MERCY AT CHRISTMAS

Hello Everyone

I hope you are well and at peace, wishing 
you a very merry Christmas.

Recently we did a parish mission where all the students from 
the local secondary school came into the Church to hear me 
share my story. On the way out some of them asked for a hug
which I found deeply moving because of their age group (15

to 18  years olds). The next day I received an email from the mother

of one of the young people who had attended. She told me

that her teenage son had been hurt when he was a young boy.

During the talk he just decided he wanted to come up

and give me a hug afterwards. When his mum asked him why?

he said “I just wanted to”. She said this was a very big thing for

him to do after what had happened to him and that he never

allowed anyone to hug him. I feel somehow God was

reaching into his heart to bring healing and helping him to be

able to trust again.

The following week we did our third mission in Letterkenny

Cathedral. My good friend Father Eamonn Kelly arranged for

all the students from the local schools to come into the

Cathedral over three days. The first day I spoke to

700 boys and I shared about the forgiveness and mercy of

God and how it had transformed my own life. At the end

I explained to them the power of the sacrament of reconciliation

and invited them to go to confession. We had 14 priests

present and the confessions continued for over an hour

and a half. The amazing thing was that the young people

could have left at the end of my talk but instead many of them

chose to give up their entire lunch hour to go to confession.

The same thing was repeated over the next couple of days

with the girls school and the two mixed schools from the

town. I could see that some of the students had tears in

their eyes as they were walking away from this beautiful

Sacrament because they knew the gift of innocence and

peace in their hearts. One girl told me she was so happy

she felt like dancing.

Jesus said to one of the Saints that his heart was broken by

the way young people were being lured by darkness rather

than being led to his light. All of us fall down, all of us sin,

but Jesus has paid for us with his Blood. I have never seen

anything to give a young person hope, healing and self

worth like when they experience the unconditional love

of Christ through the priest in confession. In my own case this

is the grace that completely changed my life, when I went to

confession for the first time at the age of 27 God’s mercy touched

my heart so deeply that I wept with joy for three days. The young

people of Letterkenny showed that given the choice most people

will jump at the chance to receive that light of Christ and

the happiness and freedom that comes with it. We must

always look for ways of providing these opportunities.

The final mission of the year took place at Gorey, Co Wexford.

As the people were leaving the church on the last night a

Seventy year old man came up to me and said “This mission

has completely changed my life!” His eyes were glowing with

Innocence and joy. No matter what age we are, this Christmas

the baby Jesus is coming to each one of us. There is no better

way to prepare for His coming than by going to confession and

being completely honest, maybe by getting rid of those sins we

have never had the courage to confess before. Then we can walk

towards the New Year knowing that we are loved and that we

have absolutely nothing to fear, because the perfect love of God

drives out all fear, which was revealed in that mans eyes.

I pray that you and all those you love have a truly amazing

Christmas and a happy New Year!

God bless you in his deep love

John Pridmore

Before reading my latest update below check out this video produced in Slovenia during my latest speaking tour there.

WHEN WE OPEN OUR HEARTS TO GOD HE SHOWS US WHO WE REALLY ARE!

NEIL ARMSTRONG THE FIRST MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON


Hello everyone

I hope you are well and at peace,

In mid September I travelled to Slovenia where I was
invited to speak at a big youth festival with between
3000 and 5000 attending and I thought there was a
great openness amongst them. The next day I was
speaking at a parish nearby and the priest told me
that he had attended the festival talk and afterwards
he was hearing confessions and had been deeply
moved by the how open and honest the young
people were.

The man who was translating for me was on fire
with the love of God and that makes a huge
difference. I was most impressed by the passion
he showed and even though I couldn't understand
what he was saying I know that he was totally
connected with the Holy Spirit.

One of the reasons I was in Slovenia is that they
have just translated my book into that language.
It is amazing to me because I am dyslexic and
when I was at school, in those days they didn't
know what Dyslexia was so they told me that
I was stupid and I believed them. But since God
changed my life I have written three books and the
first one, my life story, is an international best seller 
which has been translated into seven different 
languages. Before I found God I was asked to do a 
talk at my brothers wedding and I was petrified,
I couldn't string three words together. But since my
conversion I have spoken to more than 3 million
people all over the world including a talk at World
Youth Day in Sydney to 500,000 at once and I
didn't bat an eyelid because I knew I had God's
authority and that changes everything. When we
open our hearts to God he shows us who we really
are!

