Illumination🌟

‘Your being increases in the measure you give it away’. (Bishop Barron)

About to begin praying 3PM live-streamed Holy Rosary this afternoon and a lady came into Church. She hurried on down to the end and lit some candles. ‘Offer her a prayer’ popped into my mind fleetingly but I dismissed the idea and continued on my merry way.

I switched on the sound system and proceeded to the ambo but nothing happened!! Sound system not working. Three times I returned to the Sacristy hoping to figure it out but to no avail. I was literally stopped in my tracks!!

Right then lady walked back up and without thinking I approached and offered her my prayer. Not alone did she accept - she asked if she could please have one also for a friend she was just about to visit in Hospital. I was more than happy to oblige.

I returned to the ambo and miraculously sound system worked perfectly. Gentleman messaged me when Holy Rosary was over and told me it was a ‘beautiful Rosary’.😀

Later I learned from another, (quite by chance🤨) that lady’s friend in hospital is a dear lady I love very much and extremely unwell right now. Had I known it I would have wished with all my heart to do something nice for her. Six years ago she and her husband gifted me wonderful trip to Lourdes. God Bless their big beautiful hearts.

Today through the glorious Grace of God I got to return the compliment. Dear kind lady has my powerful little prayer, all of Heaven are minding her now. Quite incredible how it all worked out fitting together seamlessly. God set the whole thing up.

Thank you Father God for my awesome life adventure. Thank you Jesus for the sublime privilege of being Your Hands and Feet again today, poor unworthy instrument that I am. Thank you Holy Spirit, my primary and constant companion and guide. Amen

‘Be grateful when you are surprised by a sudden illumination. Welcome this light; make it your own. Follow it’s beam as far as it shines. It is a blessing from God’. (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis/He&I)

                                                                  Solo Jim🐈 tonight.☔️😀

Splendour in the ordinary 💎

I sat beside him on the Killarney bus two weeks ago as I travelled to little Daithi’s Christening. I almost offered him my prayer but I didn’t. He seemed really unwell and when he got off the bus I wished I had. 

This morning he walked towards me as I hurried to Holy Mass, no way would I miss this second chance!! Happily accepting my prayer, he uttered: ‘Thank you. That is a very noble thing to do’. We chatted some more and as we parted company he said: ‘I will copy this prayer and pass it on to others’. What more could I wish for!!

Near Church handsome couple all the way from Washington DC gladly accepted my prayer. Beautiful encounter. As I prepared Holy Alter, saddest lady accepted my prayer wordlessly. I had occasion to be in her company more than ten years ago and at that time she was despairingly desolate too. Poor lady. I can’t help thinking though that my prayer will lift her spirits, all of Heaven will hold her close and perhaps she will smile for a while. Please God make it happen. Amen

Olga gifted me a beautiful silver Mother Mary pendant complete with chain. She visited Ukraine recently and purchased it while in her homeland. We dance joyfully every time we meet, Olga and I. My Ukrainian friends are special folk with big beautiful hearts, this prayer of mine introduced me to many of them. 

Thank you Jesus for granting me the awesome privilege of being Your Hands and Feet as I walk with my Ukrainian sisters and brothers in this tragic terrible time.

Holy Rosary in St.Anne’s again today. If I had a choice between a posh meal in the finest restaurant or praying Holy Rosary at the feet of my precious folk - my first choice would not be difficult to arrive at.💎 St. Anne’s Dayroom is Heaven on earth.☀️

In SuperValu young Mom accepted my prayer gratefully and then joyfully took one for her daughter who celebrates her eighteenth birthday in a couple of days. Alice gifted me a beautiful bar of her own handmade soap when I visited her shop ‘Skellig Soaps’. 

Finally Joan agreed to purchase a cozy colourful scarf and warm hat she so desperately needed.😃 I am so pleased💥

Luminescence and sublimity in the ordinary. 

                           ‘Beauty is the heart’s encounter with the Living God’. Bill Donaghy)

                                 Building up our friendship, earning the right to be heard.🌺

                                       And then there were three of them 🐈 🐈‍⬛ 🐈‍⬛ tonight ☔️ 😀

Advent wreath.🌺

‘Our homeland is in Heaven, and from Heaven comes the Saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of His glorious Body’. 

