Our frequent salutation of the Blessed Virgin as Mother of Good Counsel in the Litany of Loreto makes us familiar with the above title, even if we are not acquainted with the picture which goes by the name of our Lady of Good Counsel. This ancient painting has been eloquently described as ‘exquisitely humane and tender … the small Child has his right arm round his Mother's neck, his left hand catches at the edge of her dress. His little face is turned upwards towards her; he is certainly whispering to her—but, asking her something? Telling ker some small childish sentence, or even word, or not even so much as a formed word, if you think of him as still too tiny a babe to make a whole word? … Anyhow, a mother's instinct always understands what her baby means, and often, what her grown son means, better even than his father does… .