JOHN SMEATON, DIRECTOR OF SPUC: Mother Teresa's message to SPUC's rally, Christ's love, lives on in the work of Good Counsel Network and the pro-life movement

Thursday, 27 October 2016

Mother Teresa's message to SPUC's rally, Christ's love, lives on in the work of Good Counsel Network and the pro-life movement

33 years on since Mother Teresa's memorable address to SPUC's "Call to Humanity" pro-life rally in Hyde Park, London, her love - that is, Christ's love - lives on in so many aspects of the work of the pro-life movement.

It lives on, for example, in the wonderful work of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children's sister organisation, Good Counsel Network.

Good Counsel Network simply never stops quietly and effectively saving babies' lives and protecting and supporting mothers every day of the week, 52 weeks of the year. They carry on doing so quietly and effectively in spite of media attacks on their life-saving work - attacks which simply ignore the countless women who benefit from the caring work of Good Counsel Network.

To give you an example of what I mean, SPUC's "oldest" volunteer (he's been volunteering at SPUC's HQ for 42 years) came into the office today (27th October, the 50th anniversary of the Abortion Act being passsed by Parliament) and told me the following:

"I have over the years been involved in the pro-life cause (SPUC, LIFE and the Good Counsel Network). Many times the cause seems to progress and sometimes something knocks you back, but usually it's all done with prayer and hope.

"In my volunteering work for Good Counsel Network, we offer prayer, leafleting and education. We also offer leaflets to those going into abortion clinics explaining the start of life and development of the child. Those leaflets offer help and counselling during pregnancy and the offer of after-care.

"I was made aware of how well others in our movement get through to people when a lady walked across to me and shook me by the hand. She wanted to tham me for the work of others in the movement. Not something I did especially, any more than what we all do in praying for those in all things to do with their baby.

"She wanted to thank those of our organisation who guided and helped her through her pregnancy. She had intended not to continue with ther pregnancy. Her son encouraged her not to have an abortion.

"She shook me by the hand. Gee whizz, that's worth more than money.

"You know what else? It happened on the annviersary of the passing of the Abortion Act."

(Today, SPUC put out a statement on the 49th anniversary of the passage of the Abortion Act saying "Today marks the 49th anniversary of the passage of the Abortion Act. We need to make the idea of abortion being completely illegal normal- because it really is normal not to kill children.")

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About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 42 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.