(Philippians 3:20)

This year I longed for Advent wreath with all my heart but had no idea how to source it so I dismissed the notion. Tonight however, beautiful one sits on my table and I just have to put in writing how this came to be. Fact can indeed be stranger than fiction!!

While carrying out Sacristan duties in Church on Saturday (Wedding), my friend Joan got extremely ill. After some time I walked her home, made her comfy and then returned to Church. Lots still left to do. Eventually, exhausted and famished, I arrived home relieved to be home, away from howling wind and driving rain. Long relaxing evening ahead.

Not so!! Poor Joan weighed heavy on my heart and much as I wished otherwise, some hours later I set off once again to check on her. Joan is alone, all of her siblings gone to God.

Almost landed at Joan’s little cottage when abruptly a white van came to a halt by my side and guy holding something a lot like an Advent wreath hopped out. I could not believe my eyes!! Turns out his wife makes them and there he was delivering an Advent wreath🌟 to a house near Joan’s. I ordered mine there and then. 

So this evening, same pleasant guy arrived at my door with Advent wreath, the one that was being organised by Father God while I was happily (hopefully 🤨) doing what He was asking of me. The wonderment of it all!! (Had I decided not to visit Joan I would never have known.

Delivery pleasant guy was being looked after by Father God too. Super happy to accept my prayer, he accepted one for his wife also. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, dear Joan is all better and out and about once more Thank God.

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. He has not created me for nothing.

I shall do good, I shall do His work. Therefore I will trust Him. (St. John Henry Newman)

 

A Christian is a Christian at all times.🎆

‘If we just keep our eyes on Jesus, we will find ourselves at our destination’. (St. Teresa of Avila)

Recently, having been Sacristan at two weddings, I was surprised and shocked to witness firsthand how barely any of the congregation participate in Holy Mass. Many wedding attendees regular Holy Mass goers but in wedding setting they seem to remain silent alongside the others.  

Frances Hogan said one time: ‘The only one we must preach to is ourself. God will deal with everyone else’.  Bearing that sage advice in mind I will continue answering at any wedding Holy Mass I assist at, even when I’m the only voice, as I was today. Not too loud (as my son Diarmuid pointed out recently) just enough to be heard. Easy to sound thunderous when you’re the only one answering !!

God has entrusted this day and time to us. Everything He expects of us, He supplies. Whatever God commands, He enables.

‘Our true worth does not consist in what human beings think of us. What we really are consists in what God knows us to be’. (St. John Bercchmans)

     ‘There’s a lot of racket following weddings nowadays’, says my friend Joan. She got that right.💡

If I can stop one heart from breaking🕯

On my way to Holy Mass some weeks ago, Gareth danced into my heart reminding me to place his name on the tree of remembrance for Holy Souls. I am so grateful for that. This morning at Gareth’s first anniversary Holy Mass, his grief stricken sister and family gleaned some shred of comfort knowing that Gareth’s and all Holy souls are prayed for, every day right through month of November. He died tragically almost one year ago. Gareth and I would talk often about God and prayer. Beautiful broken boyeen.😌

Joan and I sat together just a few seats back from Holy Alter. Normally she sits away on her own at the back. To win the trust of another, precious privilege.🌸

Praying Holy Rosary in St. Anne’s Dayroom lit up my day like a thousand suns. Precious folk enduring many ailments; Alzheimers, blindness, deafness, to mention a few but that in no way affects our prayer and song. I read one time that all activities light up some part of our brain but music lights up the whole brain. Add Holy Rosary to the mix and wow!!! Allelulia🎆

I love what Catherine Doherty (Madonna House Foundress) wrote;

‘Music is the echo of God’s voice, and it is important to sing with our whole mind, heart, and soul. Even if we cannot carry a tune, we can still sing from the heart with great love. What matters is not how we sound but what goes into our singing - passionate love for the Lord must fill our hearts’.

