As I journey through the decades, I can and do give thanks to God for the double blessings of health and spiritual wealth that He has graciously bestowed upon me.

For this reason, I feel that a personal testimony must be brief.

Are you aware that in Matthew 12:36—the twelfth New Testament prophecy in this first Gospel—every idle word, whether spoken in anger or jest, will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment?

This leads me to ask: what of every superfluous sentence and word that an author fashions into literary darts for the reader’s approval? Will these count as well on that fateful day yet to come for each of us?

With this in mind, I suggest that the saying “brief is best” should apply. Remembering the sower in Matthew 13:39, whose seeds often fell on unprepared ground, I hope that my words will not share such a fate.

(During my book launch, my old parish priest joins me)

(My late uncle and his original ordination card below)

(Family friend, now deceased)

(Old friend and now a deceased priest)

(Giving a talk at an ecumenical church meeting)

You don’t need to rely on any human institution or ritual for your salvation. Salvation comes entirely through faith in Jesus Christ, trusting His finished work on the cross, not through the hands or traditions of men.

(Preparing to serve mass in 1964)

And one day, all deeds and words will be revealed at the Great White Throne Judgment (Matt. 10:26). None of us can place our trust in a man-made system, for it will ultimately fail. Our hope and security must rest solely in Jesus Christ, who alone saves, not in human traditions or efforts.

(Berlin, Germany: sharing Jesus with this man)

Organised religion, I am afraid, carries a heavy sackcloth of emotional baggage and particular failings, sometimes to an extreme degree. I neither need it nor seek it.

(Open-air street preaching on the streets of England)

Some years ago, I fulfilled a long-held dream of visiting Israel. It wasn’t so much a pilgrimage as it was a journey of devotion—I wanted to follow in the footsteps of the Master and, of course, the apostles.

My son James accompanied me to this very special land.

We stood in awe as we visited historic and spiritual sites such as Nazareth, Galilee, Capernaum, Samaria, and the atmospheric Sea of Galilee, where Jesus performed so many of His most personal miracles.

(James and I in the footsteps of the Master)

It remains an enchanting rural setting, one that will forever be etched in my memory—not least because of our baptism in that holy area. During our time there, James and I met a sister from Sweden named Margarita.

I had the privilege of baptizing her in the warm, peaceful waters of that location. If she should ever read this, we would love to hear from her.

Later that day, James and I baptized one another in the River Jordan.

(Our friend from Sweden)

While on that journey, we visited the endless plains of Armageddon, where God’s future hand of judgment will be revealed in the Bible’s final days. Sadly, we did not get to visit Jerusalem, but one day I look forward to joining the many saints who, with the King of kings, will reign for a thousand years in that eternal city.

What an adventure—and what a privilege!

(Looking into the sea of Tel Aviv)

But remember: you are saved from all your sins only after you have decided to trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as your personal Saviour—something no church or religion can offer.

“Ye must be born again,” Jesus warned Nicodemus three times in John’s Gospel. Don’t you think He is telling us something? I do!

Receive His eternal and free gift of forgiveness—it is completely free and comes solely by faith alone! But if you proudly refuse it, you do so at your own peril.

(Patrick shares Jesus with a Jesuit priest at Euston train station)

Why Patrick Left The Catholic Church

50 Years A Catholic