Back in July 2009 I had to abandon my holiday due to the death of my father, to return home to be with my mother. It was a traumatic loss in my life and while nursing my sick mother who was a lapsed Roman Catholic, I would often find her sitting praying to help her through the loss of my father with whom she shared 60 years.

Almost 18months later, in a hospital bed on Christmas Day, I watched her hold out her hands to the Angels seeking them to take her to God shortly before she passed away. I was helped through this grieving process by my mother in law Patricia Fitzpatrick, she convinced me God is good and would take my mum to Heaven.

I started going to Mass regularly with Patricia and my family. Patricia became very ill and with her faith in God and power of her prayer along with her family and friends touched me.

Her faith touched me so much that I decided to pursue a life in the Catholic Church, I wanted to understand more about the strong faith I felt about her devotion to St Anthony, Our Lady and her belief in the Divine Mercy.

I therefore sought guidance from her parish priest Fr Neil McGarrity in St Robert’s and followed his guidance and attended RCIA to be received into the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil Mass