Yes indeed, ‘Real Life’ is taking place in St. Anne’s Dayroom during our hour of prayer and praise. ‘Dress rehearsal’ well and truly over and done with.🕊

Exceedingly beautiful prayer-sharing encounters on my way home this evening. One little ‘prayer’ is moving mountains.🙏🏻

‘If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain’. (Emily Dickinson)

‘Believe in the effectiveness of your work as part of the universal work of the Saints. Think of the ‘living stone’ that you are adding to the spiritual house - this stone that no one else but you is called upon to place in just this same position. This ought to encourage you to make efforts of every kind’.                                 (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis /He&I)

Tonight, Tony 🐈‍⬛ dropped by in the freezing pouring rain. He ate quickly before darting off again into the night. I love how he knows how much he is loved and wanted.❤️😀

Joy in my daily life.☀️

‘We have received baptism, entrance into the Church, and the honour of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do us if we are Christians in name only and not in fact?’. (St. Andrew Kim Taegon)

Dear Daithi’s Christening yesterday, joyous grace-filled family occasion. This morning children’s Holy Mass in that same Church, packed to capacity with parents and children. This evening glorious brisk walk along the Royal Canal. Thank you God for everything.🌸

‘When you are in love with God, you become one with the Absolute. Your oneness with God will overflow to all your brothers and sisters. My friends, this is the kind of prayer we need today’. 

(Catherine Doherty)

Happy day 🌹🥳

‘It’s happened to me a few times recently, in the street or wherever I chance to be. I stop with bated breath for a moment and have to ask myself, is this really my life? So full, so rich, so intense and so beautiful’.

 (Etty Hillesum)

I didn’t know him, gentleman who’s funeral Mass I attended yesterday. At least I thought I didn’t! Then this morning, out of the blue as I was preparing for Holy Mass, he danced into my heart and I recognised him instantly. 

One morning he somewhat abruptly refused my prayer, I remember like it was yesterday. Strange that!! He will be in my prayer always now. Henceforward, when my courage wanes as I offer my ‘Prayer’, I will call to mind gentleman’s unexpected stopover in my heart this morning and I will be courageous again.

Joyful Lynn accepted my prayer. ‘You are a lady after my own heart. I cannot abide folk telling me how to think’, she told me after my own words: ‘I am simply sharing what is in my heart’. When I told her that I was in no position to do such a thing having made myriad poor decisions in the course of my life, she replied: ‘I’m in competition with you there girl!’. Uplifting encounter and the day still young☀️

Today☀️ after a hiatus of almost three years (lockdowns) I got to join my precious folk in St. Anne’s for Holy Rosary and Hymns once again. Whatever I write will come nowhere near how beautiful it felt to be in their midst once more. Some have gone to God since we last prayed together (they are still praying with us of course), some are deeper in Alzheimers and many new members have joined the ranks. I loved every minute of our time together, I am certain they did too.

My ancient compact cottage is beginning to feel bleak right now as winter deepens so how thrilled was I to meet up with chimney cleaner Mike on my way home. ‘Only light small fires’ he told me until he gets to clean my chimney next week Please God. 

One thing renews another!  Immediately I am reminded of Mary and Pat, beautiful folk I was privileged to encounter when I worked in a High-Support Hostel one time. Every mealtime Mary would sit in front of Pat (she knew he choked easily) and over and over would gently repeat the words: ‘Small bites’, ‘Small bites’. Her own meal would be cold and tasteless by the time she got to eat it but that did not concern Mary one tiny bit. Oftentimes I was moved to tears, beautiful Mary and Pat. Enduring power of kindness. (Small fires-small bites🎆)

May the Lord have mercy on their gentle souls. Amen

Noble November. Our dear Holy Souls exceedingly close right now.🙏🏻

‘I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the Love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him’. (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini)

Dear Marina, beautiful Protestant lady loves to inform folk that her friend Bridget is ‘praying the Rosary with the Catholics😂’. I love my Marina so much❤️🌹

This morning, 3/12/2022 - a smiling elderly lady danced into my heart. Yes!! We had many delightful chats and I now realise she is the lady who passed away a few weeks ago. Our Holy Souls do visit us, I have no doubt about it. Dear lady is in my ❤️ & 🙏🏻 now too. Sacred illumination 🎆
 

