You almost smiled☀️🙏🏻

‘If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honour’. (St. Charles Borromeo)

My journey back home began with glorious Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament in St. Peter and Paul’s Church, Cork city and ended with glorious Adoration of the most Blessed Sacrament in Franciscan Friary. Sacred bookends holding all encounters in between, safe and secure in the gladsome light of Christ.

Countless prayers shared, wonderful chats. Selfie with lady sitting in St. Peter and Paul’s Church. She wept while reading my prayer and through her tears whispered; ‘So much sadness all around.’ Then, quick as a flash she brightened and what a chat we had. When she told me that she wasn’t wearing her dentures this morning I told her truthfully that she was beautiful. I doubt she believed me. Our selfie is on my Frameo now. I would have loved to stay longer soaking up some of her hard earned authentic wisdom, pure unadorned beauty.

Young homeless guy, just out of prison. Hauntingly lost and broken. He has my prayer, all of Heaven minding him now. As we parted company I told him; ‘You almost smiled’ and then he really did. 

Young girl, twenty three years old. In foster care all of her short life. Not good! No one ever really cared. We had tea and toasted sandwich. As we walked she told me: ‘This makes me feel like a real person’. She has high hopes for a better life, study and one day go on to help others living the chaotic life she is immersed in right now. My email address is tucked safely in her sock, my prayer in her pocket. Our photo is on my Frameo now too. (Kind cafe lady took it).

Homeless folk always on my heart, I seek them out everywhere I go. Chatting with those two beautiful souls shone a light for me into that dark dangerous world. I learned stuff. Disturbing.

‘Go forth as an apostle - with no shoes. Then you too will hear the words of Christ at the end of the journey; ‘Have you wanted for anything?’. (Catherine Doherty/Madonna House)

One lady told me as she happily accepted my prayer; ‘I love this. I’m into all that stuff’. Just like my granddaughter Aoife told her teacher about me!

South African guy told me that one reason he loves Ireland is that he can wear ‘warm’ clothes when the weather is cold. At home in South Africa in the intense heat it is not possible to wear ‘cold’ clothes! Never heard that one before.

I left home with many powerful prayers (far too many I thought). I return home with none!

 

Impromptu ☀️🙏🏻

My dear sister Anne, first bus journey together since our schooldays way back in the sunny long ago. On her way to visit her husband in CUH, Anne normally drives and only took the bus ‘just for a change’. One of my many beautiful impromptu joy filled encounters. Had my designated bus shown up as planned, I would have missed out on so much beauty. God’s ways are always and ever will be, the best ways.

Zimbabwean lady. What a tale to tell, we will keep in touch. Prayerful as all asylum seekers seem to be. I have no doubt whatever that she and her fellow asylum seekers come to our shores bearing gifts more precious than anything we gift them. God owns everything. Last week as I asked four African ladies if they needed Bibles, it occurred to me how my fellow country folk would laugh in surprise if asked that same question. To our African friends totally normal welcome question.

Maureen (almost 80 years) shall remain in my heart forever. What a lady. Her turn of phrase, simplicity, prayerfulness, joy, acceptance, endurance, I could go on and on. Her widowed Mother ran a small shop and she: ‘Gave away more than she took in but there was enough to bury her’. Copious tablets keep mental illness at bay and because of them she suffers severe vertigo. She lives happily by God’s Grace taking the bus most days to the Friary in Killarney. ‘They know me there’.

She feels sorry for folk who shun prayer: ‘When the chips are down they won’t be able to take it’. Oh how I wish I could have recorded our whole conversation. Before we parted she apologised for ‘talking too much about herself’. If she only knew!!

Bus driver who not only happily received my prayer but took one also for his young son who loves reading the Bible. When I suggest he ask his boy pray Psalm 91 every day, Dad wrote it down in case he forgot. Holy Spirit wisdom for father and son! Another bus driver happily placed my powerful prayer in his work bag. 

African lady who’s beautiful baby was ‘diagnosed with Downes syndrome’. Or ‘blessed with Downes syndrome’, I replied. How she smiled. Little boy wrapped in swaddling clothes laid in a humble pram. Another unforgettable encounter!

