NYC Holy Week Mission Day 3
A truly amazing day, full of Amazing Grace. What a blessing to encourage so many to receive the sacrament of reconciliation!
One young woman was very reluctant to confess her sins, but with the grace of God, she finally went into the confessional. When she came out, she spent a long time with our Lord and then approached me with a radiant smile and said I want to take a picture to send to my dad; he will be so happy. I also reminded her of the joy of her Heavenly Father.
Another man who was away from the sacrament of reconciliation for a while told me his parents always went to confession, but he would say it skips a generation. Now that he’d been reconciled, he smiled from ear to ear and thanked God for the sacrament.
A woman sat in a pew, alone and tearful. I approached her gently. She opened up about her life. “I don’t go to church anymore. I don’t know what happened. I grew up in Catholic schools; I used to teach Religious Ed; I was active in the Church; I was a regular at Eucharistic Adoration.”
“What brought you here tonight, Cathy?”
“I’m visiting a relative. Can I have a rosary? My mother in Portugal would really appreciate it when I get home, especially because it was blessed here at the Cathedral.”
“… It feels so good sitting here in church. I can’t explain it.”
We discussed her faith journey. I invited her to confession, but she didn’t feel she could. I suggested the Adoration chapel, and again, she said “no.” She seemed on the edge of returning to the Church but just couldn’t take the last step. Then, after she sat alone praying in the pew for five minutes, I saw her get up and walk to the Adoration chapel.
I don’t know what happened after that. But I will always pray that she will return to the Church she once loved. And that she will find the amazing Grace that is here, waiting for her.
Marie
