Nicola, prayers answered and prayers needed.

We told you some time ago about Nicola, a young woman facing extremely difficult circumstances and family pressure to abort her unborn child. We’re thrilled to let you know that Nicola is determined to have her child and her pregnancy is progressing well. She’s still having problems with her family so do please keep up the prayers.

Furthermore, please pray for C. and P., neither of whom wish to be identified, both seriously considering abortion. As ever we’ll keep you updated if and when this is possible.

Thank you and God bless!

Scottish Catholic Observer article.

As part of a series of articles commemorating this year’s Day for Life, last week’s Scottish Catholic Observer featured the following article, written by Sr Andrea.

Only this excerpt is available online, so click the link at the bottom of the post to read the article in full.

‘The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus’ message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as “good news” to the people of every age and culture.’ So begins Evangelium Vitae, the encyclical written by John Paul II in 1995. It has been hailed as the Church’s love letter to the world; it is also profoundly prophetic, a painfully lucid appraisal of what we human beings are doing to each other in the name of freedom and progress. Yet there is no contradiction: the words of St Augustine, ‘One cannot enter into the truth except through love’, are perfectly expressed in Evangelium Vitae. For while the Church says No to abortion and euthanasia, she says a far louder and greater Yes to the human project itself, to which God, in Christ, has allied Himself for ever. We have been created in His image and, even though we botched it up through sin from the beginning, God’s loving mercy towards His creatures never ends, nor does His call to turn from death and enter fully into life.

Four little ducks.

A few weeks ago Sr Roseann spoke to students at Durham University. They’ve very kindly sent us some great fold-up baths, and even more excitingly… 

So thank you to Lucy, Fr Tony and all at the Durham Pro-Life and Catholic societies.

Special Delivery!

Responses to our appeal just keep flooding in. Yesterday, we received several buggies, double buggies, moses baskets and car seats from SPUC North-east.

We are extremely grateful to Eileen Brydon of SPUC who organized the delivery.

And a big thank you to Aidan and Dennis of Sunderland who hired a van and delivered everything up to Glasgow.

The pram situation is starting to look much healthier…

Thank you again to Eileen, Dennis and Aidan!

Buggy appeal in the news…

From The Catholic Times 25/01/2008

World backing for the Gospel of Life
by James Hastings

The nun in charge of the UK’s best known pro-life group took a special delivery this week - a pram all the way from Chicago.

Sr Roseann Reddy, of the Sisters of the Gospel of Life in Glasgow, was stunned when the hi-tech pram arrived from America.

It follows an appeal on the order’s blog for baby buggies and baths. The order and its volunteers run the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative which provides practical help to expectant mothers.
 
But after a surge in babies being born over the Christmas period, the sisters found their pram cupboard practically empty.

Sr Roseann told The Catholic Times: “We placed a small notice on our blog and have been absolutely amazed at tghe responses we’ve received from all over the world.

“One woman in Chicago read about the appeal on a priest’s blog in the United States and she got Amazon to deliver a pram.

“Other people have been sending baby baths which are also desperately needed, while others are sending money.
 
“One priest in England sent us a baby bath and he is urging his parishoners to do the same.

“Best of all there are very kind messages from all over the world, praising the work being done here and offering prayers.
 
“It is absolutely wonderful and we want to give a bi thank you to everyone.”

The pro-life initiative was set up by the late Cardinal Thomas Winning of Glasgow in 1997 after claims from pro-abortionists and critics that the Church did not offer practical assistance to pregnant women.

So far more than 1,000 children have been born and mothers provided with items such as prams, cots and even nappies.
 
Sr Roseann established the Sisters of the Gospel of Life in 2000, the first female religious order founded in Scotland for 150 years.

The sisters and volunteer helpers provide counselling and information on issues like housing.

Added Sr Roseann: “We like to give mums the equipment around eight weeks before the baby is due, and we have a number of mums here at that period.

“If anyone has a pram or buggy, in good condition, that you no longer need, please do consider donating it to us.

“We have a particular number of women whose due dates are imminent and are in particular need of prams or buggies.”

Copyright The Catholic Times 2008

……………………………………………………….

