Episode 6

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0:00:08 > 0:00:10CHOIR HUMS

0:00:10 > 0:00:12Faith is God, it's love...

0:00:12 > 0:00:14It's just the whole meaning to life.

0:00:14 > 0:00:17It gives me meaning to keep going every day. And gives me joy.

0:00:17 > 0:00:18That's faith for me.

0:00:22 > 0:00:24We're in St Malachy's Chapel,

0:00:24 > 0:00:27and we see so many people coming into here and they walk in,

0:00:27 > 0:00:30and they go over and they light the candle

0:00:30 > 0:00:31and they read the prayer,

0:00:31 > 0:00:33and they think about the people they'll pray for.

0:00:33 > 0:00:36They sit down and they pray

0:00:36 > 0:00:38and they maybe look at the statue,

0:00:38 > 0:00:39or they just think of God.

0:00:39 > 0:00:41And you think of the candle lit for that person.

0:00:41 > 0:00:44And I think that that's deep. That's very prayerful.

0:00:49 > 0:00:52This is not just a big room, you know.

0:00:52 > 0:00:55This is a church, this is a place of God, a place of prayer.

0:00:56 > 0:00:59They've got a connection with something that's beyond this world.

0:01:01 > 0:01:03And that gives them strength to go back out,

0:01:03 > 0:01:05that things will be OK,

0:01:05 > 0:01:08that God is there and He's looking after them.

0:01:08 > 0:01:10And that the prayer will work.

0:01:47 > 0:01:49A day without Mass

0:01:49 > 0:01:52is not really a day, at all, for a priest.

0:01:52 > 0:01:56Somebody said to me recently that if they ask a priest what he's doing,

0:01:56 > 0:01:57he's either going to the altar,

0:01:57 > 0:01:59or he's coming from the altar.

0:01:59 > 0:02:01It's everything.

0:02:04 > 0:02:06And the Mass is where I come to meet Christ,

0:02:06 > 0:02:09and that's where the people come to meet Christ, as well.

0:02:09 > 0:02:10It's that coming together.

0:02:10 > 0:02:13And in the sacristy, when we're putting on the vestments...

0:02:13 > 0:02:15Yes, you're just putting on clothes and tying ropes,

0:02:15 > 0:02:18but you're thinking about the people you want to bring to Mass.

0:02:18 > 0:02:21In this Mass, we're praying for youth,

0:02:21 > 0:02:23and for all the young people.

0:02:23 > 0:02:24They're here.

0:02:24 > 0:02:27We're not waiting for them to grow up and then be part of the Church,

0:02:27 > 0:02:29They are the Church here now.

0:02:29 > 0:02:31This is my moment where, in a way,

0:02:31 > 0:02:32Heaven and Earth come together.

0:02:32 > 0:02:35And that's the centre to our whole faith -

0:02:35 > 0:02:36where we come to meet Jesus.

0:02:45 > 0:02:48Lord, I'm not worthy that you should enter under my roof,

0:02:48 > 0:02:52but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

0:02:55 > 0:02:57At Mass, whenever I say the words -

0:02:57 > 0:02:59"This is my body, and this is my blood" -

0:02:59 > 0:03:02it's not me saying that, it's not mine.

0:03:02 > 0:03:04It's Jesus' words through me.

0:03:05 > 0:03:07So that's very deep and very spiritual.

0:03:07 > 0:03:10That's everything for a Mass.

0:03:23 > 0:03:24God is my Heavenly Father.

0:03:27 > 0:03:30He is the one that I speak to

0:03:30 > 0:03:32and I rest upon Him,

0:03:32 > 0:03:34and I trust Him,

0:03:34 > 0:03:36and I have put my faith in Him.

0:03:38 > 0:03:42All we have to do, is accept Him and believe in Him,

0:03:42 > 0:03:44and He will be Our Saviour.

0:03:47 > 0:03:49If you keep your faith strong

0:03:49 > 0:03:51and you pray with God

0:03:51 > 0:03:52and you talk to God

0:03:52 > 0:03:54and you read your Bible, you know,

0:03:54 > 0:03:56you'll grow in your faith.