Next I travelled to Kansas in the USA and with all
the flying I had picked up some sort of a flu and I
was feeling pretty lousy, but it turns out I was 
staying that night with a doctor and he sorted me 
out with a good prescription. I thought this was
a good sign of God's providence and care. Whilst
there I did some talks and then was driven from
Kansas to Des Moines, Iowa to speak at the Christ
Our Life conference. This was a great experience
because the ladies who organised it were so full
of enthusiasm and joy. Over the course of the 
next week we drove from place to place for various
talks and by the end of the nine days I spent with 
them I had spoken to over 12,000 people in schools,
parishes and and at the actual conference.  

From there I moved on to Chicago to speak at the
Lighthouse Catholic Media conference. Lighthouse
are a not for profit organisation that spread the
Catholic faith through CDs, books etc and they
do fantastic work making these resources available
in parishes in the USA, UK and Ireland.
After this I spoke at a conference in Fargo, North
Dakota and once again the faith and commitment
that I witnessed, in those I met as well as the organisers,
was very inspiring.

On returning to England I went to do a talk in a school

at Gravesend in Kent where I got speaking to the 

headmaster and he told me that ten years ago I had 

visited a school in South East London where he was 

teaching at the time. I told the story of a fifteen year 

boy who had made a pact with his best friend that 

when they grew up they would become pilots together. 

Tragically his friend was killed in a plane crash on a 

family holiday and the boy was devastated, not only 

had he lost his best mate, but to the very thing they 

both dreamed of doing together. So he went home 

and locked himself in his bedroom and for three 

whole days he wouldn’t come out.  His mum was 

getting more and more worried about him. But on the 

third day he came out of his room and handed her 

a book and said “Mum, I’m not afraid anymore, I’m 

going back to school and I’m going to become a pilot, 

because that is what I believe God wants for my life.” 

His mum looked at the book and she was surprised to 

see that it was the Bible, because he never usually read 

it. Yet she could see that he’d been all the way through 

it and had ringed certain words in red pen, and it was 

always the same words “Do not be afraid!” over and 

over again. He found that 366 times in there, that’s one 

for every day of the year even one for a leap year “Do 

not be afraid” That young man grew up to be Neil 

Armstrong the first man to walk on the moon.

            

One of the students who listened to that story 10 years 

ago was a lad called Jason Puncheon, the teacher said 

that though he was a very talented footballer he wouldn’t 

apply himself and was getting involved in Gang culture in 

South London and was in danger of his life taking the 

wrong direction. But after hearing the Neil Armstrong story 

he told the teacher that he didn’t want to waste his gifts any 

more. From that day onwards he began to work hard in 

school and also train hard for football. Amazingly Jason is 

now playing for Southampton FC and scored his first 

Premier League goal  for them a few weeks ago. Again it

is only God who can show us who we really are!

Finally I journeyed to Malta where I spoke to 4 different 

groups. It is a beautiful island and has a great history of 

faith, I would recommend anyone who hasn't had the chance

to visit it to go there. The people I met were so open to the 
Holy Spirit and I thank God for the healing and grace that I saw

taking place among them.  Some of the testimonies that people

told me of their lives being transformed by God I will treasure

in my heart always.

You are very much in my heart and prayers, please keep me

in yours.

God bless you in his deep love

John Pridmore

THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP IN GOD

CRAIG LODGE 








Hello Everyone

I hope you are well and at peace

In Early August I had the joy to be one of the speakers
at the Youth 2000 Ireland summer festival which takes
place at Clonmacnois. This brought back great
memories to me because it was at one of these events
I experienced my conversion at Aylesford in England.
I think they are being used powerfully to bring the love
of God to the young people in Ireland and I could see
the Lord working very deeply in many hearts.