Again it’s wonderful to see such a visible response to our appeal - this article featured on the front page of the most recent Catholic Times. There are a few small inaccuracies - the lady from Chicago who sent a pram (Ma Beck!) saw the appeal on Fr Tim’s blog, rather than on the site of an American priest. The English parish priest referred to is also Fr Tim, and he sent a buggy.

More personally, the description of the origins of this organisation is skewed somewhat, implying that the impetus came from the criticisms of the pro-choice lobby, rather than as a positive initiative of the late Cardinal Winning.

However it is on the whole a good article, and it was nice to be able to reach an audience perhaps unacquainted with the blogging world, as well as giving us the opportunity to once again publicly thank all who contributed to the appeal.

As well as a number of new buggies (ten or eleven I believe) we’ve received a good number of baths and two baby slings. A priest friend of ours also brought us three buggies. Thank you all so much for your support, for making donations, to Fr Tim and all who publicised the appeal.

Finally, a special thanks to Fr Neil ‘Postman Pat’ Donnachie and to Peter Creron for receiving and transporting several of the very large parcels.

Thank you all and God bless!

International Student Pro-life Conference

From our friends at SPUC Scotland:

SPUC Scotland is hosting the first International Student Pro-life Conference which will take place on 28th-30th March, in Carberry Tower Conference Centre, Edinburgh.

The theme of the conference is Civil Rights and the keynote speaker will be Martin Luther King’s great niece Celeste Beal.

Celeste will be explaining why she feels that the pro-life movement is today’s most pressing civil rights issue.

There will be a special screening of the much-acclaimed movie, Bella which has only recently been released in America.

Plus, there will be lots of other interesting presentations and the Arts will play a special part in the conference.

This conference provides a unique opportunity for young people to socialise with fellow pro-life advocates from around the world.

A weekend NOT to be missed.This residential weekend is open to 6th year pupils, university students and those aged between 17 and 35. For more details please check out our website.

tententheatre

Some of you may have joined us for our ‘Day for Life’ celebrations back in May. One of the events staged here at the Initiative was an excellent production of ‘Babies’ a play by Martin O’Brien and the tententheatre group.

Tententheatre exists to advance the social, moral, spiritual and cultural education of children, young people, young offenders, prisoners, teachers and the general public through drama and the performing arts.

‘Babies’ (for KS4, sixth formers, s4-s6 and adults) tells the story of Annie and Joe, a teenage couple facing an unexpected pregnancy and “covers a wide range of themes dealing with teenage pregancy, abortion, parenthood, relationships, marriage, family life, love and responsibility”.

Tenten have just embarked on a new project ‘Chased’ (for KS3, Year 9 or S3) which “explores issues of self-worth, respect for others, the value of sex and the influence of drugs and alcohol on decision-making.”

Over the course of 2008 tenten will be touring schools and parishes across Britain with both plays - many dates have already been taken but if you’re interested in booking them (and we very much recommend them) you can get in touch by:

emailing - info(at)tententheatre(dot)co(dot)uk OR
phoning - 0845 388 3162

For full details you can have a look at their website.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Protectress of the Unborn.

“…I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth… I will give Him to the people in all my personal love, in my compassion, in my help, in my protection: because I am truly your merciful Mother, yours and all the people who live united in this land and of all the other people of different ancestries, my lovers, who love me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their complaints and heal all their sorrows, hardships and sufferings.”

“Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you.”

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Bazaar pictures Pt. 1

The hall was full of familiar faces, with lots of our wonderful volunteers hard at work…

Some were busy behind the scenes…

While others were manning stalls.

As ever, the tearoom was a big hit.

And there was even face-painting for the ‘children’!

The Bazaar!

Our annual Advent Bazaar took place on Saturday 1 December and was a great success. We raised an amazing £1, 775 on the day (who’d have thought fairy cakes could be so lucrative?)and received around £500 in donations from people who unfortunately couldn’t be present.

As always it was a great day, it was wonderful to see so many of our friends and supporters, and we extend a big thank you to everyone who helped before, during and after the Bazaar. As always, it would be impossible for us to do our work here without the help of so many. Thank you! Pictures coming soon.