Reflections (Page 5)
Is the Message of Fatima Still Relevant Today?
Our Lady started appearing to the three little children (Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta) on May 13 through October 13, 1917. Before Our Lady’s apparition, an Angel had first appeared to them and taught them this prayer: “O my God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love thee. I beg pardon of thee for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not believe and do not love thee.” Franceso was 9. As with most 9 year olds,…
World Mission Sunday
They came and died… Next week, as we celebrate World Mission Sunday, I think of the amazing missionaries that brought the Good news to Africa and in Nigeria in particular. My great grandfather was not a Christian. He believed in a Supreme Being but did not know God the way we do today. The missionaries taught our people about God the Father who created us out of love, about Jesus our brother and our Saviour who died for us, about…
Funeral Preparation
Since we know that one day, we shall all die, preparing for our death and funeral, as difficult as it may be, is a good thing. Every day as we say the rosary, we are already preparing for death as we ask our blessed Mother to intercede for us: ‘Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.’ I once shared the story of a parishioner whose family only wanted a celebration of life. We know that…
Preparing for death and for your funeral
Today, the Responsorial Psalm reminds us of what awaits every mortal – death: You are dust and unto dust, you shall return. We all want to die a happy death – at peace with God and our fellow men and women. But how can we achieve that? As I reflected on death, I was drawn to read again Thomas A Kempis classic ‘The Imitation of Christ’. He says: “How happy and prudent is he who tries now in life to…