On the Friday night of the festival they had over fifty
priests hearing confessions for a number of hours.
I know from my own life what a massive turning
point this was. When we genuinely want to change
God can work miracles. I was humbled by how many
people approached me and said how reading one of
my books had helped them. I could only give thanks
to the grace of God for this because at school I was
dyslexic and in those days they didn't know what
that was, so I was told I was stupid and would never
amount to anything. As someone once said "God
doesn't choose the qualified, he qualifies the chosen"

The leader of Youth 2000 in Ireland is James Mahon
and he spent six months with us on our team a few
years ago. Even though we don't see one another
too often I always feel united with him in Christ
because I can see that the only thing that is important
to him is to do the will of God in his life.

Next I travelled to Edinburgh where I met up with my
good friend Frankie Mulgrew and his dad who is the
comedian Jimmy Cricket. A few years ago Frankie
was making a name for himself as a stand up comedian
but God touched his life in an amazing way and he
felt called to be a priest. He is now a Deacon and
hopefully will be ordained to the Priesthood next year.
He is an inspirational character with an amazingly
compassionate heart which reaches out to everyone
he meets.

After this I drove up to a place Called Buckie which is
four hours north of Edinburgh to share my story as part
of the Parish mission we were running. I must say that
I was very tired when I got there, because I had travelled
so much over the previous couple of days. Just as I got
out of my car to unload my bags I looked up in the sky
to see a massive rainbow which has always been a sign
to me that I am in the right place and my spirits were
lifted.

One lady who came to the mission said that she had
suffered a lot of pain and rejection during her life and
this weighed her down constantly, but before she went
to confession she felt Jesus say to her that he was going
to remove the thorns from her heart. Over the next
couple of days she experienced immense healing and
an overwhelming joy.

The Highlands of Scotland is one of my favourite places
in the world and as I was driving through Fort William
I arranged to meet an old friend who has been a great
blessing to me for many years Fr Roddy McAuley,
some of you might have seen him on the BBC TV
programme called an Island Parish. I don't think I
have ever met a more gracious host than Fr Roddy,
not only does he have an infectious gift of joy but I
can honestly say that every time I meet him I feel
uplifted and closer to God.

About sixteen years ago I spent over a year in a prayer
house in the Highlands called Craig Lodge. I would
consider the owners of this place Mary Ann and Calum
not only friends but like family. So as I drove down to meet
them from Fort William it was with great thanksgiving
in my heart that God has put such people in my life.
Their son Magnus MacFarlane Barrow is the founder of
Mary's Meals which feeds over 650,000 of the worlds
poorest children with a meal in school each day.
This was all started in a little shed which is next to the
prayer house under the inspiration of Our Lady after
whom the charity is named.

I have always felt very close to Magnus and several times
in my life he has given me guidance, wisdom and
encouragement when I've really needed it. On meeting
him he began to tell me about a powerful new
documentary film called "Child 31" showing the work of
Mary's Meals which has been made by a group called
Grass roots Productions (many of whom are ex gang
members from New York whose lives have been changed
by the love of God) He said that while visiting one place
where the children who are orphans were in a hopeless
situation of having almost no food, most of these youngsters
were addicted to sniffing glue which they used to kill the
pain caused by hunger. But Magnus was told of one
boy who refused to take the drug, and he asked if he could
meet him. The moment he was introduced to him
the lad said "You have to take me out of here!"
Magnus said the little boy simply wouldn't take no for
an answer so they agreed to take him with them for the
day even though they honestly didn't know what they
could do to help him.

Later that day they met with a Priest who ran an orphanage
and school connected with their work. He was delighted
to be meeting the founder of the charity and Magnus took
the opportunity to ask if the Priest could do anything for the
little boy. Not only did he enroll him in school he found him
a place in his orphanage and he will now be receiving Mary's
Meals in school each day. Magnus said he felt humbled by this
experience. Every single one of these children is so important
to God and by supporting Mary's Meals it is not only providing
them with life giving food but an education and a future.

