St.Mary of the Angels Chapel - HNJParish Bomana

05/07/2026

The Saint Who Conquered Despair with God's Love

He was anxious.

He had a fiery temper.

He once believed he was destined for hell.

And the Church now calls him St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church and one of Christianity's greatest teachers on God's love.

Born in 1567 into a noble family in France, Francis was expected to pursue a life of prestige. His father envisioned a brilliant career in law, a wealthy marriage, and political influence.

But God had another plan.

Before Francis ever became a priest, he endured one of the darkest spiritual trials imaginable.

While studying in Paris at the age of nineteen, he attended lectures on the Calvinist doctrine of predestination. The idea that some people were created only for eternal damnation filled him with overwhelming fear.

He became convinced that he was one of the damned.

For nearly two years, he suffered profound spiritual anguish. He lost his appetite, his health deteriorated, and he struggled with despair. Every prayer seemed empty. Every hope disappeared.

Finally, exhausted and broken, Francis entered a church and knelt before a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

There he prayed the Memorare with all the strength he had left.

Then he added these unforgettable words:

> "My Mother, if I shall not be permitted to love my Lord in the next world, at least obtain for me the grace to love Him perfectly in this life."

In that very moment, the darkness lifted.

Peace returned.

Francis realized that God's love is greater than fear and that the Lord desires the salvation of every soul.

That experience shaped his entire spirituality.

He would spend the rest of his life teaching that God is rich in mercy, slow to anger, and eager to draw every soul to Himself.

But another battle remained.

Francis naturally had a quick temper.

He later admitted that gentleness did not come easily to him. Through years of prayer, self-denial, and reliance on God's grace, he patiently learned to master his emotions.

He famously said:

> "Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing is so gentle as real strength."

His holiness did not consist in never becoming irritated.

It consisted in choosing patience instead of anger, kindness instead of harshness, and charity instead of pride.

When Francis announced that he wished to become a priest, his father strongly opposed him. Yet Francis remained respectful while firmly following God's call.

Ordained a priest and later appointed Bishop of Geneva, he evangelized tirelessly during the Protestant Reformation. Through patient preaching, compassionate dialogue, and countless personal letters, he helped bring thousands back to the Catholic faith.

His masterpiece, Introduction to the Devout Life, forever changed Catholic spirituality by teaching that holiness is not only for priests, monks, or nuns—but for parents, workers, students, merchants, soldiers, and every ordinary Christian.

For this reason, Pope Pius IX later declared him a Doctor of the Church.

St. Francis de Sales reminds us that God's mercy is greater than our fears, that our weaknesses do not define our future, and that true holiness is built through countless small acts of love and patience.

If you struggle with anxiety...

If you battle discouragement...

If your temper feels impossible to overcome...

Remember the young man who once believed he was beyond hope—and became one of the Church's greatest saints and teachers of divine love.

St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, pray for us. 🙏✝️

30/04/2026

Thanks be to God. Amen 🙏🏻❤️🤍💙

Did you know that attending Mass at least once a week could have a positive impact on your quality of life?

Internal medicine physician Dr. José Jorge Maya shared the health benefits of participating in the Eucharist.

On his Instagram account, the specialist explained that various studies have found a relationship between regular attendance at religious services, such as Mass, and improvements in multiple indicators of physical and mental health.

According to the data, those who attend Mass at least once a week show, on average:
21 percent lower risk of cancer
29 percent lower likelihood of smoking
34 percent lower risk of excessive alcohol consumption
33 percent lower risk of depression

Furthermore, he noted that adolescents show a lower probability of engaging in risky sexual behaviors and substance abuse.

“And best of all: a 27 percent reduction in the risk of mortality from any cause,” he added.
Why are these results occurring?
Dr. Maya emphasized that this is not magic. Medicine has long indicated that “by positively impacting smoking, alcohol use, and depression, we can decrease the risk of cancer, mortality, and many other diseases.”

The specialist added that these benefits are often attributed to three fundamental factors that are frequently overlooked:

Social support and community life
Reduced stress levels and an increased sense of well-being and happiness
Living with a sense of purpose
Evidence is still developing—but the signs are strong
The doctor noted that although the quality of the evidence is not perfect—since it comes mainly from observational studies—in his personal experience, a life of faith offers significant benefits.

“I have never seen a person go to church or to Mass and leave worse off than when they arrived,” he said.
Dr. Maya added that, in his own life, whenever he has gone to church, he has left “much calmer, much lighter, and, most importantly, with a message from God for my life.”

His “prescription” for life is clear: if you have the opportunity to go to church or attend Mass at least once a week, don’t miss it.

Let’s follow this doctor’s advice as we seek a better quality of life!

https://ow.ly/J52v50YQ6KO

✍️ Harumi Suzuki

30/04/2026

O Lord, have mercy on us.
Amen 🙏🏻❤️

She was one of the holiest women in Church history. And for a season, her mind was a war zone she didn't choose. She begged God to take the thoughts away. He didn't... at least not right away. What He said to her instead will change how you see every temptation you've ever been ashamed of.

