I was born on July 16,
1949 in Kerala, India to my parents, Joseph and Theresa Maniyangat. I am the
eldest of seven children: Jose, Mary, Theresa, Lissama, Zachariah, Valsa and
Tom.
At the age of fourteen, I entered St. Mary’s
minor seminary in Thiruvalla to begin my studies for the priesthood. Four years
later I went to St. Joseph’s Pontifical Major Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala to
continue my priestly formation. After completing the seven years of Philosophy
and Theology I was ordained a priest on January 1, 1975 to serve as a missionary
at the Diocese of Thiruvalla.
In 1978 while teaching at the St. Thomas minor
seminary in Bathery, I became an active member of the Charismatic Renewal
movement and began conducting charismatic retreats and conferences in Kerala.
On Sunday April 14, 1985, the Feast of the Divine
Mercy, I was going to celebrate Mass at a mission church in the north part of
Kerala, and I had a fatal accident. I was riding a motorcycle when I was hit
head-on by a jeep driven by a man who was intoxicated after a Hindu festival. I
was rushed to a hospital about 35 miles away. On the way my soul came out from
my body and I experienced death. Immediately I met my Guardian angel. I saw my
body and the people who were carrying me to the hospital. I heard them crying
and praying for me. At this time my angel told me: “I am going to take you to
Heaven, the Lord wants to meet you and talk with you”. He also said that on the
way he wanted to show me hell and purgatory.
First, the angel escorted me to hell. It was an
awful sight! I saw Satan and the devils, an unquenchable fire of about 2,000
Fahrenheit degrees, worms crawling, people screaming and fighting, others being
tortured by demons. The angel told me that all these sufferings were due to
unrepented mortal sins. Then, I understood that there are seven degrees of
suffering or levels according to the number and kinds of mortal sins committed
in their earthly lives. The souls looked very ugly, cruel and horrific. It was
a fearful experience. I saw people whom I knew but I am not allowed to reveal
their identities. The sins that convicted them were mainly abortion,
homosexuality, euthanasia, hatefulness, unforgiveness and sacrilege. The angel
told me that if they had repented they would have avoided hell and gone instead
to purgatory. I also understood that some people who repent from these sins
might be purified on earth through their sufferings. This way they can avoid
purgatory and go straight to heaven.
I was surprised when I saw in hell even Priests
and Bishops, some of whom I never expected to see. Many of them were there
because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad example.
After the visit to hell, my Guardian angel
escorted me to Purgatory. Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and
unquenchable fire. But it is far less intense than hell and there was neither
quarreling nor fighting. The main suffering of these souls is their separation
from God. Some of those who are in Purgatory committed numerous mortal sins; but
they were reconciled with God before their death. Even though these souls are
suffering, they enjoy peace and the knowledge that one day they will see God
face to face.
I had a chance to communicate with the souls in Purgatory. They
asked me to pray for them and to tell the people to pray for them as well, so
they can go to heaven quickly. When we pray for these souls we will receive
their gratitude through their prayers and once they enter heaven their prayers
become even more meritorious.
It is difficult for me to describe how beautiful
my Guardian angel is. He is radiant and bright. He is my constant companion
and helps me in all my ministries, especially my healing ministry. I experience
his presence everywhere I go and I am grateful for his protection in my daily
life.
Next, my angel escorted me to heaven passing
through a big dazzling white tunnel. I never experienced this much peace and
joy in my life. Then immediately the heaven opened up and I heard the most
delightful music, which I never heard before. The angels were singing and
praising God. I saw all the saints, especially the Blessed Mother and St.
Joseph, and many dedicated holy Bishops and Priests who were shining like
stars. And when I appeared before the Lord, Jesus told me: “I want you to go
back to the world. In your second life you will be an instrument of peace and
healing to my people. You will walk in a foreign land and you will speak in a
foreign tongue. Everything is possible for you with my grace”. After these
words, the Blessed Mother told me: “Do whatever He tells you. I will help you
in your ministries”.
Words can not express the beauty of heaven.