To read more about the work of Mary's Meals and its
projects around the world you can visit their website
www.marysmeals.org

Over the last couple of weeks I have been running parish
missions in Paisley, Bellshill and Port Glasgow as well as
speaking to many hundreds of students in Holyrood and
St Mungo's schools in Glasgow as well as Schools in
Lancashire and Manchester. I had the joy of having with
me on the road Troy who was one of the first people I
became friendly with after my conversion. He has lived
in America for quite a few years and has just returned,
We had a blessed time where we both came closer to
God, which would be my definition of true friendship.

Please keep me in your prayers because I will be travelling
to five different countries leading up to Christmas and
speaking in Schools, conferences and prisons.

You are very much in my heart and prayers

God bless you in his deep love
John Pridmore

GOD IS NOT ANGRY

Hello everyone

I hope you are well and at peace.

Recently I went to speak at a weekend retreat in England
and I met a young lad who was struggling to understand
God's love for him. He felt that he was constantly trying
to prove himself to God. While I was praying for him I
sensed that God wanted him to know that He loved being
in every part of his life and not just when he was praying or in
church, but also when he was playing football and having
fun and even in the usual teenage struggles. When I told
him this, it was a massive weight being lifted from his
shoulders and I could see a great joy in him.

Years ago someone gave me a book called "God Is Not
Angry" by Father Ian Petit. In it he describes how we can
make the mistake of pretending to be holy on the outside,
but hide the mess we are within. He gives the example of
a man who is very greedy, but every time his wife asks
him if he wants a slice of chocolate cake, he says "No
thank you dear" but inside he still wants it. He can play
this game all his life but still remain greedy. Or he can
be real and honest with God about his greed and God
can begin to heal and change his heart.

A friend of mine struggled a lot with fear since he was
a young boy. In his late twenties he had a deep experience
of God's love and mercy, but the fear remained and
dominated his life. One night he had a dream in which
disgusting maggots were coming out from within him
and he was looking at them in a big pot before him. He
knew they represented the things about himself that he
didn't like, his weaknesses, bad habits and his general
brokenness. But in the dream there was one giant maggot
which was half in and half out of him and he was
wrestling with it to try and pull it out, but it wouldn't
come. He knew that this giant maggot was
the key to his fear and that it had a stronghold in him
that controlled him. He never forgot this dream and for
years he couldn't work out what the giant maggot
signified. Then one day while praying it dawned on
him that the thing which was dominating him, the
maggot with which he was wrestling, was perfectionism.
He could never truly accept himself and couldn't
even dream that God could accept him whilst he
allowed this lie [that we have to be perfect for God to
love us] to run his life. God loves us even with all our
maggots and when my friend began to realise this the
fear started to evaporate from his life, because he knew
that he could come before God just as he was and ask
His light and grace into absolutely every area especially
those he finds difficult to look at. Perfect love drives
out all fear!

Jean Vanier said we have to learn to tame the monsters
within us, and I believe the key to doing this is to ask Our
Lady to take us by the hand and help us to bring those
dark places in our hearts to Jesus her son so He can transform
those maggots into precious diamonds.

A girl I knew from Ireland went out to work with Mother
Teresa's sisters in the slums of Calcutta, whilst she was there
a priest who worked permanently with the destitute and
dying on the streets was giving them a talk in preparation
for the work she had volunteered to do. He said that
when you are holding a leper in your arms and there is
puss oozing from his wounds, don't wear gloves, don't be
disgusted because Jesus is right there in the excrement,
and unless you really know this, the work will be
impossible. At first she was shocked, but as the days and
weeks passed she realised it was true, that our humble
God never turns his back on anyone and it is only us
who put up walls to keep him out of certain situations
which we find uncomfortable and she remembered Jesus'
words "Whatever you did to the least of these, you did it
to me"

Over the last few weeks I have run parish missions in
Hereford, Convoy in County Donegal and at Walthamstow
in East London in the Church were my brother was baptised.
It was a great grace for me to do a mission so close to where
I grew up and to see people from such diverse cultures and
backgrounds packing the Church. Even though these are very difficult
times, it is evident that God is working powerfully to strengthen
and heal His children. I witnessed many people coming back to
the sacrament of confession and there were a lot of tears and also
an immense sense of joy.

