Eucharistic Miracles/Prayers

28/09/2026

May our lives here on earth never bring condemnation at the hour of death..Amen.🙏

13/07/2026

*Worship God with Good Deeds*
_(Monday, 13 July 2026. Readings: Isaiah 1:10-17, Ps. 50:8-9,16-17,21,23, Matthew 10:34-11:1)_

_*“Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:15-17)*_

Today’s first reading contains profound insights into prayer and our relationship with God. God says, “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen because your hands are full of blood.” In other words, there is no point in spending long hours in church casting and binding if there are “skeletons” in your cupboard. No wonder Jesus Christ said, “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24). What is God saying to us today?

It is better to live a holy and blameless life than to empty your bank account in the name of sowing a seed in the church. It is better to be reconciled with your neighbour than to be the highest donor during harvest. “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts… Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.” (Isaiah 1:11-13).

God cannot be bribed. For instance, if you kill someone to make money, your offering is an abomination to God. By His reference to S***m and Gomorrah, God draws our attention to the sins of the flesh (including unnatural unions), which have become rampant today. You cannot partake in such immorality, hoping to appease God with its proceeds. Such a sacrifice may attract the applause of others (who do not know how you made such money), but it is sickening to God, who sees and knows everything.

Do not treat God as if He were a human being who cannot survive without your offerings. After all, God owns everything. “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills… All that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” (Psalm 50:10-13). Your money doesn’t move God. Any preacher who tells you it will be tight for you if you don’t pay tithes or sow seeds is a liar and a thief. God does not need your money. Give to appreciate Him, not to invest.

Do you want your prayers to be heard? God says, “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16-17). There is no point moving from Church to Church or subjecting yourself to abuse in the hands of so-called powerful miracle workers; repent of the evil around you, and God will grant your prayers. “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Is it easy to turn away from our attachment to sinful lifestyles? What if we try to put God first but do not get support from our family members and friends? Jesus answers these questions in today’s Gospel passage: “I have not come to bring peace, but rather a sword… a man against his father, daughter against mother, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law and so on.” There is a type of peace that allows evil to thrive. If we are too scared to speak up or challenge the vices of people around us in the name of “let peace reign”, we indirectly contribute to the reign of darkness.

A few days ago, we heard Jesus say, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) Today, Jesus adds: “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37-38). Jesus is not against Family. Rather, He wants us to know that we have a choice. Even if it means losing a member of our body (cf. Matthew 5:30) or cutting ties with our family members, God’s kingdom is worth the sacrifice.

Let us pray: O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who, for the faith they profess, are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honour. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of week 15 in Ordinary Time Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: Isaiah 1:10-17, Ps. 50:8-9,16-17,21,23, Matthew 10:34-11:1)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

Today’s first reading contains profound insights into prayer and ou...

08/06/2026

*The Beatitudes: God’s Recipe for Happiness*
_(Monday, 8 June 2026. Readings: 1 Kings 17:1-6, Ps. 121, Matthew 5:1-12)_

_*“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets before you.” (Matthew 5:12)*_

The Beatitudes represent a radical way of life because what Jesus recommends in these Beatitudes differs from what we normally do. To claim to be a person of faith, you must be prepared to go beyond the ordinary; faith demands some level of radicality, just like Elijah in today’s first reading. Elijah was not like everyone else. Elijah was determined to swim against the tide; he chose the narrow path as Jesus would say: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Stop trying to be like everyone else. Though we live in the world, we do not belong to this world. (cf. John 15:19). We have been called and chosen. We are not following the world’s trends sheepishly because we are the sheep of Christ. That fashion may be trending, and everyone around you thinks it is cool; even your fellow Christians do not see anything wrong in it, but you know that this dress exposes your nakedness and makes people desire you sexually. Be like Elijah, don’t wear it. Choose to dress as a child of God. Soon, you will be a trailblazer; everyone will want to dress like you. Become a pathfinder for good.

I cannot promise you a jolly ride if you refuse to follow the trend around you. You will experience much pain; you will be hated by many; even your family members will disown you. You will be forced to run from one town to another like Elijah. Jesus said: “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and all will hate you for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes.” (Matthew 10:21-23). If you are prepared to serve God, your priorities must change; you cannot be chasing the American dream (to have lots of cars and houses that you wouldn’t know which is which, to have so much money laid up in all kinds of accounts that you wouldn’t need to work a single day, yet you can afford whatever you fancy) and heaven simultaneously.