0:03:57 > 0:03:59And we will be tested on different occasions,

0:03:59 > 0:04:01but we have to keep the faith,

0:04:01 > 0:04:04and God will bless us for that.

0:04:08 > 0:04:11It's nice to be able to work here and have a nice place.

0:04:11 > 0:04:15We only have a lend of it in this life.

0:04:15 > 0:04:19You know, they're only possessions in this world.

0:04:19 > 0:04:21We'll leave them all behind,

0:04:21 > 0:04:24and it doesn't matter what we have - how much money, how much land...

0:04:24 > 0:04:26All of it's going to be left behind.

0:04:35 > 0:04:38In God's sight, we're all sinners, and, yeah, I was a sinner, too.

0:04:38 > 0:04:41I would've been smoking,

0:04:41 > 0:04:43and I was drinking, and...

0:04:43 > 0:04:45numerous other things,

0:04:45 > 0:04:48but God sometimes can strive with you.

0:04:49 > 0:04:52Sometimes it just hits somebody straightaway,

0:04:52 > 0:04:55but other times God can just move with you

0:04:55 > 0:04:58and take you along in different phases.

0:05:03 > 0:05:07Sometimes God can finally give you the question -

0:05:07 > 0:05:10"Will you accept me, or will you not?"

0:05:10 > 0:05:13All sins are pardonable,

0:05:13 > 0:05:16but there's one sin that is not pardonable -

0:05:16 > 0:05:18and that's when, for the very last time,

0:05:18 > 0:05:21you refuse to accept Jesus as your Saviour.

0:05:26 > 0:05:28The Lord's our shepherd,

0:05:28 > 0:05:31and I know each one of us is his lambs,

0:05:31 > 0:05:33and sometimes even with sheep,

0:05:33 > 0:05:34if I pull one lamb away,

0:05:34 > 0:05:36or one sheep away,

0:05:36 > 0:05:38all the rest will follow.

0:05:40 > 0:05:44Sometimes God's just trying to teach us the way,

0:05:44 > 0:05:45you will be following.

0:05:45 > 0:05:47Our life will come to an end

0:05:47 > 0:05:49and we must be prepared,

0:05:49 > 0:05:53and that's the why I accepted God as my Saviour.

0:05:53 > 0:05:55I intend to be with Him in Heaven.

0:06:13 > 0:06:16# ..go into the world

0:06:19 > 0:06:21# Tell them about me

0:06:22 > 0:06:26# Help them learn like you have learned

0:06:26 > 0:06:29# To always follow me

0:06:29 > 0:06:33# And if that's what Jesus said

0:06:33 > 0:06:36# That's what I'll do... #

0:06:36 > 0:06:38The first thing you're going to experience

0:06:38 > 0:06:41is the real warm, friendly people at Armagh Baptist.

0:06:41 > 0:06:42It's one of the things that

0:06:42 > 0:06:45when we were there, when we first started,

0:06:45 > 0:06:47it was really warm.

0:06:47 > 0:06:49And the people are really genuine.

0:06:49 > 0:06:52Really interested in you as a person.

0:06:52 > 0:06:54# I'm ready to walk

0:06:54 > 0:06:56# I'm ready to talk

0:06:56 > 0:07:00# I'm ready to look into my heart...#

0:07:01 > 0:07:03It is a fantastic place to be.

0:07:03 > 0:07:04It's a busy place.

0:07:04 > 0:07:08If you're involved in church life, then you're a busy person.

0:07:14 > 0:07:17We wanted to really be involved in the youth work there,

0:07:17 > 0:07:20and help out with various aspects of church life there.

0:07:20 > 0:07:22And that is one of the conditions

0:07:22 > 0:07:26of becoming a member, that you are baptised as a believer.

0:07:33 > 0:07:35So when we came to the Baptist Church, yes,

0:07:35 > 0:07:37it was something we had thought about,

0:07:37 > 0:07:39and the pastor had spoken to us about it.

