Saint Philomena, an Incredible Saint
Mass and Procession in Negombo, Sri Lanka
On Sunday 11 August 2019, on the very feast day of Saint Philomena, we had a Mass in her honour in our church followed by a procession on our property as public processions have been banned in the Colombo Archdiocese until further notice since the Easter Sunday bombings.
Saint Philomena was removed from the calendar in 1961 and she didn't like it. She wants us to know that she truly exists and that she has not lost any of her power, she, who was known to be a wonder worker.
Our community is experiencing the power and protection of Saint Philomena, and we are very grateful to her, that is why we organised a special ceremony for her on 11 August. Indeed, we have every reason to be grateful as Saint Philomena has filled our church, a miracle in itself after a long time of skinny cows.
How did Saint Philomena fill our pews? In granting those who come to pray to her in our church, or who have recourse to her through our ministry, their special requests. Here is one of the latest signalled favours obtained by Saint Philomena:
On Wednesday 7 August, Brother and I went to bless a patient at Welisara hospital (serious cases). He had got a bacteria two months before which caused three wounds on his body and affected the lungs.
He had already spent the past two months in hospital with the doctors not knowing how to treat him when we visited him. On meeting him, we saw the large and deep wounds. He also had a tube between the ribs collecting fluid from the lungs, quite a lot of fluid.
I blessed him and anointed him with the oil of Saint Philomena.
A few days later, on Tuesday 13 August, the phone rang to tell me that the patient was going to be discharged. The doctor couldn’t understand how he could have be healed so quickly.
Dear Saint Philomena never ceases to amaze us.
We will continue to honour her as all the saints (Saint John Mary Vianney, Padre Pio…) and Popes (Pius VII, Leo XII, Gregory XVI, Pius IX, Leo XIII, Saint Pius X, Benedict XV and Pius XI) who had great devotion to her did. We know we can count on her!
Father Fabrice Loschi
