*A 'Lost' Child Returns to the Church





by Mary Devine Bell, Co Louth, Ireland

"I had been a Jehovah Witness for fifteen years until I heard the teaching of Fr Gerard McGinnity in 2005. From coming back to the Church with Fr McGinnity's help, I appreciate my Catholic religion so much. Finally I am spiritually fulfilled. I've had so many blessings from the House of Prayer Achill."
I began studying the Bible with the Jehovah Witnesses in 1990 and just over a year later I officially joined them and left the Catholic faith. I was with them for fifteen years until 25th September 2005. On that Sunday there was an anniversary Mass for my parents in St. Mary's Church, Knockbridge, where Fr McGinnity was the parish priest.

Jehovah Witnesses are a very strict religion and wouldn't want any of their members going to another church, but that day I felt guilty about not going to my parents' Mass. I decided to attend just as a visitor, and to sit quietly there and not get involved in the prayers or Mass as it would be against my beliefs. This is what I did until Fr McGinnity began his sermon.

I was just moved to look up and listen. Nothing could have distracted me. My mind said, there is something about this priest, what he says is the truth (though before this moment I believed I had the truth as a Jehovah Witness). Something happened inside me. Leaving the church that morning, I said to my husband that I would love to be coming there every week. And that is exactly what I did. Shortly after that, I resigned as a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I went to visit Fr McGinnity and told him my story and had confession after fifteen years so I could be back properly in the Church and receive Holy Communion.


This eventually led me to the House of Prayer. Back then, I didn't know anything about it or about Fr McGinnity being Christina Gallagher's spiritual director. My first visit was on 16th July 2007. My next was in April 2008 and I have been attending the weekly Novena regularly ever since.

From coming back to the Church with Fr McGinnity's help, I appreciate the Catholic religion so much now. Being away all those years, there was always an emptiness inside. I've had so many blessings since going to the House of Prayer and being back in the Church. Finally, I am spiritually fulfilled. Just recently, I looked back in my diary to check how long I had been back in the Church and I noticed it was actually the 25th of the month, the day that Our Blessed Lady has granted special graces to bring back Her lost children .