Terry Graham, blogpost
St. Thomas More’s Church in Middlesbrough recently hosted the first of eight SPUC Pro-Life Missions that are set to take place across the UK over the next year.
Supported by the Middlesbrough Branch of SPUC, a team of SPUC staff delivered a full week of inspirational presentations and personal testimonies to individuals from across Middlesbrough and Teesside and talks in local schools and an information session for local clergy.
Eden Linton, SPUC Youth Outreach Officer, spoke powerfully about offering practical and emotional support to women in crisis pregnancy situations. Her account of having a sibling with a rare and serious genetic disorder provided the context for a moving presentation that encouraged the audience to speak up courageously in defence of life.
The team also took the pro-life message to the streets of Middlesbrough town centre. Supported by SPUC activists from the local area, the team engaged with the public, discussing the dangers of DIY home abortion and, when appropriate, offered help to those in difficult pregnancy situations or those struggling after abortion.
Some clergy also attended a session where they heard about the work of ARCH (Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline), which offers support and counselling to any women, men, other family members and healthcare staff affected by abortion.
Emmet Dooley, SPUC’s Education Manager, delivered pro-life presentations to over two hundred secondary school children in Middlesbrough and nearby Redcar, as well as a beautiful testimony about his own life as a husband and a father.
The highlight for many involved was a Eucharistic Healing Service celebrated by Fr. Dominique Minskip, Parish Priest of St. Thomas More’s Church, for those who have experienced any form of baby or infant loss.
The mission was a very special occasion, bringing together loyal supporters and friends of SPUC from across the northeast of England in a spirit of prayer, solidarity and action in support of unborn children and their mothers.
It is set to be an exciting year ahead as we take the pro-life message to churches, schools and streets around the UK!
If you are interested in hosting a similar event in your local area, please get in touch with one of our development officers: Terry Graham at terrygraham@spuc.org.uk or Katherine Hampton at katherinehampton@spuc.org.uk