0:07:39 > 0:07:42It was lovely, then, that we were both able

0:07:42 > 0:07:46to be baptised together on the same evening.

0:07:46 > 0:07:49It was really lovely, erm, that we did that...

0:07:49 > 0:07:51- Together. - ..together, as a married couple.

0:07:55 > 0:07:57It's special from the point of view

0:07:57 > 0:08:00that we're both saying we're committed to God

0:08:00 > 0:08:01and we want to identify with Jesus.

0:08:01 > 0:08:04With the profession of your faith in the Lord Jesus,

0:08:04 > 0:08:07and in obedience to Christ's command, we now baptise you

0:08:07 > 0:08:10in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

0:08:10 > 0:08:11Amen.

0:08:18 > 0:08:22If you think of married life as being a triangle -

0:08:22 > 0:08:25that there's Alan in one corner and myself in the other

0:08:25 > 0:08:28and God is right at the centre

0:08:28 > 0:08:29and as we grow closer to God,

0:08:29 > 0:08:31we grow closer to each other.

0:08:34 > 0:08:36In our Christian walk, we can say,

0:08:36 > 0:08:38"Well, this is what's going on in my life at the minute -

0:08:38 > 0:08:40"How can I can help?"

0:08:40 > 0:08:42That's the purpose of marriage, as well.

0:08:42 > 0:08:47That God has given Joanne to me as a help,

0:08:47 > 0:08:48and vice versa.

0:08:48 > 0:08:51That's God's way, in terms of

0:08:51 > 0:08:53what he wants from marriage, as well -

0:08:53 > 0:08:55that we lovingly care for each other.

0:08:55 > 0:08:58And how we develop in our relationship with God, as well.

0:09:00 > 0:09:03MASS BEING SUNG

0:09:25 > 0:09:27When I was at Queens, I loved it.

0:09:27 > 0:09:30I was doing Computers in Business - wonderful subject,

0:09:30 > 0:09:32made good friends, and really, really enjoyed it.

0:09:32 > 0:09:34I wanted to start a computer business.

0:09:34 > 0:09:36That was my plan, what I wanted to do.

0:09:36 > 0:09:38But that priesthood thing was always there.

0:09:41 > 0:09:44And I used to think to myself -

0:09:44 > 0:09:47what do you want me to do, God? What you want me to do?

0:09:47 > 0:09:49And I always got the answer really, really clearly -

0:09:49 > 0:09:51"I want you to be a priest."

0:09:51 > 0:09:54I kept doing what I wanted to do, you know, studying computers,

0:09:54 > 0:09:56and making my friends and all the rest,

0:09:56 > 0:09:59but I kept always thinking to myself "priesthood."

0:09:59 > 0:10:02It's not going to be fun. It's not going to be exciting.

0:10:02 > 0:10:06But...you know...starting my own business, and all that stuff...

0:10:06 > 0:10:09I thought I'd be giving up all the enjoyment of life.

0:10:21 > 0:10:25I remember sitting in the chapel - just there, and praying,

0:10:25 > 0:10:27really knowing that God wanted me to be a priest,

0:10:27 > 0:10:30and I remember - this sounds strange -

0:10:30 > 0:10:32but I kind of got angry in myself.

0:10:32 > 0:10:35"God, what are you doing to me? You're ruining my life!

0:10:35 > 0:10:38"Here I am wanting to do what I want to do

0:10:38 > 0:10:42"and you are here, coming in with - 'I want you to do this and this.'"

0:10:43 > 0:10:46I was kind of angry with God, I really was.

0:10:46 > 0:10:50And I heard God speak to me again, not in words, but in my heart,

0:10:50 > 0:10:55and he said, "Thomas, if you want to go on and do your computers

0:10:55 > 0:10:58"and have your life and start a family and all the rest,

0:10:58 > 0:11:00"I am behind you, and that's good,

0:11:00 > 0:11:03"but I really want you to be a priest."

0:11:03 > 0:11:08And I remember that moment, like, everything kind of went down...

0:11:08 > 0:11:11Because then I really felt God wasn't pressuring me into anything.

