THE Pregnancy Crisis Inc’s vision (CL 11/6/10) for live-in accommodation for mothers experiencing vulnerable pregnancies is to be commended.
It seems to have taken a long struggle to get to this point.
Your reporter may be unaware that this road has already been travelled by two saintly women Eileen Hall and Mary Mahoney who ran a home for vulnerable expectant mothers at Indooroopilly, in the late 1950s or early 1960s and lasted until a few years ago when they became too old.
They depended on donations, not always forthcoming when pregnant young women had no means of support.
This large house (also a donation) was always full.
Nobody was ever turned away, even if a girl arrived at 3am, and Eileen and Mary had been warned not to take any more by the state authorities, who considered they were overcrowded, and even though the authorities could not accommodate them (there was no abortion then) so there was a big demand.
Food often came from unsold stock of bakeries or shops.
Eileen was always on the lookout for a bargain from the markets and anyone she could waylay.
In fact she went out and begged.
Having witnessed this, as one of many young women she managed to co-opt to help, it is about time these two women were acknowledged by the Church for which they laboured.
Let’s also pray for the president of Pregnancy Crisis Inc for it is a thankless task but one which God will no doubt bless.
EDNA SZYLKARSKI
Brisbane, Qld