While waiting on my super early morning bus that would never arrive (driver sadly took ill) Saint Mother Teresa’s quote danced into my heart: ‘Let us wait and see what God does with this’.

 As always, totally amazingly beyond beautiful every step of the way.

‘Lord, help me to make time today to serve you in those who are most in need of encouragement or assistance’. (St. Vincent de Paul)

Love this!! My powerful prayer at the base of St. Pio statue in Cork City Oratory. 

                              Gentle Friary. Peace and harmony far from the madding crowd.🙏🏻☀️   

All that stuff!!☀️🙏🏻

Somehow we found ourselves walking together in the rain, young frail guy and me, talking mostly about the weather! Yes it rains a lot in these parts but both of us like the rain. ‘Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet’,  Bob Marley once declared. I turned to go into Church, he about to walk on and Holy Spirit prompt; ‘I have a lovely morning prayer, would you like one’. To my utter surprise he replied: ‘Why not’.

We had never before spoken, never even met until this morning. Turns out frail young man is wading through crushing anxiety right now and has had to leave the job he enjoyed so much. He went on to tell me that his Dad was an abusive alcoholic who wreaked havoc on both his Mom and himself. ‘Alcohol should be banned’, he said sadly. Yes indeed, I bet whoever invented the stuff wishes now that they didn’t!

I told him that four years ago having been extremely ill in hospital, I awoke one morning with the following wisdom from wonderful Holy Spirit on my lips: ‘I am rebuilding you. This is your rest time. My gift to you. Accept and enjoy’. (Four years later I can truly declare that Wonderful Holy Spirit’s words are totally true!)

 

‘I needed to hear that’, young frail guy replied, smiling now. ‘Don’t worry about anything today’, I suggested. ‘I won’t and you don’t worry today either’, he replied.

I needed to hear that too!!

‘If we wish to make any progress in the service of God, we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness’. (St. Charles Borromeo)

I asked my granddaughter Aoife how come I get to do a reading at her Confirmation Holy Mass. Her sweet reply: ‘I told my teacher that my Nan is Holy and into all that stuff’. Allelulia.

After Holy Mass Aoife whispered to me:’Give my teacher one of your prayers Nan’. Holy Spirit prompt. My joy☀️🙏🏻

Bishop Crean, our Parish Priest once upon a time. 

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us.☀️🙏🏻

Everyone is looking for You, Jesus☀️🙏🏻

Jesus is the joy of every heart.

Guy sat alone in pew as I set up Holy Alter for Holy Mass this morning. When I offered him my powerful prayer he told me that he would share it with his wife who is right now waiting in their car feeling quite poorly. ‘Please take another one for her’, I suggested. He was so happy and super shocked at the same time. ‘I’m a grandmother who shares prayers. Strange concept in these times’, I said. His reply: ‘And it shouldn’t be!’. Poor man needed badly a helping hand and wonderful Holy Spirit saved the day as only He can do. 

American Priest, Deacon and their happy group, celebrated Holy Mass in Church this afternoon. Third Holy Mass with visiting groups from America in less than one week. I thoroughly enjoyed being Sacristan every time, joyful prayerful occasions all three of them. Today’s Priest told me that their own Cathedral in America looks quite grand on the outside but unlike ours, needs lots of work done inside. ‘Don’t we all!!’, I added. Homily fodder right there!!

I gifted a powerful prayer for each member to respective group leaders. Many powerful prayers got shared. All glory to God. (Today’s leader exclaimed; ‘They are laminated!!)

When my prayer-sharing mission began some years ago I had no idea how it would bloom but Father God did!!

3pm Live-streamed Holy Rosary and two ladies of another Faith sat on pew nearest Holy Alter. Sometimes they discussed, other times they sat in silence gazing on Holy Cross of Christ. Not in the least disruptive, I prayed Holy Rosary with my friends online, while enjoying their company all at the same time. 