Pray much.🙏🏻☀️

‘When you have found Me, give Me to others. There are people I’m waiting to reach only through you. This is the mission foreseen for you from all eternity. Don’t be unfaithful. I was faithful even to torment, even to public disgrace’. (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis/He&I)

After Holy Mass this morning I once again set off on my favourite long walk, first time since torn ligaments put a stop to my mighty gallop last August. Praying Holy Rosary on my way, peace and calm palpable. Rain threatening the whole  time but held off especially for me.📿☀️

Thing is, I almost didn’t go, and what a blunder that would have been. Just a few minutes into my route, a guy I dearly wished to offer my prayer to was getting into his car. How many times have I imagined how this very scenario might play itself out!! Yet, here I was, no time to think, so I just blurted it out. ‘Would you like a prayer I love to say and share’. He half-smiled: ‘I don’t know if I do or not’, taking it from me nevertheless and placing it on the passenger seat. ‘I will read it later’, he uttered as we both passed along our merry way. Easier by far than I had anticipated 😄 

That gentleman bears a substantial burden in his heart right now, this I know. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour knows it too. Wanting what Jesus wants is a beautiful thing.

Offering my prayer to total strangers is a walk in the park when compared to reaching out to acquaintances and yet wonderful Holy Spirit works it all out incredibly beautiful as only He can and does all the time. 

I guess the thing to do is not to think so much but ‘Pray’ much. 

‘The one who does not pray weakens and dies. It is in prayer that we meet with God, and in this encounter, He imparts to us Faith Hope and Charity’. (Sr. Lucia of Fatima)

‘The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is that cannot be solved by the Rosary’. (Sr. Lucia of Fatima)

Today.🌸

My EWTN prayer opens many doors into amazing exquisite encounters every single day of my life. If I were to somehow document them all, there would be little time left over for all other pursuits.

David turned his gaze to the heavens, not sure what to say or do next when I offered him my prayer today. Young handsome guy with most sublime smile. ‘May I read it first’, he enquired. ‘Of course’, I replied. ‘It is beautiful’, he uttered, more than a tad astonished. ‘When you pray it every morning all of Heaven will be minding you’, I assured him. ‘I will, mostly I take my bike and  backpack and head for the hills. That is where I talk with God’, he told me earnestly before gliding away smiling like a thousand suns.☀️☀️☀️☀️

‘I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made Heaven and earth’. (Psalm 121:1-2)

Pat’s pain has lessened hugely ever since he began wearing Mother Mary’s bracelet I brought him back from Medugorje. Last time I gifted him one. his pain totally disappeared. ‘Now I call you Monsignor Nolan’, he told me in fits of laughter. Of course he knows well that Mother Mary is minding him, I the humble messenger.

Ella will lay her burdens down with Mother Mary at the foot of Jesus Holy Cross again today. When they raise their unwelcome heads hoping to drain her day of peace and happiness, Mother Mary will gently remind her that She’s got them!! All is well.☀️ 

Before Joan arrives, one could hear a pin drop as we adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in our Adoration Chapel. Total reverential silence! Joan changes all that as she comments on the weather, enquires the time of day, rattles papers. Eventually she settles down and peace once again is restored. Joan is not being disrespectful or irreverent, she loves Jesus. She just needs a little time to adjust, that’s all. I hope we are all aware of that.🤨 Surely adoring Jesus while ignoring Joan goes against everything Jesus stands for!!

Jesus Christ, Word made flesh identifies Himself with every human being. At our final judgment we will be judged on how we measured up to that identification. 

‘In the evening of life we will be examined on Love. Learn then to love as God desires to be loved and abandon your own ways of acting’. (St. John of the Cross)

Medugorje bracelets. 📿☀️

Never alone☀️

‘Every new experience, be it very little or very big, is a growth in the knowledge of life itself. It enlarges our intellectual, spiritual and emotional vision’. (Catherine Doherty)

In Medugorje, I very much missed my dear pal Anne. Even though she may not have been well enough to go about the place, how wonderful it would have been to have had the comfort of knowing I would be returning to her every time I went anywhere. Our final pilgrimage together, Knock Shrine 2016 was just like that, I gallivanting, dear Anne awaiting my return. Precious memories forever in my deepest ❤️.