God will never abandon you amid whatever sufferings you encounter defending your faith. “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:11-12). Your reward is great in heaven, but it begins here on earth. Don’t be afraid; God sends His consolations when He knows we are suffering on His behalf. God sent Angels to console Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane. God did not wait for Elijah to die before sending ravens to feed him. It is said that ravens are the stingiest birds on earth, yet of all the other animals on earth, it was ravens that God chose. This teaches us that God makes a way where there seems to be no way. Don’t believe the devil when he tells you that you don’t have a choice; you do. Choose death (that is, choose the option of good over evil), and God will be there to defend you.

Practice the Beatitudes; they contain keys to supernatural happiness. We all desire happiness, but we don’t know how to turn on the happiness switch. Jesus proposes some tips in today’s Gospel passage. At face value, it seems Jesus is trying to take away our happiness (Jesus even said, “Blessed are those who mourn”), but all I can say is that a trial will convince you. Be poor in spirit; be humble; seek God’s kingdom and its righteousness; acknowledge your need for God; put God first in any decision; and be open to God’s will and teachings. Mourn when you see evil going on; do not be indifferent to indecency or immorality; some jokes should not be heard from you.

Practice the Beatitudes; be merciful, and forgive quickly and completely. I will tell you one secret: “No one ever became happy because of revenge.” Inflicting pain on others because they hurt you in the past only increases your sorrows. Whatever you give out, you get back double, and the cycle never ends. Let the pain end with you; forgive and let everything go. Be a peacemaker; do not let yourself become an instrument others use to fight their enemies or settle quarrels and disputes. Be pure in heart; do not wish evil for anybody; do not make room for evil spirits in your heart by watching po*******hy or feasting on indecent thoughts. There is no happiness in the misuse of your sexual organs because the pleasure you derive from such is fleeting, but the painful consequences continue to hunt you throughout your life. Try these beatitudes; they are not difficult; they are God’s recipe for lasting happiness.

Let us pray: O God, from whom all good things come, grant that we, who call on you in our need, may at your prompting discern what is right, and by your guidance do it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: 1 Kings 17:1-6, Ps. 121, Matthew 5:1-12)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

The Beatitudes represent a radical way of life because what Jesus r...

04/06/2026

*Love God by Loving Your Neighbour*
_(Thursday, 4 June 2026. Readings: 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Ps. 25:4-5,8-10,14, Mark 12:28-34)_

_*“When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 12:34)*_

Today, a scribe, probably exhausted over the various attempts to find fault with Jesus, came to inquire about the most important thing. In answering him, Jesus quoted the book of Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Jesus quickly added Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

By combining these two verses, Jesus teaches us that our love for God is love for our neighbours. St. John would later explain further when he said: “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20). Loving God demands that we see God in our fellow human beings not minding the colour of their skin or the language they speak.

On hearing Jesus’ response, the Scribe added: “To love one’s neighbour as oneself is more important than burnt offerings and sacrifices.” This is exactly the point Jesus made when He noted: “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”(Matthew 5:23-24).

Jesus was so impressed with the Scribe’s response that He said, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” If we understand the importance of loving God in our neighbours, we will not be far from eternal life. On the Last Day, we shall be judged based on how we treated others, not on how big our tithes (and burnt offerings) were. “Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:34-36).

As simple as it sounds, loving our neighbours as ourselves is a sacrifice. When we love others, they respond with hatred. They take advantage of us when we are kind, sincere and open. When we let our light shine, they respond with cruelty. Why does the world hate good people? The book of Sirach says: “My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.” (Sirach 2:1). In today’s first reading, St. Paul writes about his ordeals – how he had to endure suffering and wear chains like a criminal because he chose to spread the Good News. If you expect people to appreciate you for living a righteous life, love you for loving them, or even reciprocate your kindness, you are wasting time. Whatever good you do for others, know that you do it for God.

Regardless of how badly the world treats you, never give up on God. No matter how much suffering may come your way for the sake of loving God and your neighbours, let these words of St. Paul become your mantra: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him… if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13). St. James adds: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4).

Let us pray: O God, whose providence never fails in its design, keep from us, we humbly beseech you, all that might harm us and grant all that works for our good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Thursday of week 9 in Ordinary Time Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Ps. 25:4-5,8-10,14, Mark 12:28-34)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

“When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are n...

01/06/2026

*Empty We Came and Empty We Shall Return*
_(Monday, 1 June 2026. Readings: 2 Peter 1:2-7, Ps. 91:1-2,14-16, Mark 12:1-12)_

_*“What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.” (Mark 12:9)*_

There is the story of a man who went into a restaurant and, upon noticing a man sitting at the corner, decided to provoke him for no reason. He ordered drinks for everybody in the restaurant except for that man. He did this repeatedly, and the man remained calm. Surprised by his composure, he whispered to the waiter: “What is the matter with that black man over there?” The waiter responded, “Sir, that’s the owner of this restaurant.”