Hard to articulate how beautiful is life within the walls of our Church every single day. Unforgettable Holy Spirit guided encounters, far too numerous to mention. I do not go in search of the world anymore but it seems to me that the world is coming more and more to this place as I go about my day under the omniscient gaze of beautiful Jesus, our Lord, Saviour and elder brother, in Holy Tabernacle.

Reminding me of what an elderly lady told my Dad one day when I was a little girl: ‘One day Eddy, it will all fit into a barnacle’. I had no idea what she meant back then but I really do now!

‘When they found Jesus, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for You’. (Mark 1:37)

‘How wonderful it is to be who we are, without masks, without fears, without compromises, without lies. Let’s learn to open our hearts to Jesus, even if sometimes we feel tired and wounded, to free ourselves from the weight of our sin through the only medicine able to heal the deepest wounds of our lives: the Eucharist.

Only by shaping our actions on the word of Jesus and nourishing ourselves with Him will we find that peace and joy that we need so much’. (Mother Elvira Petrozzi)

 

Ever what He brings me☀️🙏🏻

God is the Artist. I am the block of marble and the chisel is EVERYTHING.

Thinking this morning how uncomplicated life can become when we learn to accept each moment without judgement. ‘My Grace is with you right now’. In recent times, Heavenly peace has descended into my deepest heart and never before have I tasted anything remotely like it. Unutterable!! I love to share how wonderful Father God took all my shattered nerves and painstakingly, over time, He replaced each one with a brand new nerve. This is how I see it.

“From on high He reached down and seized me; He drew me forth from the mighty waters”.

(Psalm 17:17)

“Almost forty years ago, I ran a crèche in a Fitness Club. Back in the day when rules and regulations were scant, we made it up as we went along. Hard to believe such times even existed! One day I asked a little boy (Docter now) what he was hoping to receive from Santa Clause. Without a moment’s hesitation he simply replied; ‘Ever what he brings me’. 

I never forgot those wise words from the mouth of a child. They remained in my heart up and down the long years waiting for the day when I could honestly apply them to my own wonderful life from God;  Dear Lord, ever what You bring me. Amen

Joyful devout Priest and congregation all the way from America celebrated Holy Mass in our Church early this morning. My privilege to be their Sacristan. Last week a different American group celebrated Holy Mass too. Both groups each received my powerful prayer and loved it. Lots of laminating of late! 

Today’s group’s Bus Driver’s relatives living in our town and I got to connect them. Thing is, had his cousin not been ultra helpful a few months ago when many asylum seekers began to arrive in our town, I would not have had his number and so Bus Driver and his kin might have passed as ships in the night. How great is our God. 

Same Bus Driver, all the way from America, attended his first Holy Mass in twenty years in our Church this morning. What an honour for us! He told me that somehow mysteriously he agreed to be Bus Driver for this ‘Holy’ tour having turned down all other previous requests. When I handed him Holy Rosary beads from Medugorje, we both knew Mother Mary was gently calling her son home from his extended travels. Bus Driver had no complaints as he smiled from ear to ear.

                                            Moment of transcendence, beauty and peace. 

‘Everything I have learned about beauty in its simplicity, I learned from the Blessed Virgin Mary’.     (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Luminous encounter in Church this evening. Beautiful gentle couple all the way from Tennessee joyfully accepted my powerful prayer and then charming lady told me that her handsome husband was enjoying a ‘quiet day’. She went on to explain (in few words) that for the duration of one whole day every week he utters not a single word, doing everything he normally does in serene silence. Oftentimes she joins him on his day of calm.

Something about them touched my deepest heart. We spoke very little and yet our encounter was heavily laden with all that is good, true and beautiful. Definitely worth pondering upon…..one whole day without words!

‘Beauty and creativity liberate the spirit and bring peace’. (Catherine Doherty/Madonna House)

Sunshine in my heart☀️🙏🏻

‘What doe the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God’. (Micah 6:8)

‘I pray your prayer every morning ‘, she told me as she hurried past. I caught up with her, yearning to hear her speak. I knew she would be interesting! Quaintly dressed, little boots that stood out (no pun intended). To the unseeing eye just another ordinary middle-aged lady but oh she was so much more than that. We talked about God and prayer and her painful head. I shared my flowers with her, fresh from our Legion of Mary alter. (Legion of Mary meeting in Church every Thursday morning before Holy Mass). ‘You console me’, she said and looking deeply into my soul, uttered; ‘You’ll get to Heaven no bother, there is no sin in you’. Wow! What a gift to my heart!

