Feature Special
By clarice Samgure
Our second feast day celebration was held on 11th August at 4'oclock in the afternoon.
More than 250 members including children attended the Mass. The school children and members took part in the procession from the beginning to the end.
We invited some of the religious and others who worked in our Diocesan office to join us.
We celebrated the feast day of Saint Philomena in a grand way.
After mass, we had a huge dinner near our prayer ground with our invited guests. Everyone enjoyed the meal and went home happy.
We owe our great success to our dear Bishop Austen Crapp ofm, for his great support for the establishment of ULRA (Universal Living Rosary Association) of Saint Philomena in our sub-parishes as well as the Diocese.
We also thank our Parish Priest, Fr. Chinedu Nwadike CSSp, for his inspiration and prayers. May the Lord bless you with whatever you do to your least of your brothers and sisters.
We also thank our benefactors and our tireless apostles and MFIC sisters, who graciously gave us a space in their chapel, and not forgetting our Fr. Timothy Elliott ofm, for his assistance.
We cannot put into words the graces and miracles St. Philomena had brought into our lives. Above all we give thanks to almighty God that our dream has come true.
It is difficult saying to hold our sufferings, pains and miseries for 8 solid years as a blessing. But this is what Christ calls us to do. Blessed are those who are persecuted and revaled for my sake, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven! Every pain that afflicts us is a manifestation of the will of God. Many will be surprised to hear this.
Every cross is a purification! Flowers yield their full purfume when they are crushed. Joy is far from artificial gaiety or as a big smile. Inspite of all conditions of body or even dryness of the soul, joy is an effect of the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. When a person has found the ONE THING in the whole world, which is the key to everything else, the result from this discovery is bound to be unique.
We begin our approach to God through faith and once we realize the life of Christ is within us, we will not keep him locked in our hearts. This faith and joy we will take with us everywhere we go. Thos around us will have joy of seeing Christ in our actions, reflected and refracted in a thousand encouraging words, friendly gestures and unselfish acts of generosity.
As it was said in Isaiah 60: "You will praise me because I have saved you, I the Lord will be your eternal light; thelight of my glory will shine on you. Your days of grief will come to an end. I the Lord will be your eternal light, more lasting than the sun and moon.