On this occasion, well and truly out of my comfort zone, fellow pilgrims total strangers from the opposite end of the island of Ireland. They all knew one another, I knew no one. Yet, and most likely because of my huge discomfort at times, I return home with new strength and most definitely sense of independence I had not possessed hitherto. Maybe even more courage in my heart too. 

My neediness is over dear Anne, God rest your gentle soul. Right this minute a letter written fondly by a beautiful Holy lady on the sad passing of my dear mom, many years ago, miraculously tumbles from between the pages of an old book. Timing extraordinaire!!

                               ‘How beautiful and good you are, everywhere O Lord’. (Gabrielle Bossis)

All is well.☀️

‘Life holds in store more wonderful possibilities than you can sense as yet, and ever, more and more, as you go on, will further possibilities reveal themselves’. (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis/God Calling)

Raging storm offered me no other choice but turn on my heels and return back home. On my way to 3PM live-streamed Holy Rosary in Church, large blue refuse bin came flying across my path at the speed of knots making my mind up there and then.

Going by J’s house I spied the Vet and knew right away what was going on. J’s beloved dog was being ‘put down’. Is there a gentler term I ask myself...

Thing is I was going to gift J one of my Medugorje bracelets a few days ago but changed my mind. He informed me gracefully one time that he is a committed atheist. I informed him that the word atheist would never have been coined if God did not exist. We laughed😄

After the Vet had left I knocked on J’s door. Inconsolable, he just stood there unashamedly weeping copious tears. I could empathise, our dear Lucky 🐕 had to be ‘put down’ some years ago.

‘This might bring you comfort’, I said after a while, handing him Mother Mary’s bracelet. He put it on his arm smiling. ‘What is it’, he asked. ‘ Gift from Mother Mary, She will mind you’, I replied.

I read one time that when we are walking with Jesus, we are in a ‘Witness Protection Program’. I am forever amazed and exhilarated at how things work out in such an extraordinary way all the time. Offloading them in print brings me calm and joy. Much easier than recounting to folk - easier for folk too.😂😂

Thankyou Mother Mary. J needs you today - only he doesn’t know it yet🙏🏻

                       

                 Dearest Mother Mary, Queen of peace. Keep our troubled minds at ease. Amen.

Rich rhythm of Life 👵👴☀️

‘The arrogance of the time of the clock must be converted into the beauty of the rhythms of life.’

(Pope Francis)

Taking Holy Eucharist to my dear friend Sheila today, highlight of my week. Alzheimers may have ambushed much from her life but it will never succeed in dampening her awe and appreciation for Holy Eucharist. As always Sheila receives beautiful Jesus like nothing on earth could possibly matter more - and in that exquisite moment nothing on earth DOES!! We pray Holy Rosary too, she remembers every word and it brings us both comfort and delight. We both cherish our Rosary beads.😄📿

Afterwards, tea and biscuits while trawling through photographs from days long past. ‘You are beautiful Sheila and I suppose you never knew it’, I tell her truthfully to which she replies in fits of laughter: ‘Indeed I did not and no one told me either’. 

‘Pope Francis has recently offered a very different and more positive perspective. In his ‘Catechesis on Old Age’, he writes; “The alliance between generations, which restore all ages of life to the human, is our lost gift and we have to get it back. It must be found, in this throwaway culture and in the culture of productivity “. He invites us to listen to the dreams of older women and men and to learn from their wisdom (Joel 2:28).  

Older persons have a different rhythm to life from which we can learn. He continues, “The arrogance of the time on the clock must be converted into the beauty of the rhythms of life”.                                 (Bishop Kevin Doran/Intercom magazine)

I most certainly can vouch for the above. One time when I told my friend Johnny (rip) how I hoped to become a ‘Home help’, (‘Carer’ is so much nicer), he replied in shock: ‘No, you cannot. You will keep folk awake all night listening to their stories’. 😂

You got that one right, dear Johnny. May the Lord have mercy on your gentle soul. Amen

‘The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person’. (Andy Rooney)

                     

        ‘Now, in old age, I’m enjoying the solitude that frightened me in youth’. (Albert Einstein)