Little further on, Postman accepted my prayer. He may have needed a prayer I think. Smiling surprised he told me; ‘Thank you. This is no load to me right now’. 

Later, on my way to St. Anne’s Holy Rosary, elderly gentleman shuffling across zebra crossing leaning heavily on his walking stick. Recognising him I thanked him for providing much needed employment through  the years to countless folk in our town. ‘Now I have a gift for you’, I told him, handing him my prayer. For the longest time I will remember fondly his warm smile on hearing my words: ‘When you pray this prayer every morning, all of Heaven will be minding you and your family’. 

‘You give me this’, he uttered, holding up my powerful prayer. Affluent generous gentleman, involved with many thriving business ventures and yet, in that brief moment, on the edge of zebra crossing, (zebra crossing! whole bunch of theology in that) he knew without question or doubt, that he had lovingly received something priceless, more precious than gold.

Three unforgettable encounters. Divine appointments. Holy moments.

‘Keep the joy of loving God in your heart and share this joy with all you meet, especially your family. Be holy’. (St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

Beautiful invitation this evening! My dear granddaughter Aoife asks if I would like to do a reading at her Confirmation Holy Mass. What an honour and delight.

Some years ago when Aoife was receiving her first Holy Communion, she told me; ‘Nan, every time I say a prayer, every time I pass a Church, I think of you. That’s the kind of Nan you are’. Wow! What a gift to my heart!

‘Viva Cristo Rey’. (Miguel Pro SJ)☀️🙏🏻

She paused in her mad hurry, seeking directions to the Intreo Office. Little elderly Ukrainian lady out of her depth, many miles from her harried homeland. Copious forms to fill out, no word of English emanating from her anxious mouth. As we walked I offered her my prayer. Because she was confused I pointed to the Cross of Jesus around my neck. ‘Islam’, she replied with utter conviction;‘No Christo!’. 

Walking on, we soon arrived at her destination and full of gratitude she hugged me warmly. Sheer magnitude of it all moving both of us to tears. Poor dear lady. 

In Church I went directly to that beautiful Divine Mercy image and tearfully uttered: ‘Imagine this weary world with no Christo’.

Myriad displaced devastated folk in our town right now (oftentimes in tears) and yet, alongside all of that, countless amazing miracles. Overwhelming need and yet ‘Blanketiers’ (Our Volunteer WhatsApp group) coming up with the goods every time. John, out of the goodness of his own heart, ensuring anyone who needs a Holy Bible gets one and that’s pretty much everyone. Most definitely, God is doing a new thing in our town.

All of us deeply privileged to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, our elder brother. We measure our Holiness on how well we imitate Jesus.

‘Following Jesus means nothing other than reproducing His virtues in ourselves, in order to do all things well. It is trying to assume His imprint on our bodies and our souls that we might be entirely transformed into Him’. (Blessed Conchita)

‘If only we would go out, calling upon Jesus power, His Grace, His authority and His word and leaving ourselves out of the picture, we too could do wonders for Him’. (Frances Hogan)

Many young folk joyfully accepting my powerful prayer. Amazing encounters almost every single day. Unforgettable young couple from Sweeden who offered money (Irish Granny freely sharing powerful prayer, super strange concept!) and then were further moved when I asked if they would like me to take a photo of them in our Church. They could not stop smiling as they posed in front of Jesus statue. Definitely they were not expecting that!! Conversation starter for sure when they return home.

Joy: Jesus first. Others next. Yourself last.

‘If we have given ourselves to Jesus Christ, we can give Him to others who are in quest of God, the sea of people who move from one place to another seeking not knowing what they seek. People who hunger for Him today but are confused by a thousand voices….We can give them Jesus Christ if we are in love with Him, the Christ who is in our midst’. (Catherine Doherty)