0:11:13 > 0:11:16If I went ahead and went back to my classes and went on through life

0:11:16 > 0:11:21it'd be fine, and he would support me and I'd have no regrets,

0:11:21 > 0:11:23but at the same time, I couldn't, I feel,

0:11:23 > 0:11:25go through with my whole life always knowing

0:11:25 > 0:11:27that that was always there and always there,

0:11:27 > 0:11:30and that I didn't try it out, at least.

0:11:30 > 0:11:33I know he gives me the freedom to say yes or no.

0:11:33 > 0:11:35In my heart, I couldn't say no.

0:11:35 > 0:11:37And I had to say yes.

0:11:37 > 0:11:38And I became a priest.

0:11:54 > 0:11:56MAKES WHISTLE-CALLS

0:11:56 > 0:11:58DUCKS QUACKING

0:12:00 > 0:12:02Since I was brought up,

0:12:02 > 0:12:05I was brought up to go to church.

0:12:05 > 0:12:07I knew that there was a God in Heaven

0:12:07 > 0:12:11and I needed to be saved to get to Heaven.

0:12:11 > 0:12:13But I just thought that this was a thing

0:12:13 > 0:12:16that I could put off to another day.

0:12:17 > 0:12:20My wife, she was a Christian

0:12:20 > 0:12:23from before we were married,

0:12:23 > 0:12:26but her faith maybe drifted.

0:12:26 > 0:12:29Because I maybe was leading her in a different direction.

0:12:34 > 0:12:36It was just after we got married

0:12:36 > 0:12:37and we had installed a gas cooker

0:12:37 > 0:12:39that wasn't installed properly

0:12:39 > 0:12:43and the gas leaked out of it and that was an explosion in the house,

0:12:43 > 0:12:46and the both of us got severe burns

0:12:46 > 0:12:48and we ended up in hospital.

0:12:56 > 0:12:59At that stage she got herself right with God again.

0:12:59 > 0:13:02She thought, if she would've been killed in that,

0:13:02 > 0:13:05where would she be spending her Eternity?

0:13:05 > 0:13:07But it never really crossed my mind.

0:13:11 > 0:13:14I just kept leading the old life.

0:13:23 > 0:13:26I am into my sport and we play football every Monday night,

0:13:26 > 0:13:31and one night one of my fellow colleagues on the pitch

0:13:31 > 0:13:34started to witness to me, as well.

0:13:34 > 0:13:35And he would ask me,

0:13:35 > 0:13:38"Trevor, are you not going to get yourself right with God?"

0:13:38 > 0:13:40And I would say, "Yeah, some time.

0:13:40 > 0:13:43"But maybe now is not the right time."

0:13:43 > 0:13:45And he would quote a verse -

0:13:45 > 0:13:49"Now is the accepted the time. Now is the day of Salvation."

0:13:52 > 0:13:54That sort of hit me, as well.

0:13:54 > 0:13:58I kept thinking to myself, "Now is the day of Salvation", you know.

0:13:58 > 0:14:03I would need to get myself sorted out, because if...if my life...

0:14:03 > 0:14:05If I get killed in a car accident,

0:14:05 > 0:14:09or something happens to me, where will I end up going?

0:14:10 > 0:14:14But I went on ahead just the same as usual.

0:14:14 > 0:14:17My life continued on as usual, as well.

0:14:29 > 0:14:32Faith is something that is active, it's vibrant.

0:14:32 > 0:14:34For me it's developing.

0:14:34 > 0:14:36In the relationship with God,

0:14:36 > 0:14:39God wants to be a big part of everyday life -

0:14:39 > 0:14:43in the big situations and the small situations.

0:14:43 > 0:14:46God wants to teach me more about him.

0:14:46 > 0:14:49He's a father, so he is.

0:14:49 > 0:14:52And as a father, we are his children.

0:14:52 > 0:14:53And he wants the best for us,

0:14:53 > 0:14:57and sometimes the best mightn't be the best that we want!

0:14:59 > 0:15:02Sometimes you want to go a certain path,

0:15:02 > 0:15:05and as a father, he's lovingly guiding you maybe a different way.

