a woman’s only choice which is why I believe prayer, spreading a pro-life message and extending a hand of love and support to women faced with a pregnancy they
feel unable to cope with is so important. Human life is precious, both the mother's and the unborn baby’s, therefore it is vital that the physical and mental wellbeing of women is protected as well as the life of the voiceless unborn. I feel that women have the right to know about the horrors of abortion and need to be given back the freedom that the abortion industry cruelly
snatches away from them. They need to know that there are other options, and that with the right help and support, the can choose life for their baby. The promotion of a culture of life is crucial so as to overshadow the culture of death destroying society today. This is why I am pro-life.

Having been adopted when I was 15 months old I am forever grateful that my birth mother chose life for me. She was only sixteen when she discovered she was pregnant with me and the
circumstances were difficult. I could have been a victim of abortion and yet she chose the loving and selfless option of adoption. Having met many adoptive parents and adopted children I know what an amazing gift a child can be to a family who choose to adopt. My personal experiences and my faith contribute to my strong pro-life convictions and desire to work in the pro-life movement.

Stephanie Barnes

Pro-Lifers You're Getting Fat! An...er..gentle hint from Jan!

Under the enchanting title "Pro-Lifers - You're getting fat: Join us for a bike ride in support of Good Counsel" Jan Klepacki has organised a sponsored event to raise us some funds to help reach, advise, feed and house expectant mums.

This is much appreciated at a very tight time financially. And after all there has been some widening of many girths around here...

So here are the details:

Choose the sanctity of LIFE, over the idleness of the couch. Join the great ANNUAL GOOD COUNSEL CHARITY BIKE RIDE, from Haslemere to the historic town of Littlehampton, on the coast. A group of young, jolly, pro-lifers will gather on Friday night at 7pm at the Our Lady of... Lourdes Church in Haslemere, 2 minutes walk from Haslemere train station (direct trains from Waterloo). Free accommodation, lots of comradery with the bike ride setting off the following morning. Good counsel is a charity that provides counselling and practical support for women in crisis pregnancy situations so that they are able to choose life for their child. Alternatively, you can join us directly on Saturday. The ride starts at 10am at the Church. The event end time is flexible but attendance until 4pm will allow one to make great use of the BBQ and company. Bring your swimming gear in case you want a swim once we arrive in Littlehampton! To obtain a copy of the gift aid and sponsorship form for this event please email me at klepackijan@yahoo.com for any further info please feel free to call me on 07838022247 or 01428641519. Perhaps, YOU CAN TALK THE PRO-LIFE TALK, BUT CAN YOU CYCLE THE PRO-LIFE CYCLE?

Sign up on facebook http://www.facebook.com/events/361338287270205/

Good Counsel walk report & Photos

Today Good Counsel held a ten mile sponsored walk from Wandsworth to Wapping. About 20 people did the walk, God bless you all. Hats off to Conor, who organised the day and did the walk with his young daughter on his back. Also Rhos (@RhoslynThomas) who had a wild journey up from Wales and Clare & Delushka who were both late due to helping Good Counsel Mums this morning. Clare was then given the wrong directions and went off walking the wrong way! Fr Edwards of Wandsworth came on the walk and gave Benediction at the end in St Patrick's Wapping. Many thanks to Canon Samuels the PP of Wapping. Declan has asked us to credit his photos, the one of Belloc's house is one of his, I recognise his finger! Please do still sponsor these wonderful people.

"Right we're not moving until you show us the map, and tell us the name of that bridge!"

The house of Belloc, pointed out by Declan.

And now we can go home.

Fr Martin Edwards joins Good Counsel walk & two walkers are 'lost'!

Today Good Counsel is having our annual sponsored walk, which this year is from Wandsworth to Wapping. Fr Martin Edwards of Wandsworth is joining the walk. Two of the walkers are running late without a map! The walk is 10 miles long through central London mainly following the route alongside the River Thames. We have a number of brave people who have decided to take part in this event. It costs approximately £350 to save a life. Some of our walkers are getting close to raising this amount. Can you help them to save a life?

Below are some of the walkers pages, please read them and consider sponsoring them.

Clare McCullough http://www.justgiving.com/Clare-McCullough

Rhoslyn Thomas http://www.justgiving.com/Rhoslyn-Thomas​

Karisha Kimone George-Llewellyn http://www.justgiving.com/Karisha

Gaëlle Marie-Paule Hendrickx http://www.justgiving.com/GaelleMariePaule

Claire Wood http://www.justgiving.com/Claire-Wood79

Madeleine Carroll http://www.justgiving.com/Molly-Hope1

Hannah 'Peaz' Young http://www.justgiving.com/Hannah-Young0

Declan Carroll http://www.justgiving.com/Declan-Carroll

Follow @GoodCounselNet on Twitter and you may get an update from time to time!

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."

Good Counsel, a victim of our own success!

As you may well know, over the last 15 years the Good Counsel Network has counselled many thousands of abortion bound Women. In 2011 we more than doubled the number of women that we saw compared to the previous year and this year we look set to increase the number yet again, although we have less counselling staff and volunteers than in previous years. All of this is quite stressful for all of our staff and volunteers so we would ask you at this time to please keep us all in your prayers.

With the increased number of babies being saved from abortion we have seen a drastic increase in the types and amount of support that we need to offer to women in order for them to be able to choose life for their children.

