AWESOME AUGUSTINIAN CONVERSION STORY

"A child always knows when it is neglected, even in the womb," said Father Philomeno in his Geordie accent when he was recounting how a pregnant mother was set on abortion 'til two pro-lifers met her in a cafe at a busy shopping center. The exact moment the mother decided not to abort and accepted her child, the baby leapt in her womb, just like John the Baptist did in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. 

Father Philomeno is a Franciscan friar with piercing blue eyes like Our Lady's mantle, he is profoundly holy and has many stories from the pro-life trenches. The photo above is of his ordination in 2019. But this Franciscan's journey to the priesthood was achingly Augustinian and one reason why he knows how to help couples who are facing a crisis pregnancy is that he has learned from the mistakes he made when his girlfriend was pregnant. 

Father Philomeno hails from England's north-east. He was raised Catholic and is one of four children. As a youngster, he thought of Mass as a time to think and order his thoughts, and there was not a lot of prayer at home.  When he grew up he fell away from the Faith and gave himself to the hard-working lifestyle of the Northern English. He started living with his girlfriend and one day she told him that she was carrying his child and this shocked him into stunned silence. When she arranged an abortion, he found he was unable to put into words why he did not want her to go through with it but he was as he says, "uncharitable" to her. But go through with it she did, and afterwards he found her in his home, curled up in a ball and in agonizing distress. A short while later, she got pregnant again...and now I'll give the floor to Father Philomeno to tell you what happened next if you click here for his conversion story. Be forewarned that this may make you cry. I listened to it and felt tears prick at my eyelids, and this is saying something because I never get teary-eyed, yes, I'm that bloody hard as they say in the corner of England where Fr Philomeno was born. 

It is genuinely awesome that the same man went from living in sin to being an exceptionally holy Catholic priest who gives stirringly sanctifying sermons. But he was at his absolute best when he held forth on St Augustine, his personal patron. As he told the congregation, his conversion was so acutely Augustinian. 

                                                                     

The painting of Augustine that accompanies this piece was executed by an unknown artist. The photo of Fr Philomeno's ordination came from The Chairman of the Latin Mass Society's blog.