Commemorate the 53rd Anniversary of the Abortion Act

The 27th October 2020 will be the 53rd anniversary of the Abortion Act being passed in the UK. Millions of children have lost there lives as a result of this Act. Please join the Good Counsel Network's Day of Prayer and Fasting for Life on the day. Please see what public witnesses any Pro-Life groups will be having, if you are in London Good Counsel will has it's two normal daily Pro-Life vigils telephone them the week before just to confirm times. [Not in London see; https://www.40daysforlife.com/vigil-search.aspx]

Wear something Pro-Life on the day, I have badges if you don't have something already. You can see the post below for two other designs.

Pro-Life Poll

Simple Pro-Life poll, 30 of these one inch, 'FORMER EMBRYO' button badges for sale in pink and blue, will chaps or ladies buy the most? 

 Blue https://t.co/e0Ft58LoAF 

Pink https://t.co/TzNZRDa9RK 

A Sign From God On The 10th Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage

“I will admit that I have strong hopes that it will be one day acknowledged that G. K. C. died a saint.” WR Titterton Friend and first biographer of GKC

When lockdown happened because of COVID-19, plans for this year’s 10^th Annual GK Chesterton Walking Pilgrimage evolved on a daily basis. At one point, it looked as if I might do the 27 mile walk on my own as my daily exercise. But by the time we got around to the pilgrimage, it was obvious that we could do a lot more than that. So, on Saturday, 25^th July, Kim, Andrea, Daniel and myself said the GK Chesterton prayer outside St. George’s C of E church in Aubery Walk, Notting Hill, read a paragraph from his autobiography, and then putting one foot in front of the other, set off for Mass. We were joined a couple of hours later in Ealing by Flora and Jason. We then descended upon the canal and more Rosaries were said. We didn’t stop until we arrived at the “Malt Shovel” pub on Iver Lane, Cowley. We had a swift drink and then headed cross-country, past Pinewood Studios, and onto Mass at the Bridgettine Convent in Iver Heath.

Due to COVID-19, the Sisters’ chapel was not available, but they kindly allowed us, with Bishop

Oakley’s permission, to have Mass on the Altar at their outside grotto. I’m pleased to say that, despite the inclement weather, over 50 people attended the Old Rite Mass offered by Fr. Patrick O’Donohue, FSSP. He gave an excellent sermon. Father was ably assisted by altar-servers Rufus and Nathanael at a distance. After Communion I noticed one chap quietly saying the Chesterton prayer in Irish while kneeling in the rain. At the end of Mass, the entire congregation joined in with Father in singing Chesterton’s hymn, “O God of Earth and Altar”. As nobody recorded this, I have searched on YouTube and found this video where the singing is of almost as good, although we did not have a trumpet! (Next year?) We had asked people to pray that it would not rain during Mass, but it did. I announced, after Mass, that this must have been the fault of one of those joining us for the afternoon, as it had hardly rained at all on the six morning pilgrims, and Pat put up his hand, taking responsibility for the change in weather, as he had “not said the Chesterton prayer for it not to rain”.

We left the Convent after a brief bite to eat and walked 20 minutes to the “Black Horse” pub in Fulmer where we could use the bathrooms and have a quick drink. Social distancing wasn’t really much of a problem, as people tended to walk in family groups and spread out quite naturally, with those walking slowest falling towards the back. In fact we have been ahead of the game on this one for years now! As always, we’d like to thank Ken for driving the support mini-bus which rescued at least two families who had been inadvertently left behind at the pub. And more Rosaries were said. In total 40 people walked some or all of the 27 miles. Some in their 70s and some not even in double figures yet.

We made it in record time to GK Chesterton’s Grave, arriving before 7pm. I then rushed Ken and

Clare taking the final photos, so this is my fault. About half of us arrived at GKC’s local pub in small groups, but as none of us had booked, I think the poor women on the door nearly had a heart attack. Despite the pessimist next to me saying, “This’ll go badly” I quietly said a very long, poetical and theologically sound prayer, ‘GKC, it’s your pub, please sort it’, well I had just walked 27 miles! And we were in, spaces multiplied like the loaves and the fishes.