"Annabel" came to us after meeting a volunteer during the 40 days for life prayer vigil outside Bedford Square abortuary this Lent. It was clear to our counsellor that Annabel was set upon abortion due to a total lack of support from her ex-boyfriend and that under pressure from him she may well have returned to the abortuary and had the abortion. It was clear that she needed to be moved from her current accommodation to avoid the daily harassment from her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. This could have all been done at no cost to ourselves if we had had sufficient time for advising landlords of the move, dealing with deposits etc. but it was clear that her baby did not have this time as her living circumstances were intolerable. We therefore paid her first month’s rent so that she could move quickly. Although we have not insisted on Annabel paying all of this money back to us she has insisted on taking out a small standing order to repay this money to us over a long period of time.

Today we have a number of lifesaving financial commitments that we cannot meet. To ensure that no lives are lost due to our current financial situation I would ask you to kindly donate anything that you can at this time via a bank transfer (The Guild of Our Lady of Good Counsel Account Number: 00287036 Sort Code: 23 83 95 Bank: Allied Irish Bank) or send a cheque addressed to “The Guild of Our Lady of Good Counsel” to P.O. Box 46679, London, NW9 8ZT. Or you can donate here.

We are trying to increase the number of regular donations that we receive through standing orders to avoid urgent appeals of this nature but at this time our monthly outgoings are larger than our income. If you think you could help with a monthly or quarterly donation by standing order please print off this form.

Lastly and most importantly I would say, whether or not you can support us financially at this time please say this novena to St Philomena for our intentions.

A Good Counsel Speaker at a Catholic Conference

Self-publicists really make me cross! Therefore, let me just say that there will be a great one day Catholic Conference in London, on Saturday 9th June organised by The Latin Mass Society and one of the speakers is from Good Counsel.

VENUE: Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ (opposite BHS, less than 5 minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus)

Conference Theme: 'The Traditional Liturgy and the Catholic Life'

This is the first time the LMS has organised a one-day conference, and we have some excellent speakers lined up for you. The conference is aimed principally at ordinary LMS members, although non-members are very welcome to join us. The Conference timetable is as follows:

9am Low Mass at St James's, Spanish Place.

10am Doors open.

10am -11am Registration. Stalls in the Conference Hall will be available to browse

11am - 11.50am 1st talk: Dr John Rao (Roman Forum): ‘From Darkness Into Light: Contemporary Barbarism, the Traditional Liturgy, and the Construction of a Civilized Society’

12 noon - 12.50pm 2nd talk: Stuart McCullough (Good Counsel Network): ‘Spiritual Warfare and the End of Abortion’ followed by Lunch.

2pm - 2.50pm 3rd talk: Fr John Zuhlsdorf (Fr Z): (Title of talk to be confirmed)

3pm - 3.50pm 4th talk: Fr Tim Finigan (columnist and blogger): 'Traditional Liturgy in the Modern Parish’

4pm - 4.50pm 5th talk: Rev John Hunwicke (of the Ordinariate): ‘Education without Religion a pure Evil?’

5pm - 6pm Panel discussion

6pm Close

BOOKING INFORMATION: Admission is by ticket only. Ticket prices: LMS Members £15 Non-LMS Members £20 (includes morning and afternoon refreshments) Optional: Buffet lunch including drinks £9 supplement.

You can buy your ticket by phoning the LMS office on 020 7404 7284, sending a cheque (payable to 'LMS') to LMS, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH or online here.

Photo, Father Finigan giving Benediction in the small Good Counsel Network's chapel and the Server seems to be doing a good job.

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.

Urgent, Pro-Life Novena to St Philomena

If you can help us financially please see the options for donating here. We are finding it harder and harder to meet all of our financial commitments, as more and more women choose life for their children, and need our help. Please say the following prayer for the next nine days.

NOVENA PRAYER TO SAINT PHILOMENA

We beseech Thee, O Lord,

to grant us the pardon of our sins by the intercession of Saint Philomena , virgin
and martyr, who was always pleasing in Thy sight by her eminent chastity and by
the profession of every virtue. Amen.

Illustrious virgin and martyr, Saint Philomena, behold me prostrate before the
throne whereupon it has pleased the Most Holy Trinity to place thee. Full of
confidence in thy protection, I entreat thee to intercede for me with God, from
the heights of Heaven deign to cast a glance upon thy humble client! Spouse of
Christ, sustain me in suffering, fortify me in temptation, protect me in the
dangers surrounding me, obtain for me the graces necessary to me,

and in particular
That the Good Counsel Network will receive the funds needed to continue
their work and to assist all the Mothers, especially those considering
abortion, who approach them for help. (...and add your own intentions)
Above all, assist me at the hour of my death. Saint
Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us. Amen.

O God, Most Holy Trinity, we thank Thee for the graces Thou didst bestow upon
the Blessed Virgin Mary, and upon Thy handmaid Philomena, through whose
intercession we implore Thy Mercy. Amen.

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

Mass this Friday will be offered for Good Counsel

"Everyday, Jesus humbles himself just as He did when He came from His heavenly throne into the Virgin’s womb; everyday He comes to us and lets us see Him in abjection, when He descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar."~ Saint Francis of Assisi

Join Juventutem London for Mass this Friday, 18th May, the feast of Saint Peter Cansius. Friday, 18th May, 6.45pm

Saint Mary Moorfields Catholic Church, 4-5 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LS

Music will be provided by Cantus Magnus and the Juventutem London Schola.
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Mass for Three Voices Byrd
Communion motet: Panis angelicus Casciolini
Marian antiphon: Regina Caeli Cavalli
Gregorian chant propers
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After Mass there will be a social downstairs for those aged 18-35 with an exception for Priests and Religious.

The Mass is, of course, 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 by clicking 'Attending' on our Facebook event page.

Please let others know about this Mass.