0:15:05 > 0:15:07Hello!

0:15:07 > 0:15:09Daddy!

0:15:09 > 0:15:12I suppose as the father that I am now to Charlotte, you know -

0:15:12 > 0:15:14"Well, actually, if you went down that route,

0:15:14 > 0:15:16"that's not the best for you."

0:15:16 > 0:15:19Something might happen as result of that.

0:15:19 > 0:15:22And more and more God has used Charlotte

0:15:22 > 0:15:25to speak to me about His love for us as His children,

0:15:25 > 0:15:26which has been really lovely,

0:15:26 > 0:15:29and a different aspect of Christianity

0:15:29 > 0:15:32that I would never have experienced until Charlotte came into our lives.

0:15:34 > 0:15:36Father, I just thank you for the food that we have,

0:15:36 > 0:15:39and thank you so much for your goodness to us,

0:15:39 > 0:15:40and your faithfulness to us.

0:15:40 > 0:15:42Thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

0:15:44 > 0:15:46Charlotte is our first daughter.

0:15:46 > 0:15:48And we are expecting another baby -

0:15:48 > 0:15:51we don't know if it's a boy or a girl. And, erm...

0:15:51 > 0:15:53So she'll be two in a few weeks' time.

0:15:53 > 0:15:56She's just a real wee treasure.

0:15:56 > 0:15:58She's a real wee chatterbox.

0:16:00 > 0:16:03As a couple we pray for each other

0:16:03 > 0:16:07and, obviously, we pray for Charlotte that early in life

0:16:07 > 0:16:10she will come to know God as her Saviour.

0:16:10 > 0:16:12We know that's not something we can do for her,

0:16:12 > 0:16:14and we just have to leave that in God's hands.

0:16:15 > 0:16:18So, again, that's another example of faith.

0:16:18 > 0:16:20Who's that man up the tree?

0:16:20 > 0:16:22- Who's this?- Who's that?

0:16:22 > 0:16:23- Zacchaeus.- Zacchaeus?

0:16:23 > 0:16:26And who did he want to see up the tree?

0:16:26 > 0:16:28- Jesus! - Jesus! Yes!

0:16:28 > 0:16:31When we found out that we were expecting Charlotte,

0:16:31 > 0:16:33it was such a wonderful time -

0:16:33 > 0:16:37as for any new parents expecting their first child -

0:16:37 > 0:16:40Al and I had been praying and reading together,

0:16:40 > 0:16:43and just thanking God for this new gift of life.

0:16:45 > 0:16:49We've been given this verse in the passage we were reading

0:16:49 > 0:16:52and it was "Do not be afraid. It is I, the Lord."

0:16:58 > 0:17:00A lovely neat tummy.

0:17:02 > 0:17:05So the whole nine months passed, and then, erm,

0:17:05 > 0:17:08Charlotte arrived, or was on her way,

0:17:08 > 0:17:10and, erm, unfortunately,

0:17:10 > 0:17:14her heart rate started to drop quite considerably,

0:17:14 > 0:17:18so they had to take me into theatre for an emergency section,

0:17:18 > 0:17:22and, erm... It was really then, at that moment, that,

0:17:22 > 0:17:26"Do not be afraid, it is I, the Lord" that really rung clear to me.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29So what's Charlotte saying about this wee baby coming?

0:17:29 > 0:17:32Well, mixed feelings, at times.

0:17:32 > 0:17:36It was just as if God was there with me in the theatre, saying,

0:17:36 > 0:17:37"Look, Joanne, don't worry.

0:17:37 > 0:17:39"I have promised you, from day one,

0:17:39 > 0:17:41"when you found out that you were pregnant,

0:17:41 > 0:17:44"and I am faithful, and I will keep my promises.

0:17:44 > 0:17:47And he did, and we have a lovely, healthy daughter.

0:17:47 > 0:17:50No, so, everything went really well, and, erm...

0:17:50 > 0:17:53The heartbeat's good and strong

0:17:53 > 0:17:56and the head's down and everything, so...