Like the tenants in Jesus’ parable, we often forget that we are tenants on earth and there is nothing we can do to “own” the world. Job captured this reality perfectly when he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.” (Job 1:21). No matter how much you achieve on earth, you will leave everything behind one day. Never forget you are not yet home. This world is not ours; we are just passing through.

The landowner sent messengers to collect his harvest because he knew what the land could produce. God also expects fruits from us because He knows our true potential. In another passage, Jesus said. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16). Our first fruit for God is the holiness of life. As mentioned in today’s First Reading, other fruits include faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, and brotherly affection. These are the harvest God wants us to give.

The tenants in Jesus’ parable forgot they were only tenants, that the land could never be theirs. Nowadays, you hear phrases such as: “my body”, “my truth”, etc. We live in a world that has turned its back on God. A world where people live as if there is no God. It is not just your body; it is God’s temple. You don’t own yourself; you must account for your life before God. There is a day of reckoning. Jesus would say: “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. (Luke 12:42-43). Harvest Day is coming, a day you do not know. Are you prepared for it?

After stating the parable, Jesus asked: “What will the vineyard’s owner do?” In other words, you be the judge. Imagine you were God; what would you do? How would you treat humans who believe they don’t need to be accountable to their creator? This calls for an examination of conscience; we must judge ourselves and make necessary adjustments. On the other hand, we may decide to act like the Jewish leaders who attacked Jesus for saying the truth. Fighting a prophet does not prevent a prophecy from coming to pass. We can suppress the truth, pretend as if we will live on earth forever, but in the end, we cannot escape God’s judgment.

St. Justin the Martyr was born at the beginning of the second century in Nablus, Samaria, to a pagan Greek family. He was an earnest seeker of truth and studied many philosophical systems before being led from Platonism to Christianity. While remaining a layman, he accepted the duty of making the truth known and travelled from place to place, proclaiming the gospel.

In 151, he travelled from Ephesus to Rome, where he opened a school of philosophy and wrote defences and expositions of Christianity, which have survived to this day and are the earliest known writings of their kind. In the persecution of 165, in the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, he was denounced as a Christian, arrested and beheaded. Like Justin, we must not be afraid to die for our beliefs.

Let us pray: O God, who through the folly of the Cross wondrously taught Saint Justin the Martyr the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, grant us, through his intercession, that, having rejected deception and error, we may become steadfast in the faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Saint Justin, Martyr Liturgical Colour: Red. Bible Study: 2 Peter 1:2-7, Ps. 91:1-2,14-16, Mark 12:1-12)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

“What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others.” (Mark 12:9) There is the story of a man who...

29/05/2026

29 May 2026
*Friday of week 8 in Ordinary Time*
or Saint Paul VI,

Lord God,
bestow a full measure of your grace on us who are gathered here in prayer.
As you work within us to keep us in the path of your commandments,
may we receive consolation in this present life and eternal joys in the next.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Have a blessed day

27/05/2026

*All Flesh is Grass; Serve One Another in Humility*
_(Wednesday, 27 May 2026. Readings: 1 Peter 1:18-25, Ps. 147:12-15,19-20, Mark 10:32-45)_

_*“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43-44)*_

What would you take if asked to choose between being a king controlling a vast empire or an unknown servant earning the minimum wage? Having been made in the image and likeness of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega, it is only fair to say that it is our human nature to desire greatness. Like James and John, we do not mind drinking from any chalice or receiving a special baptism to get seats at the right and left of Jesus in heaven. However, Jesus teaches us today to take the second option, to become the unknown servant. This brings us to today’s lessons:

_All Flesh is Grass:_ In today’s First Reading, St. Peter quotes from the book of Isaiah to emphasise the nothingness of human nature: “All flesh is grass and its glory like wildflowers. The grass withers, the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” (1st Peter 1:24, Isaiah 40:6).

This was the same point Jesus was driving at when he said: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Do not envy anyone because of the position they occupy because, in the end, all flesh is grass. The king and the servant have the same fate. On the other hand, do not base your worth on your position; you don’t have to lord it over anybody to feel respected.

_The Way to the Top is the Bottom:_ In the preceding chapter of today’s Gospel passage, Jesus spoke with his disciples about how he would be killed and rise on the third day. When they got home, Jesus asked his disciples what they were discussing on the way. They were too ashamed to tell Him because they had discussed who was the greatest among themselves. Jesus took a little child and set him in their midst, saying: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35).

Desiring to win the argument about who was the greatest, James and John decided to “up” their game by asking: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” This request made the other disciples indignant with James and John. Jesus finally settled the argument by saying: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43-44). If you aspire to greatness, then learn to be a servant. If you are not first a servant, you would become intoxicated by power and end up using it to destroy rather than build.

