"I'm so happy, now I can receive Holy Communion..."

After fighting her failing health condition my dear, elderly auntie passed away peacefully. Since I am the only priest in the family I was asked to conduct her funeral, something that I accepted to do from the bottom of my heart.

On the day of the funeral a taxi driver came to pick me up at the friary as scheduled. On our way to the funeral home we started a conversation. At one point he said: “You know Father, I’m sad because so few priests want to pray the Rosary with me while I drive them to the funeral home and to the church. In the past priests used to pray the Rosary with me on the way.”

His direct yet deep cry for prayer touched my heart. He was right! Who am I not to share with this brother the beautiful prayer of the Rosary? At that moment, I replied: “Would you like us to pray the Rosary together?” All of a sudden that man’s face lit up with heavenly joy. “Yes, Father!” he told me. And we started praying the Rosary straightaway.

Before arriving at the funeral home we had prayed five decades. And on our way to the church, we managed to get in another five! At the end of the second Rosary the driver told me: “Father, will you hear my confession please?” After hearing his confession he told me: “I feel so happy today. I hadn’t confessed for so long! I’m so happy, now I can receive Holy Communion at the Funeral Mass!"

This pastoral experience taught me how true it is that Mary—the Mother of God and Our Mother—brings us back to Jesus through her Rosary! She is truly the Mother of Reconciliation!

Adapted from a text by Father Mario Attard, OFM Cap., a reader of A Moment with Mary from Malta - February 2021