0:17:56 > 0:18:00No more appointments here, just the final one at the hospital.

0:18:07 > 0:18:11# Joy to the Earth the Saviour reigns

0:18:11 > 0:18:16# Let men their songs employ

0:18:16 > 0:18:19# He comes to me

0:18:19 > 0:18:22# His blessings flow... #

0:18:22 > 0:18:24Christmas is a nice time.

0:18:24 > 0:18:28You're with young children, as well, with presents, and all,

0:18:28 > 0:18:32but it's always tinged with the sadness of the loss of my niece.

0:18:38 > 0:18:40It was Christmas Eve, 2009,

0:18:40 > 0:18:44I rang my sister Helen and a few friends, as well,

0:18:44 > 0:18:46to wish them happy Christmas,

0:18:46 > 0:18:48and then the next morning

0:18:48 > 0:18:50I got a call from my nephew

0:18:50 > 0:18:54to say that his sister had passed away during the night.

0:18:54 > 0:18:58Caroline was only 25 years old,

0:18:58 > 0:19:01and God had called her home to be with Him.

0:19:03 > 0:19:07We always have a photograph of her just to remind us of her.

0:19:07 > 0:19:11This photo actually was taken on the morning of the wedding.

0:19:21 > 0:19:24I went with them down to the morgue to lift her remains.

0:19:28 > 0:19:32I travelled with her father and the pastor and her husband,

0:19:32 > 0:19:36and I was the only one in the car unsaved.

0:19:36 > 0:19:40I just couldn't understand, couldn't get my mind around why...

0:19:40 > 0:19:42Why God would take Caroline away -

0:19:42 > 0:19:44because she was a Christian girl.

0:19:52 > 0:19:55Caroline's father, his answer to me was,

0:19:55 > 0:20:00Trevor, if there was just one soul saved out of this tragedy,

0:20:00 > 0:20:04who do you think will be singing and rejoicing the loudest in Heaven?

0:20:06 > 0:20:08And that really spoke to me.

0:20:08 > 0:20:12Because this was a father

0:20:12 > 0:20:17that just had the death of his daughter.

0:20:17 > 0:20:20Such a tragic circumstance, it was, and yet and all

0:20:20 > 0:20:23he was a Christian man himself and I could see

0:20:23 > 0:20:27that his faith was keeping him strong in this situation.

0:20:27 > 0:20:30So that spoke to me.

0:20:39 > 0:20:41BABY GURGLES

0:20:43 > 0:20:46I just think in terms of any birth,

0:20:46 > 0:20:50there's always different circumstances that come along.

0:20:50 > 0:20:53And we've really known God's help through the whole birth

0:20:53 > 0:20:56and just the days after it, as well.

0:20:57 > 0:21:01It's important to give thanks to God for Isaac,

0:21:01 > 0:21:03because he's a healthy baby

0:21:03 > 0:21:06and from the minute you find out

0:21:06 > 0:21:09that you're having a baby,

0:21:09 > 0:21:10God is so important

0:21:10 > 0:21:12because God watches over him 24/7

0:21:12 > 0:21:15and he never slumbers or sleeps.

0:21:15 > 0:21:17While we're dying to have a sleep,

0:21:17 > 0:21:19thankfully God's there watching him!

0:21:20 > 0:21:23- Right, that you? - Hm.

0:21:23 > 0:21:25You want a puppy bag?

0:21:25 > 0:21:27SQUEALS WITH PLEASURE

0:21:27 > 0:21:30There's a real rush to get to church.

0:21:31 > 0:21:33Probably adapting with two kids now,

0:21:33 > 0:21:35and the time constraints that there are.

0:21:35 > 0:21:37But, it's a good day,

0:21:37 > 0:21:39and people are always excited to see newborns.

0:21:41 > 0:21:45I think Isaac must be the youngest member of Armagh Baptist now.

0:21:47 > 0:21:48So, unique in that point.

0:21:49 > 0:21:51# O Lord, my God

0:21:51 > 0:21:56# When I in awesome wonder

0:21:56 > 0:21:59# Consider all the works

0:21:59 > 0:22:01# Thy hand hath made... #

0:22:02 > 0:22:04Hello!