Catherine of Siena spoke honestly about spiritual battles, including strong temptations against purity. In accounts recorded by her spiritual director, Raymond of Capua, she went through periods where disturbing thoughts and images troubled her deeply. She did not choose these thoughts, and they caused her real pain.

She turned to prayer right away. She also practiced discipline like fasting and keeping watch in prayer, which was common in her time. But the struggle did not end quickly. She even felt as if Christ was distant, which made it harder.

At one point, after enduring this trial, she had an interior experience where the Lord said to her, “I was in the center of your heart.” When she questioned how that could be, He asked if the thoughts brought her pleasure or pain. She answered that they brought pain and sorrow. He showed her that this sorrow was a sign of His grace at work, protecting her will even when her mind was under attack.

This is an important point.

In Catholic teaching, temptation itself is not sin. What matters is whether we consent to it. Catherine’s suffering showed that she was resisting, not giving in. Over time, she grew stronger in virtue, especially fortitude, by staying faithful in the middle of the struggle.

She also learned not to panic when tempted. Instead of giving fear too much attention, she stayed rooted in prayer and trust in God. Her focus was not on the temptation, but on remaining faithful to Christ.

From her example, three simple lessons stand out.

First, remember that God can be very close even when you feel nothing.
Second, practice discipline in a balanced and healthy way, guided by the Church.
Third, be patient. Growth in purity often comes through perseverance, not instant relief.

God did not abandon her in the struggle. He used it to strengthen her.

💬 When you feel overwhelmed by temptation, do you see it as a failure… or as a place where God might actually be forming you?

28/04/2026

God bless you all Bishop la of PNG and SI. Amen 🙏🏻❤️🤍💙

Congratulations 🎊 BP Rosario and BP Justin.

Thanks be to God on your appointments. Amen

Port Moresby, 28 April 2026: The Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands joyfully announces the election of Most Reverend Rozario Menezes, SMM as the new President and Most Reverend Justin Ain Soongie as the Vice President.

28/04/2026

Mama Mary, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏻❤️🤍💙

Every detail in the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparitions is not random, but filled with deep spiritual meaning—heavenly messages of love, conversion, purity, and hope...

Here’s a look at three major approved apparitions, drawn from eyewitness accounts and traditional Catholic interpretations:

1️⃣ Our Lady of Guadalupe (1531) – The Floral Pattern on Her Clothing and the Moon under her feet.

🔸On Juan Diego’s tilma, Mary’s rose-colored tunic is covered in intricate flowers. Most striking is the unique four-petaled flower (nahui ollin or “Flower of the Sun”) positioned directly over her womb.

🔸To the Aztecs, this symbol represented the center of the universe, plenitude, new life, and their highest deity. Placed over her womb, it proclaimed that the true God — the source of all life — was becoming incarnate through her. The flowers overall spoke of truth, beauty, and a new era of peace, replacing human sacrifice with the Gospel of Christ.

🔸 The moon beneath her feet represents Mary’s role in reflecting the glory of Christ to the nations—a sign of hope even in the darkest moments of our lives, just as the moon reflects the sun’s light in the night.

2️⃣ Our Lady of Lourdes (1858) – The Blue Sash & Golden Roses on Her Feet

St. Bernadette described Mary as dressed in a flowing white robe with a blue sash (girdle) around her waist and a golden (or yellow) rose on each bare foot.

🔸The blue sash symbolizes the heavenly grace she bore in her womb, Our Lord Jesus Christ, with blue representing the color of divinity.

🔸The golden roses at her feet represent the grace of God bestowed upon Mary—that through Jesus, she will crush the ancient serpent beneath her feet. This is the Triumph of the Immaculate Conception, the triumph over Satan and Sin.

3️⃣ Our Lady of Fatima (1917) – Pure White Clothing

🔸The three shepherd children saw Our Lady “brighter than the sun,” clothed in radiant white—a dress and veil that seemed made of light itself. This echoes the vision in the Book of Revelation of the woman clothed with the sun.

🔸White signifies perfect purity, innocence, holiness, and victory over sin and darkness. In a world ravaged by war and moral confusion, she appeared as the Virgin Most Pure, urging prayer, penance, and consecration to her Immaculate Heart as a path to peace.

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These symbolic details show how tenderly Our Lady meets us in our own cultures and needs, always pointing us to her Son, Jesus Christ.

Which symbol speaks to you most? Have you visited any of these shrines or felt Mary’s motherly care in your life?

“I am the Immaculate Conception.” (Lourdes)
“Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5)

28/04/2026

ST Louis Marie Grignon DeMont Fort, pray for us. Amen 🙏🏻❤️🤍💙

03/01/2026

Blessed Feast Day of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

01/01/2026

HNJP Youth bbq/games after Carols night for 2025.

01/01/2026

- Chapel Youth Christmas Gift Exchange & Luncheon after last Sunday of 2025.