Catholic Priest Died for 48 Minutes

       I just read this article on "Sahifa." The priest's experience confirms my understanding that each of us will have a different experience when we die. The "motherly figure" that Father O'Neal met could have been one aspect of God or she could have been a loving spirit guide, an angel, a goddess, or any one of God's many faces. I believe that labeling God as a woman is just as limiting as labeling God a man. I believe that God is all-encompassing, All-That-Is, the epitome of Love and Light which is greater than anything our human minds can comprehend, even in death. Each of us is a child of God and a piece of God - the whole of God cannot be contained in one personality or one body, no matter how perfect and immortal that body may be. 

(Just my opinion. As always, I am open to comments. When making comments, please sign in before typing or your comment will disappear. Thank you!)

CATHOLIC PRIEST WHO WAS DEAD FOR 48 MINUTES SAYS GOD IS A WOMAN

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A Catholic priest from Massachussetts was officially dead for more than 48 minutes before medics were able to miraculously re-start his heart has revealed a shocking revelation that will change everything you once believed.

The 71 years old cleric Father John Micheal O’neal claims he went to heaven and met God, which he describes as a warm and comforting motherly figure.

Father John Micheal O’neal was rushed to the hospital on January 29 after a major heart attack, but was declared clinically dead soon after his arrival. With the aid of a high-tech machine called LUCAS 2, that kept the blood flowing to his brain, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital managed to unblock vital arteries and return his heart to a normal rhythm.

The doctors were afraid he would have suffered some brain damage from the incident, but he woke up less than 48 minutes later and seems to have perfectly recovered.

The elderly man claims that he has clear and vivid memories of what happened to him while he was dead. He describes a strange out-of-body experience, experiencing an intense feeling of unconditional love and acceptance, as well as being surrounded by an overwhelming light.

He claims that at that point in his experience, he went to heaven and encountered God, which he describes as a feminine, mother-like “Being of Light”.

“Her presence was both overwhelming and comforting” states the Catholic priest. “She had a soft and soothing voice and her presence was as reassuring as a mother’s embrace. The fact that God is a Holy Mother instead of a Holy Father doesn’t disturb me, she is everything I hoped she would be and even more!

The declarations of the cleric caused quite a stir in the catholic clergy of the archdiocese over the last few days, causing the Archbishop to summon a press conference to try and calm the rumors.

Despite the disapproval of his superiors, Father O’neal says that he will continue dedicating his life to God and spread the word of the “Holy Mother”.

“I wish to continue preaching” says the elderly cleric. “I would like to share my new knowledge of the Mother, the Son and the Holy Ghost with all catholics and even all Christians. God is great and almighty despite being a woman…”

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has not confirmed however, if they will allow Father O’neal to resume his preaching in his former parish in South Boston.

What Happens Next?

       

       
       For many people, the afterlife is the great unknown; something to be feared. Some maintain they will simply cease to exist after death, although most believe in some kind of afterlife. The tone of a memorial service may vary depending on what kind of afterlife vision was held by the deceased and/or the family. When there is no belief in an afterlife, there may be references to the way our loved one lives on in our memories, but I have to admit, this kind of service leaves me feeling empty. I think it is rare that everyone who attends a funeral will share the same belief, and it's a good idea to address this spectrum in the service.

       A couple of years ago I conducted a service for a deceased atheist where I said: 
"Aaron did not believe in an afterlife, but he does live on in memory, and some of us here believe that he got a big surprise when he woke up on Thursday  morning and discovered that he’d been reunited with his deceased loved ones in a beautiful new world."

        Even among those who believe that death is the beginning of a new life, there are probably as many different visions of this existence as there are believers. Our images of Heaven, Paradise, the Other Side, the hereafter, or the afterlife can only exist in our imagination. Well, unless you're among those who have had a near death experience and actually saw the place where you'll end up when you die for good. 

       I have read about many of these NDEs in books such as Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody, What Tom Sawyer Learned from Dying by Sidney Saylor Farr, and numerous others including some by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. While reading these stories has strengthened my belief in the afterlife, the variations have convinced me that the life to come will not be the same for everyone. 

       The afterlife that each person experiences will probably vary according to the life led and beliefs held while we are in a physical body. Tom Sawyer was an atheist who, while clinically dead, was met by a Light Being that loved him unconditionally. After his return to this life, Sawyer never again questioned the existence of God and the purposefulness of his life - to share his experience with others and tell us how important it is to love.

       Common elements of the NDE are the tunnel that leads to a White Light full of love, and the meeting of deceased loved ones along the way. But the tunnel and the family greeters do not appear in every experience, and I have read of some NDEs in which the teller actually met demons. These stories have not convinced me that Hell, as a place of eternal damnation, exists. My thought is that the demons exist on the astral plane which many people pass through before they progress to higher planes.

       Perhaps the astral plane is the equivalent of the Roman Catholic Purgatory where souls go to be purified before they can enter the gates of Heaven. This concept brings me to a big difference between Catholic and Protestant beliefs. In the Protestant churches I have attended for many years, there is no concept of Purgatory, and praying to or for the deceased is not an approved practice. On the other hand, Catholics pray for their departed loved ones, especially if they think someone is in Purgatory and needs prayers to get to heaven. And if the departed loved one is believed to be in heaven, a Catholic may pray to that person, whereas a Protestant never prays to anyone other than God or Jesus.

       This is one of the places where I have parted ways with Protestant churches. The taboo against contact with the departed may exacerbate the grief that we already feel when someone dies. Many people comfort themselves by talking to the deceased, whether or not they receive a response. I know people who have seen and/or heard the spirits of their departed loved ones. If such contact was truly against "the rules," I don't think it would be allowed to occur. 

       While I have expressed some of my own ideas in this article, I think that we need to be sensitive to the fact that there are countless viewpoints about the afterlife and not push our own ideas onto others. I would like this to be an open forum for readers to share their own thoughts and beliefs. I welcome comments!