0:22:04 > 0:22:06- How are you? - Hi, Jeremy.

0:22:06 > 0:22:08- Jeremy, how are you? - Hi, Grant.

0:22:08 > 0:22:09You're very welcome.

0:22:09 > 0:22:11And the wee man.

0:22:11 > 0:22:15# ..throughout the universe displayed

0:22:16 > 0:22:20# Then sings my soul

0:22:20 > 0:22:23# My Saviour God to Thee

0:22:23 > 0:22:27# How great Thou art... #

0:22:27 > 0:22:29I really don't know how people who aren't Christians

0:22:29 > 0:22:31can go through these big things in their lives

0:22:31 > 0:22:34without having God, because, you know, humans -

0:22:34 > 0:22:36we're weak, we're frail,

0:22:36 > 0:22:38we make so many mistakes.

0:22:38 > 0:22:39We're not perfect at all,

0:22:39 > 0:22:41and never will be perfect.

0:22:41 > 0:22:46And, I know that when I do have times, anxious moments, or fears,

0:22:46 > 0:22:48I can just lay them all in God's hands

0:22:48 > 0:22:52and that He will make those crooked paths straight for me.

0:22:52 > 0:22:55# How great Thou art

0:22:55 > 0:22:59# How great Thou art...#

0:23:01 > 0:23:07INDISTINCT RECORDING

0:23:07 > 0:23:11There is an acronym - Forsaking All I Trust Him.

0:23:11 > 0:23:12That's what faith is for me.

0:23:12 > 0:23:16Whatever in life, God is there to help me,

0:23:16 > 0:23:19and I can rely on God, I can trust in God.

0:23:19 > 0:23:21And, yeah, I will feel weak,

0:23:21 > 0:23:23and I will be weak,

0:23:23 > 0:23:25but God is saying that through that weakness

0:23:25 > 0:23:29He's going to show His strength.

0:23:29 > 0:23:32That's when God has really taught me a lot about Himself.

0:23:32 > 0:23:36God wants to reveal Himself more and more to us,

0:23:36 > 0:23:38and reveal Himself to be

0:23:38 > 0:23:42someone that we can really grow in relationship with.

0:23:47 > 0:23:50We rejoice in others being saved

0:23:50 > 0:23:55but we want you to ask yourself today, are you saved?

0:23:55 > 0:23:57Has this been your experience?

0:23:57 > 0:23:59Could this be your testimony today?

0:23:59 > 0:24:03'God had his hand upon me

0:24:03 > 0:24:05'and he was striving with me all these times

0:24:05 > 0:24:09'and the burden was getting very heavy and I couldn't

0:24:09 > 0:24:10'fight it off any longer.

0:24:10 > 0:24:12'I had to yield.

0:24:12 > 0:24:17'And I bent my knee on 8 April 2011.

0:24:19 > 0:24:22I remember getting down beside my bed

0:24:22 > 0:24:24and the tears flooded down my cheeks,

0:24:24 > 0:24:27I would say, for around two hours.

0:24:30 > 0:24:32I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart

0:24:32 > 0:24:35and I can honestly say that God saved me.

0:24:35 > 0:24:37I could feel the peace within.

0:24:37 > 0:24:41And the burden just eased or rolled away,

0:24:41 > 0:24:44whatever way you wanted to describe it.

0:24:44 > 0:24:46But my burdens were lifted.

0:24:49 > 0:24:56"I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God

0:24:56 > 0:24:59"over one sinner that repenteth."

0:24:59 > 0:25:02I think that verse speaks very loudly

0:25:02 > 0:25:06of who would be singing in Heaven.

0:25:08 > 0:25:10I am not ashamed of my faith.

0:25:10 > 0:25:14I am quite keen to profess it to those who aren't saved.

0:25:22 > 0:25:24It is my prayer that others will come to know the Lord

0:25:24 > 0:25:26that is my Saviour.