There we find so much peace and happiness, which exceed a million times our
imagination. Our Lord is far more beautiful than any image can convey. His
face is radiant and luminous and more beautiful than a thousand rising suns.
The pictures we see in the world are only a shadow of His magnificence. The
Blessed Mother was next to Jesus; she was so beautiful and radiant. None of the
images we see in this world can compare with her real beauty. Heaven is our
real home, we are all created to reach heaven and enjoy God forever. Then, I
came back to the world with my angel.
While my body was at the hospital, the doctor
completed all examinations and I was pronounced dead. The cause of death was
bleeding. My family was notified and since they were far away, the hospital
staff decided to move my dead body to the morgue. Because the hospital did not
have air conditioners they were concerned that the body would decompose quickly.
As they were moving my dead body to the morgue, my soul came back to the body.
I felt an excruciating pain because of so many wounds and broken bones. I began
to scream and then the people became frightened and ran away screaming. One of
them approached the doctor and said: “the dead body is screaming”. The doctor
came to examine the body and found that I was alive. So he said: “Father is
alive, it is a miracle, take him back to the hospital”.
Now, back at the hospital, they gave me blood
transfusions and I was taken to surgery to repair the broken bones. They worked on
my lower jaw, ribs, pelvic bone, wrists, and right leg. After two months, I was
released from the hospital, but my orthopedic doctor said that I would never
walk again. I then said to him: “ the Lord who gave me my life back and sent
me back to the world will heal me”. Once at home we were all praying for a
miracle. Still after a month and with the casts removed I was not able to
move. But one day while praying I felt an extraordinary pain in my pelvic
area. After a short while the pain disappeared completely and I heard a voice
saying: “You are healed. Get up and walk”. I felt the peace and healing power
on my body. I immediately got up and walked. I praised and thanked God for the
miracle.
I reached my doctor with the news of my healing
and he was amazed. He said: “your God is the true God. I must follow your
God”. The doctor was Hindu and he asked me to teach him about our Church.
After studying the faith, I baptized him and he became Catholic.
Following the message from my Guardian angel, I
came to the United States on November 10, 1986 as a missionary Priest. First, I
worked in the Diocese of Boise, Idaho from 1987 to 1989 and then became the
Director of Prison Ministry in the Diocese of Orlando, Florida from 1989 to
1992.
In 1992, I came to the Diocese of St. Augustine where I was first assigned to St. Matthew's Parish in Jacksonville for two
years. I was then appointed Parochial Vicar of Assumption Church from 1994 to
1999. In 1997 I was incardinated as a permanent member of the Diocese. Since June
1999, I have been pastor of St. Mary's Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Macclenny, Florida. I also serve as the Catholic Chaplain for Florida State
Prison in Starke, Union Correctional Institution in Raiford and Northeast
Florida State Hospital in Macclenny. I am also the Diocesan Spiritual Director
of the Legion of Mary.
On the first Saturday of each month I conduct a Eucharistic and
charismatic-healing ministry in my Parish, St. Mary Mother of Mercy. People
come from all over the diocese, many parts of Florida and even from out of the
state. I have been invited to conduct the healing ministry in other major
cities of the United States including: New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC,
San Jose, Dallas, Chicago, Birmingham, Denver, Boise, Idaho Falls, Ontario,
Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Poolsville; and many other countries: Ireland, Spain,
Czech Republic, India, France, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Italy, Canada, Mexico,
Cayman Island, Hawaiian Islands.
Through this Eucharistic-healing ministry I have seen many people healed
physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. People with various
illnesses such as: cancer, AIDs, arthritis, heart conditions, eye problems,
emphysema, asthma, back pains, bad hearing and many others have been healed
completely. In addition, several times during the year I conduct a special
healing service for the healing of the family tree, in which the effects from
ancestral sins are blocked and the person receives complete healing. Scripture
says that the effects from family sins can linger around for three to five
generations (Exodus Chapter 34 verse 7). So, in many cases we need generational
healing. Doctors and medicines do not help to heal certain sicknesses caused by
our family tree.
During the Healing ministry,
many people rest in the spirit before the Blessed Sacrament and some experience
renewal of the soul and healing of the body.
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