I travelled to Poland and a young priest called Fr Chris was there
to show me around. He is only 30 years old and he has a great
passion for people to know the love of God. He was a gracious
host and went out of his way to make me feel welcome. One
evening at the venue where I was due to be speaking they served
a dish of meat pudding and Fr Chris noticed that I couldn't eat it, but
it was the only thing on the menu. So he drove me to a place where
they actually give you a fishing rod and you catch your own meal
from the lake next to the restaurant. I quickly landed a lovely trout
which I handed over to the cooks and within minutes I was eating
one of the most tasty meals you can imagine.

The next day as I got up to share my story to 3000 young people
I was reminded when Jesus said to St Peter "From now on I will make you
a fisher of men" and I smiled to myself at God's sense of humour.
When I had finished speaking the young people spontaneously
stood up and gave me an ovation which lasted five minutes. I knew
it was God who they were applauding because only He can make a
stone speak. After this they asked me questions for one and a half
hours. I was deeply moved by their openness and thirst for God.

Whilst I was in Krakow I had the honour to attend Mass in the seminary
where Blessed Pope John Paul II used to teach and I felt very close to
him. In that same city I visited the Shrine of Divine Mercy, and
at the convent where I was staying I mentioned to one of the sisters
that as a community we get up at 3 am every morning to pray
specifically for all those who are dying and also for those that God
sends us to minister to. After that we go back to sleep. To my
amazement she told me that for years now she has been getting up at
3 am and praying for three hours for the whole world, then
commencing her daily routine at 6 am. She said that this was her gift to
God, the freedom and joy that I saw in her was inspiring and I realised
that she knew with all her heart that God is not angry.

There was a sixteen year old boy who grew up in a very devout Catholic
family in France. He felt himself to be the black sheep of the family
because he was always getting into some sort of trouble. One day his
mum and dad told him that they were going to visit a lady called Marthe
Robin and he was going with them. Now Marthe had been paralysed and
bedridden since the age of 21 and she actually lived off the Eucharist
which was her only food for fifty years. She was well known to be a mystic
who could read the souls of the people she met. Now this young man was
petrified at the prospect of someone else knowing the state of his soul.
When he went into the room to meet her, she looked at him for a while and
then said "What are you so afraid of?" and to his own surprise he said "I'm
afraid of God" at this she burst out laughing, a laughter which was
infectious, and when she finally stopped she smiled gently at him and said
"How can anyone be afraid of God?" at this he physically felt the fear
leave him and his life was never the same again. Years have passed since
then, he is now a married man and also a deacon in the Catholic Church.
I must say that when he preaches about the mercy of God you know
that it is from personal experience.

St Faustina said that the greatest attribute of God is his mercy. We should
never be afraid of him because of our weakness. No matter how far we fall
in our own eyes we can always turn to him and say Jesus I trust in you.

You are very much in my heart and prayers

God bless you in his deep love
John Pridmore

WALKING IN GOD'S PRESENCE

The Beauty of Venice






Hello Everyone


I hope you are well and at peace.


Whilst I was running a Parish mission in Duagh,
County Kerry, an eleven year old girl and her
mother came to speak with me. This young girl
had lost the sight in one of her eyes in an accident
which happened a year previously. A friend of
hers had thrown a stone and it had hit her in the
eye. The amazing thing was that she had completely
forgiven her friend and she had a beautiful sense of
of peace about her. When she had heard me share
my story on the Monday night she had told her mum
that she wanted to come and ask me for a hug but
had been afraid to do so, this time there was no
such shyness and I gave her a big hug. The thing she
most loved doing was gymnastics and she told me
that she had a big competition the coming weekend
and asked would I pray for her. A week later I
received a phone call telling me that she had won the
competition and she was thanking God. I thought it
was the least she deserved for her amazing witness of
forgiveness and courage.


