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Your Good Counsel 25th Anniversary
From Christopher Bell
Yes, it’s 25 years ago today that the doors opened at St. Francis’ former convent in Hoboken to take in a young mom and baby boy. You’ve continued that welcoming and added much compassionate love and support, building a family too large to count.
Fr. Benedict Groeschel said long before the first home opened, “From the Cross flowed water and blood. If it’s His work, it will come about through His blood.” Births are bloody, but they are also joyful. Jesus came into the world like any other baby and he was reborn on the Cross through blood and water. He re-births us through His blood and water on that Cross.
I think of all this during this quarter century because of the many lessons this mission has taught me, and probably you. One great lesson is that we are in a battle. A real fight inside and out. The outer battle is not really with other people who challenge us by their confrontational comments, threats, demands or anger. Those things can help us improve our supreme imperfections. The outer struggle is with the Evil One who seeks to persuade, surprise or divert us by fear, greed or pride from doing the Good that God wants us to do. We have to stay alert and ready all the time to see what is truly Good and what is not. The bigger battle is inside where even the Devil can’t touch us. Inside where we are alone and have to listen hard, sometimes very hard, and all the time to hear the voice of the Lord.
Having had the privilege to be part of recent Case Conferences and year-end reviews of our work, at every turn I heard of how one or another of our Good Counsel family has gone the extra mile to bring back the lost sheep --- or more specifically to try to keep that little lamb fom wondering off.
There are children in our homes celebrated before as well as at their birth and many days after that. There are many moms who are enjoying safety and security which was unknown in their short lives before coming here.
Another battle is in the mirror. Do we see a differnece or do we see oursleves in the moms and babies who come to us? Made in the image and likeness of God, don’t we see each other in all others?
Good Counsel has taught me a lot and you probably have some great insights too. I hope you take a moment today to pause, as I will in a chapel before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, to Thank You Lord for the opportunity to be here with You, Lord, and with you, especially with and for the ladies and babies You send to increase our family, to increase our sight of who You are and to increase our ears to hear You and to be able to help You in each other. Thank You Jesus.
Walk-a-thon for South Jersey Home!
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Date: |
Saturday, May 22, 2010 |
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Time: |
9:00am - 12:00pm |
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Location: |
Washington Lake Park, Sewell NJ; Haddon Lakes Park, Haddon Hts, NJ; Sea Isle Boardwalk... |
Good Counsel walk-a-thon to raise funds for the new South Jersey home. Now that the zoning has been approved, we have to raise money to bring the building up to code, which includes a sprinkler system. We ask you to come out and walk, and make sure you ask many people to sponsor you. That's where the funds come from to save babies and their moms from abortion!!! We always have a great time!!!
Email Brenda Quinn for details or with questions: olvbquinn@yahoo.com
See Both Good Counsel Co-Founders on EWTN
Good Counsel celebrates its 25th anniversary March 10, 2010 and just four days later co-founders Christopher Bell and Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, will be together live on international television.
EWTN (Eternal Word Television) has a weekly program Sunday Night Live with Father Benedict Groeschel (7 PM Eastern) and the two Good Counsel co-founders will appear Sunday, March 14. Chris is Executive Director of Good Counsel. Father Benedict is chairman of the board of directors.
Good Counsel operates four pro-life homes and is working on a number of other projects across the country. More than 5,500 women and children have been assisted in their homes. They also operate a 24-hour national helpline for pregnant women in need (800-723-8331) and a post-abortion referral service called Lumina (www.postabortionhelp.org 877-586-4621)
I will never forget you.
Conceived last night. Already a girl with dark, brown hair and blue eyes, B positive blood type instantly determined. So much more yet to be determined. Now her tiny heart is beating faster and faster, pumping the tiniest of blood cells.
He Forms and Knows Her Years before she could ever learn the ancient words of Isaiah (from chapter 49 verses 15 – 16), God was speaking them to her, “Can a mother forget her infant or be without tenderness for the child in her womb? Yet, even should she forget, yet, even if she would forget, I will never forget you.”
What might you say if you met her mom today?
Her mom needs help now because the father isn’t planning on marriage, in fact is now out of the picture. Her parents don’t want her to have this baby. Her friends say don’t bother.
Real Life You could tell her about Good Counsel. You might share our website with her or give her our 24/7 helpline 800.723.8331.
You could tell her that her little one just needs love.A love that gives and doesn’t take. A love that Jesus gives.
You can share with her that God’s love is here, at Good Counsel. That she’ll have her very own room. She’ll be able to stay a year, or longer if she really needs it. She’ll be able to go back to school and like many of our young women, make progress toward her high school diploma or college degree. You can tell her that we’ll also help her find a job and much, much more. What more you can do You share that concrete love when you help Good Counsel.
You will make a difference in this child’s life. You will change her, and her entire family’s life, for all time. You can go to (donation page) to make a secure, tax-deductible donation today or simply mail in a form at (donation site with form). You could become a monthly donor online or call our main office 201.795.0637 to make a one time or monthly credit card pledge.
Anything you give, anything you commit to give this year, will go a long way toward helping one mom, one baby today.
Please pray. Always pray. Every day I do remember you in my prayers. Peace, Christopher Bell P.S. If you would like to visit a Good Counsel home in person, please call my office 201-795-0637 or email me at cbell@goodcounselhomes.org. It would be an honor for me to show you around. If you prefer, take a look online by viewing our Good Counsel film called “This is a Home” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvWG2MOQHsY