Over £2000 has been raised for the Good Counsel Network from this event, and you can still donate here. You can print off copies of the GK Chesterton prayer card here, or if you live in the UK and you email us your postal address, we will pop you ten in the post. CatholicGKCSociety@yahoo.co.uk

Now having read all this, you may be wondering about the sign from God. To be honest, there were quite a few. One of the pilgrims who walked the full 27 miles told us in the morning that they had only been Baptised two or three years ago “after reading ‘Orthodoxy’ by GK Chesterton”. But this was not the sign I meant. I can assure you that I paid little or no attention to the names or numbers on the hundreds or thousands of houses that we passed along the way. But as I paused when we leaving Fulmer, I did see this sign and took the photo.

If all goes to plan the 11th Annual GK Chesterton Walking Pilgrimage will be on Saturday 24th July 2021. 

“Sometimes I went down to Beaconsfield, and I was conscious how far he had

grown away from me. He was spiritualized. The old jollity, the old friendliness remained, the old large humanity. But he was a shade more remote. He had a little the air, which some poets and all saints have always, of listening to something fine that you do not hear. Even when I became a Catholic I was conscious that he had something that I did not share with him.” WR Titterton Friend and first biographer of GKC

The 10th Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage Will Take Place

The 10th Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 25th July, in spite of Covid-19. There are several ways you can join us, either in prayer, or by joining us in walking a short section of the pilgrimage or even in walking the whole 27 miles! To be involved and maybe help members of your Family into the Catholic Church you can;

A. Send prayer intentions for us to pray for along the way, we will not make the intentions public; catholicgkcsociety@yahoo.co.uk
And/or

B. Join us on the day of the Pilgrimage, Saturday 25th July, for a Low Old Rite Mass, 2.30pm at The Grotto Altar outside The Bridgettine Convent, Fulmer Common Road, Iver, SL0 0NR, email us if you need a lift from West Drayton or Uxbridge to get to the Convent. BRING A PACKED LUNCH.

C. And if you like you can walk 6 miles after Mass to GK Chesterton's Grave. If you leave your car at the Convent the minibus can take you back for it at the end of the day.

D. Or meet us at 9.15am outside Ealing Town Hall to walk on to Mass (approximately 12 miles).

E. Or, to do the whole 27 mile walk, meet us at 7.30am outside St George's C of E Church, Aubrey Walk, London, W8 7JG where GKC was Baptised as a baby, to walk 21 Miles to Mass. And 6 miles after Mass if you want.
The minibus will drop Pilgrims back to Uxbridge Station, after popping to GKC's pub after the prayer at the graveside.

F. And say the GK Chesterton Prayer on the day wherever you are. Find the prayer in a number of languages here; https://www.catholicgkchestertonsociety.co.uk/Printable-Prayercards.html

G. Invite friends to join us. The best way to do this is to click, Going or Interested/Maybe on this Facebook event and them click on Share and on Invite Friends and select those you wish to invite to join us for any of the above.

H. Sponsor Stuart as he raises funds for Good Counsel; https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gkcwalk20

Social distancing will take place. Follow on Twitter @CatholicGKCSoc

Say a Litany for Bishops on Easter Sunday, or whenever you see this.

A LITANY ON BEHALF OF BISHOPS

Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth, pray for us.
St. Joseph, Protector of Holy Mother Church, pray for us.
St Michael, all Archangels, special servants of Bishops, pray for us.
St John the Baptist, Herald of the Lord, pray for us.
St Peter, pray for us.
St Paul, pray for us.
St Andrew, pray for us.
St John, pray for us.
St Thomas, pray for us.
St James, pray for us.
St Philip, pray for us.
St Bartholomew, pray for us.
St Matthew, pray for us.
St James, pray for us.
St Simon, pray for us.
St Thaddeus, pray for us.
St Barnabas, pray for us.
St Matthias, pray for us.
O Holy Apostles, our first Bishops, we beg your intercession on behalf of your successors;

St Thomas Becket, pray for us.
St Blaise, pray for us.
St Boniface, pray for us.
St Cyprian, pray for us.
St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us.
St. Irenaeus, pray for us.
St John Fisher, pray for us.
St. Polycarp, pray for us.
All martyred Bishops; pray for us.