Because of the fact that I am often travelling to
different place to do talks and run retreats God has
taught me some good lessons about discerning his
will. I find that in his will there are always little
miracles and you can see his hand at work, but if
I don't consult with him it is a disaster. A few years
ago I was asked to go and do some talks in Boston
in the USA. I jumped at the chance because I had
always wanted to visit Boston. Very quickly I
booked my flights and accommodation and put the
dates into my diary of engagements. A couple of 
months later the talks were cancelled. 
But because I had cleared the time in my diary and it 
wasn't possible to get a refund for the flights or hotel,
I travelled out anyway and used it as a holiday. The 
first day I arrived there I caught the Swine Flu and
I was confined to the hotel room for the entire week,
I saw virtually nothing of Boston and I felt awful,
physically and spiritually. At the end of the week I
was praying and I said to the Lord, "What was this
all about?" and I felt he said "Well you never asked
me about this trip, you came here simply because you
wanted to, it was nothing to do with me" It really hit
me because I knew it was true.


That whole episode taught me a massive lesson and
since then I pray about every trip I make. Whether or
not it is God's will? Where I should stay? How I should
travel? How long should I go for? No matter how enticing
something can look, it can easily be a red herring to take
us away from the people and places that God wants to lead
us to.


When I try (to the best of my ability) to discern God's will,
I always notice his blessing and grace on what I do. Recently
I had a weekend free before the mission in Kerry began and
I was asking God where he wanted me to go. I felt he wanted
me to go to a place called Sneem. When I arrived there, not
only was it very peaceful with breathtaking scenery, but
when I went to the local Church the priest who was saying
Mass was standing in for the village priest and he recognised
me and booked me to come and do a mission in his Parish.
Not only that but I met a person in the hotel and gave him a
copy of my book which came at exactly the right time in his
life. Now only God could arrange those things.


Next I went to Italy to do talks in and around Venice, It was
a joy to see the openness in the people that I met, there were
a lot of tears and I was very moved by their deep faith in God.
I spoke in parishes and schools and because of the earthquake
that took place one school talk was called off, but I was invited
to speak to a group of seminarians instead, which was a privilege.
These lads were on fire for God.


My good friend Augusto who published my book in Italian was
my translator during my time in Italy and we had a blessed few 
days together. One day he was looking to book a place to stay in 
Venice and he said he would stay at any old place, I said to him 
"Have you prayed where God wants you to stay?" and he just didn't
think it was important to God where he stayed. So I told him the 
whole Boston story that I mentioned earlier and he took it on board 
straight away and said from now on he would ask God into everything.


Years ago I had a friend named Michael and he felt called by God
to travel from place to place and to share his story at AA meetings.
He told me that he asked God into everything, even if he was going
shopping for clothes. One time he didn't have much money so he
told God that he needed a new jacket and asked for help in finding one.
He walked into a second hand shop and he saw a Jacket that he really
liked and it fitted him perfectly. This kind of stuff happened to him all
the time and he showed me that God does care about the little details
of our lives and wants to be involved. Michael's influence has stayed
with me and the greatest joy in my life is walking in God's presence.


This was my second trip to Venice but somehow the last time
I hadn't noticed the beauty of my surroundings, I think that was because
I had been so busy caught up doing what I thought was important 
rather than being in the present moment and seeing the wonder 
in the people and places that we encounter.


After returning from Italy I did a couple of talks at events connected to
the Eucharistic congress which took place in Dublin. The first was 
arranged by Luison who is part of Opus Dei, I was very impressed 
by his dedication and his obvious love for the young people who he was 
ministering to.


The second talk had a profound effect on me, it was to a small group of
secondary school students from Northern Ireland who had been brought
to the congress by one of their teachers. As I was sharing my story with
them I became aware that many of them had suffered a lot, even though
they were very young. But despite all the hurt they were still so open to 
God. At the end of the talk, some of them came and shared that hearing 
how God had come to me and taken me from such a dark and hopeless 
place had really touched their hearts. Then to my surprise the teacher got 
all of them to get out the musical instruments they had been carrying with 
them and to sing a song of praise to God. Well I don't exaggerate when I 
say that when they started to play I nearly fell over backwards with the 
power of the Holy Spirit and all of the children noticed that I was crying, 
and I thought to myself "Is this just me?" and I turned around to see my 
friend Niall with tears streaming down his face also. There is nothing more
beautiful than the love of God and the precious children that he has created.


You are in my heart and prayers.


God bless you in his deep love
John