April 19.   Conversion experiences was one of Marie’s favourite topics and she had written a whole little booklet on it. She shared, “I have discovered much about my own faith through these conversion stories.  Some were life-changing events, like Saul’s, others were more like a process of change.   Some men and women felt called to join a religious congregation. Turning away from an addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling can be a conversion too. Most of us have small conversion experiences, possibly during a time of fasting like Lent.  A conversion towards interreligious dialogue is a strong feature of our time and ecological conversion is too.”    

Reflect, share, pray. Scripture:   Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples went to Damascus to look for and arrest disciples.  As he journeyed suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” and he said, “Who are you?” Acts: 9:1-20.  Pope Francis:   St Francis did not wage a war of words aimed at imposing doctrines; he simply spread the love of God.  He understood that God is love and those who abide in love abide in God. FT4.  Pope Francis and the Grand Imam in Abu Dhabi in 2019 produced a DECLARATION ON HUMAN FRATERNITY AND WORLD PEACE.  “In the name of God, who has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and who has called them to live together as brothers and sisters, to fill the earth and make known the values of goodness, love and peace we declare the adoption of a culture of dialogue as the path, mutual cooperation as the code of conduct, reciprocal understanding  as the method and standard.”   FT 285.  Action. Study, discuss and pray over the statement on human fraternity as a conversion experience. .