How I came to know St Philomena the Wonder Worker

In 1976 a Carmelite priest started up a club for singles. I was then twenty years of age. In early May of that year our club attended a dance some miles away. I met my husband Chris there. He joined our club. I liked him very much but he took no interest in me. He also thought that I was too young for him anyway. (There is an eleven year age difference). To make matters worse I was extremely shy. By September I had made no progress in getting his attention.

A novena was needed. I went down to a Catholic bookshop (in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta) during my work lunch hour. I asked the shop assistant for a novena to a good miracle working saint. She was very busy with customers who were picking out First Holy Communion gifts, so she pulled out a box full of prayer cards and leaflets and told me to go through it and select whatever I needed. I then found a leaflet on St Philomena the Wonder Worker. It had a novena, some sketchy information and a black and white picture on it.

The most important bit of information on it was that St Philomena was a wonder worker and that she worked miracles of every kind for people in every class of society.

I had never heard of her before, although I know now that my great aunty Rose’s second name was Philomena, so that implies that my Irish great grandmother (who had migrated to Australia) had known about St Philomena and my mother has since told me that the Church of St Brigid, which was built in the middle of the nineteenth century* which was near our home (on the corner of the street that we lived in) had at one stage had a statue of St Philomena in it. (This must have been when I was very little, or even before my birth because I had absolutely no recollection of it).

I made the novena to St Philomena in September 1976 for a boyfriend. I did not specify anyone in particular and Chris took me out to the pictures the following month on October 15. St. Philomena was fast!

We were married on December 3, the following year. In December 2007 we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.  We have five children (three girls and two boys).

Since then St Philomena has done a great deal in my life and I have seen her work wonders for myself and for many others.

Mary Ann Matulis

(Australia)

*St Brigid’s Church at Prospect was demolished in 1975.

Some more St Philomena items

Novena to St Philomena the Wonder Worker for the healing of autism

St Philomena chaplet  

St Philomena’s intercession for mothers and babies

Many more St Philomena topics are listed here

Would you like to join a Living Rosary? Click here for more information.

Read my book: Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), free on-line.

The powerful intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors and ways to help them.

If St Philomena has granted you a favour, please let everyone know about it by putting a comment in the comments box.  Thank you.

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An explosion in the kitchen (A protection through the intercession of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

A bundle of clean clothing which had been brought in from the clothes-line was placed in the backroom.  I walked into the dining room and as I did, I looked towards the backroom and saw a reflection of the various colours of the clothes. Their combined reflection in the window above them, created an image of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. (This was before her beatification). Straight after I saw the reflected picture, I heard a loud explosion from the kitchen (the adjoining room). Through the doorway, I saw large flashes of yellow light shooting across the kitchen. I knew that my husband was in there, but I could not see him from where I was standing.  I was afraid that he had been injured and called out to him.  My husband was unhurt.  The electric kettle had exploded when he turned it on. I believe that Blessed Teresa of Calcutta protected him.

This is one of the stories in my book: Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), which can be read free online at this link.

My summary of the movie entitled: The Road to Lourdes

EWTN screened a movie entitled:  The road to Lourdes, which I recommend that you see if they screen it again.  It is a one hour drama staring Loretta Young. It was made in the 1950’s in black and white.  It is a very interesting story based on a real case of a rich American socialite, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.  The doctor said that she probably only had a year to live. She had lost her faith years before this event and was afraid to die because she thought that death is the end of everything.  In addition her marriage was in tatters because of the infidelity of her husband, who appeared to be repentant, however she did not want him back, even to look after her when she was dying. She was talked into going to Lourdes. She witnessed a big miracle at Lourdes and her faith was restored and she was no longer afraid to die. She phoned her husband in Los Angeles and told him that she was coming home to him. He said that he would come to France and travel back to the U.S. with her. Their marriage was back on track. One of the good features of this movie it that it was shot on location in France (including the Lourdes Sanctuary).  It shows what happens in the baths at Lourdes.  I got to see exactly what happens there.  (I missed out on a “bath” at Lourdes in the miraculous waters. The queue was to long.)

St Rita (The Saint of the impossible)

This Friday May 22 is the feast day of St Rita, the saint of the impossible. I thank St Rita for favours received; especially for the healing of a family friend from a serious health problem without an operation nor any other kind of medical intervention and also to promote devotion to St Rita. St Rita was a model daughter, wife, mother and religious. As a wife St Rita suffered patiently the rough ways of her husband, as a mother she tried to help her two sons curb their tempers and prayed that they would die rather than avenge their father’s murder by committing murder themselves. They both became ill and repented of this evil intention before they died. St Rita then applied to enter the Augustinian Sisters in Cascia but was refused entry.  Because of her persistent prayers she was at last admitted to the order. She often meditated on the passion of Christ and was noted for her obedience to her superior. Once when she was praying before a crucifix she asked Our Lord for a share in his Passion and a thorn detached from the crucifix and pierced her forehead causing a wound which remained for the rest of her life. This wound caused Rita great suffering.  After St Rita’s death she worked such great wonders and miracles that she well and truly earned her title of Saint of the Impossible. St Rita’s incorrupt body is in her main shrine at Cascia in Italy. Her feast is on May 22.

Car that was “dead” is now running well (A favour of The Holy Souls in Purgatory)

Car that was “dead” is now running well  (The Holy Souls in Purgatory)

Right now I am feeling total awe, immense gratitude and the overwhelming feeling of just WOW. I say the Saint Gertrude prayer for The Holy Souls in Purgatory many times a day, since I found it on your web site. Yesterday when I was ready to go to Mass, I tried to start my car and there was nothing. It just would not turn over. I tried it several times during the day and my son tried it before he went to bed, but it still would not start. Before going to Mass this morning, I went to your web page, (as I do every morning before Mass) to say the prayer. I decided to read some of the things on the web page, which I did the first time that I found your web site, but have not done since then. I read about you not being able to open the lock on your door and about your husband helping. I thought that “I should pray to The Holy Souls in Purgatory about my car”, so before I went out, (I was intending to walk to Mass), I asked them to please pray that my car would start. I put the key in the ignition and said “please Holy Souls, pray that it starts,”  I turned the key and my car started! I was what you could call struck dumb. I could not believe it, they actually heard me and answered my prayer, so I offered up my Mass and my Eucharist for them. I pray that more and more people pray to and for The Holy Souls in Purgatory. They need our prayers, and they DO listen to us and pray for us. Just ask my car.  B.M. (USA)

This is the web link that is referred to in the story about the car:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/Afavourgrantedbytheholysouls.html

This story comes from my book Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), which can be read free on-line at:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/HelpFromHeavenBook.html

I welcome your feedback on the book.

St Therese’s Roses (The healing of cancer)

My aunty was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I went to her home with a 1st class relic of Saint Therese.  Her daughter-in-law said that my aunty and uncle were attending Mass at the parish church. My husband and I then drove down to the church. Mass has just ended.  I looked down the hill, and I could see my aunty and uncle leaving the church.  As soon as I saw them I smelt the heavy scent of roses. There were no roses nearby. Saint Therese was giving a sign that all would be well. My aunty underwent chemotherapy and surgery, which was successful in eradiating the cancer. It is a well documented fact that Saint Therese sometimes allows people to smell roses in connection with her favours and miracles.

Relics of saints

First class relics are part of the saint’s body. Second class relics are objects which belonged to the saint during their lifetime. Third class relics are touched to the saint’s body or tomb after their death.

This story comes from the book: Help from heaven (Answers to Prayer). To read the book please click here.