St Athanasius, pray for us.
St Alphosus Liguori, pray for us.
St Ambrose, pray for us.
St Anslem, pray for us.
St Augustine, pray for us.
St Basil and Gregory Nazianzen pray for us
St Bonaventure, pray for us.
St Cyril of Alexandria, pray for us.
St Cyril of Jerusalem, pray for us.
St Francis De Sales, pray for us.
St Hilary, pray for us.
St Isadore of Seville, pray for us.
St Peter Chrsologus, pray for us.
St Peter Damian, pray for us.
St Robert Bellarmine, pray for us.
All Bishops-Doctors of the Church, pray for us.

St Albert the Great, pray for us.
St Ansgar, pray for us.
St Charles Borromeo, pray for us.
St Ildephonsus, pray for us.
St Methodius, pray for us.
St Nicolas, pray for us.
St Norbert, pray for us.
St Patrick, pray for us.
St Richard, pray for us.
Sts. Timothy and Titus, pray for us.
St William, pray for us.
St Wulfran, pray for us.
All Bishops who have spread the light of Christ; pray for us.

St Leo the Great, pray for us.
St Pius V, pray for us.
St Thomas Aquinas, pray for us.
St Pius X, pray for us.
All Saints who have helped further the Faith through teaching, pray for us.

That all bishops will maintain complete obedience to the Holy Father, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will remain faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will defend the Faith and moral teachings of the Church, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will uphold the true teachings of the Ecumenical Councils, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will allow and defend all duly authorised Rites of the Mass, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will staunchly defend the unborn, the elderly, the sick and all defenceless people, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will provide for true and complete education of the Faith for all souls in their care, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will exercise the powers of their office to defend the faithful against heretics, apostates, and false prophets and teachers, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will use their authority and powers to correct errors and falsehoods, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will stand up for the rights of the Church when infringed upon by the State, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will develop a great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will be living examples of the virtues, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will look to their saintly predecessors as examples of how they should carry out their vocations, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will encourage true vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we beseech Thee, hear us.

That all bishops will boldly proclaim the message of Our Lady of Fatima, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will concentrate their energies more on the spiritual than on the material needs of the faithful, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That all bishops will teach and preach the truth of Humanae Vitae and Familiaris Consortio.

O God, look with favour on Thy servants, Thy bishops, whom Thou hast appointed as teachers and defenders of Thy faithful here on earth. Grant that by word and example they may assist those over whom they have been placed, so that shepherds and flocks may together attain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

And share it on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/events/210951693670250/

Leave, Remain, Con, Dem, Brexit Party, Commie, UKIP, Plaid Cymru, SNP, Who To Vote For Made Easy

Less tax, more tax, Leave, Remain, less immigrants, more immigrants, Scotland to rule England...and Wales, etc. It does not matter if you are dead, MPs have a free vote on moral issues, so you need to know where your local candidates stand on these issues.
The following article was taken from the Priests for Life website www.priestsforlife.org

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

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

"I doubt it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So it is no good just voting for this Party or that, you need to ask all your local Candidates where they stand on abortion and how they will vote if elected.
See how your MP has voted on Life Issues in the past and how your other local candidates would vote if elected;
https://www.spuc.org.uk/ (UK)

Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson on GK Chesterton

And Benson read much of Mr Chesterton, and liked him in a qualified way. 'Have you read,' he asks in this year [1905], 'a book by GK Chesterton called Heretics? If not, do see what you think of it. It seems to me that the spirit underneath it is splendid. He is not a Catholic, but he has the spirit. He is so joyful and confident and sensible! One gets rather annoyed by his extreme love of paradox; but there is a sort of alertness in his religion and in his whole point of view that is simply exhilarating. I have not been so much moved for a long time. He is a real mystic of an odd kind.'  

The Life of Robert Hugh Benson, quoted in The Tumbler of God; Chesterton As Mystic by Father Robert Wild.

GK Chesterton Prayercards; http://www.catholicgkchestertonsociety.co.uk/Printable-Prayercards.html