0:25:28 > 0:25:30I have now fulfilment,

0:25:30 > 0:25:31I have peace in my heart,

0:25:31 > 0:25:33I have joy within.

0:25:33 > 0:25:34I am a new creature in God.

0:25:46 > 0:25:48PARTY FAVOUR TOOTS

0:25:48 > 0:25:51# Happy birthday to you

0:25:51 > 0:25:54# Happy birthday, dear Thomas

0:25:56 > 0:25:59# Happy birthday to you #

0:25:59 > 0:26:01WHOOPS AND CLAPPING

0:26:02 > 0:26:03"Father Thomas"...!

0:26:05 > 0:26:07Oh, you're excellent!

0:26:07 > 0:26:08Is this only for me?

0:26:08 > 0:26:10I don't like sharing now!

0:26:11 > 0:26:13I love my work.

0:26:13 > 0:26:15Like, I really love meeting young people,

0:26:15 > 0:26:18chatting with them, talking about faith.

0:26:18 > 0:26:19I get a lot out of it.

0:26:19 > 0:26:22Every day I get up and I know that I can touch people's lives,

0:26:22 > 0:26:24or share faith with them.

0:26:24 > 0:26:26Something really concrete.

0:26:26 > 0:26:29Prayers for the faithful... It's all right me writing it, as a priest,

0:26:29 > 0:26:32but does somebody want to take it on to write them as a young person,

0:26:32 > 0:26:34rather than me as a priest writing it... (FADES)

0:26:34 > 0:26:37I want more people to experience the joy that...

0:26:37 > 0:26:40I have found in meeting God and growing in my faith.

0:26:40 > 0:26:43I want more people to have that experience,

0:26:43 > 0:26:46that positive experience of faith that makes a difference in your life.

0:26:46 > 0:26:48How can we get young people to go to Mass?

0:26:48 > 0:26:52I know it's the hardest question in the world, but, how can we do it?

0:26:52 > 0:26:55- Just, like use social media, so, like, tweet, and use Facebook.- Yes.

0:26:55 > 0:26:56I don't start preaching.

0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's the worst thing to do - to start preaching and say

0:26:59 > 0:27:00"You must be doing this and this.

0:27:00 > 0:27:02"This is what the Catholic Church teaches..."

0:27:02 > 0:27:05Yes, that's all important, but you don't go in with that message.

0:27:05 > 0:27:08I find I go in and start having the craic, chatting...

0:27:08 > 0:27:10And I notice that does a lot for people.

0:27:10 > 0:27:12Because they look at me and they go,

0:27:12 > 0:27:15"There's a guy, he's an ordinary person, you know...

0:27:16 > 0:27:19"This guy didn't fall out of the sky and land in the parish,

0:27:19 > 0:27:21"he came from somewhere, and he's got a story,

0:27:21 > 0:27:23"and maybe he has got difficulties, too."

0:27:23 > 0:27:25And they connect with that,

0:27:25 > 0:27:27and I think it brings people along on the journey of faith.

0:27:27 > 0:27:30CHOIR HUMS

0:27:32 > 0:27:36So I'd like to pray in thanksgiving for our group,

0:27:36 > 0:27:38pray in thanksgiving for our faith

0:27:38 > 0:27:40that's gathered us here today.

0:27:40 > 0:27:43'At the start, they come, and they slip in, and they sit at the back.

0:27:43 > 0:27:45'They just want to see what's going on.

0:27:45 > 0:27:47'And then they get involved and they grow in their faith

0:27:47 > 0:27:49'and that keeps them.

0:27:50 > 0:27:52'And it's personal for them,

0:27:52 > 0:27:54'and that means everything.

0:27:54 > 0:27:57'They want to be here, they want to be involved,

0:27:57 > 0:28:00'they're happy about their faith.

0:28:00 > 0:28:02'And that shows you that that personal relationship

0:28:02 > 0:28:04'they have connected with God has made the difference,

0:28:04 > 0:28:06'and they want to pass it on to others.

0:28:06 > 0:28:09'That's what it's all about - passing on the faith.'

0:28:12 > 0:28:17CHORAL MUSIC PLAYS