_Heaven is Not Cheap:_ When James and John asked for these special seats, Jesus tried to discourage them by asking: “Are you able to drink the chalice that I drink, or to be baptised with the baptism with which I am baptised?” Without asking Him to explain the meaning of the chalice or the baptism, James and John said, “We are able.” As the saying goes, talk is cheap, but actions speak louder than words.

Like James and John, how often have I said “Yes, I will” to God only to do the opposite? What does Jesus mean by “the chalice He is to drink” and “the baptism He is to be baptised with”? This statement was Jesus’ attempt to draw the disciples’ attention to what He said earlier (which they were not listening to): “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34). Heaven is not cheap. As James says, “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials.” (James 1:2)

_No More Pretence:_ In today’s First Reading, St. Peter tells us: “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart.” (1 Peter 1:22). Much of what we do in the name of love is not love but simply pretence. St. Paul reiterates St. Peter’s instruction in his letter to the Romans: “Let love be genuine…” (Romans 12:9). If we love only with our lips and not with our hearts, we are deceiving ourselves.

Let us pray: Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and that your Church may rejoice, untroubled in her devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Wednesday of week 8 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: 1 Peter 1:18-25, Ps. 147:12-15,19-20, Mark 10:32-45)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

When James and John asked for these special seats, Jesus tried to discourage them by asking: “Are you able to drink the chalice that...

26/05/2026

*Seek First God’s Kingdom; You Will Not Lack*
_(Tuesday, 26 May 2026. Readings: 1 Peter 1:10-16, Ps. 98:1-4, Mark 10:28-31)_

_*“I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold.” (Mark 10:29-30)*_

Today’s Gospel passage describes what happened after the rich young man sorrowfully walked away from Jesus because he was unwilling to sell his goods and give the proceeds to the poor. Jesus’ disciples were shocked by Jesus’ statement that it would be difficult for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom. The disciples remembered that they had also left everything to follow Jesus. They wanted to know if their decision to be detached was worthwhile. This brings us to today’s lessons:

1. The Essence of Discipleship is Detachment: Peter said to Jesus, “We have left everything and followed you.” To be attached to God, one must be detached from the love of material riches. Unlike the rich young man who walked away sad, the true disciple seeks God first and relies on God for security. In today’s first reading, Saint Peter himself describes the true disciple as one who is committed to personal holiness, one who is not conformed to the passions of his former ignorance. The true disciple does not engage in any form of competition or bragging over material possessions. This detachment brings a sense of security, knowing God’s abundant and trustworthy providence.

2. To Be Detached is to be Poor: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20). Being poor is not necessarily the state of lacking the goods of the world but the condition of not being attached to material possessions. The Psalmist says: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.’ For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and the deadly pestilence; He will cover you with his pinions, and you will find refuge under his wings.” (Psalm 91:1-4).

3. Your Reward Begins Here: Jesus assures us: “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30). Be detached from worldly goods. God surely knows how to take care of his own. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ The Gentiles seek all these things; your heavenly Father knows you need them all. But seek his kingdom and righteousness first, and all these things shall also be yours. (Matthew 6:31-33). This promise of eternal life should fill you with hope and anticipation, knowing your true reward is yet to come.

St. Philip Neri was born in Florence on 21 July 1515. From a young age, he radiated joy and obedience, earning the nickname ‘good little Phil.’ Aspiring to a religious life, Philip studied at the Dominican monastery in Florence. At 18, he moved to San Germano with the expectation of taking over his family’s business. However, a profound mystical vision redirected his path, calling him to serve God and the Church. This vision led him to Rome, where he first became a tutor and later dedicated himself to solitary prayer.

Philip was ordained a priest in 1551 and spent his days in confessionals and informal talks, reaching people from all social backgrounds. His charismatic nature attracted support from all levels of society, including popes and other saints. Through his efforts to reform the Church with kindness and friendship, he earned the title ‘Apostle of Rome.’ He passed away on 26 May 1595, leaving behind a legacy of faith and joy. St. Philip Neri was canonised on 12 March 1622 and is celebrated as the patron saint of Rome, the US Special Forces, humour, and joy.

Let us pray: O God, who never cease to bestow the glory of holiness on the faithful servants you raise for yourself, graciously grant that the Holy Spirit may kindle in us that fire with which he wonderfully filled the heart of Saint Philip Neri. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Saint Philip Neri, Priest, Liturgical Colour: White. Bible Study: 1 Peter 1:10-16, Ps. 98:1-4, Mark 10:28-31)*
Fr. Evaristus E. Abu

“I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or si...