Recorded presentation: Radio Maria Ireland Studios:
16th April 2025.

In this podcast, Morgan Sharpe, founder of the St. Bernadette website, recounts how his life was transformed from a very average, disinterested attitude towards his Catholic faith, to a committed and passionate involvement, thanks to the intercession, he believes, of St. Bernadette of Lourdes. This conversion dates back to 1979, when he accompanied his wife Carmel to Lourdes. While there, out of boredom, he offered to help some of those with disabilities. That offer was to change his life forever, and resulted in him returning to Lourdes for many years after to help those less fortunate than himself.

Morgan recounts meeting his working partner at the time, not realising that he was Victorio Micheli, who was recognised as the sixty third documented case of recovery in Lourdes in 1976.

Finally, Morgan introduces us to Fr. Damien Farnan, who hails from Beaumount, the eldest of three boys, who was ordained a priest on 2nd June 1994, appointed to Stoney Batter, Holy Family Parish, Aughrim Street, then in St. Jude’s parish in Templeogue followed by a placement in Saint Bridge’s Cabinteely. After a sebbatical he worked alongside Fr. Adrian Crowley in Lima Peru, then moved to rural Texas, then spent 14 years in Clondalkin, home parish of Radio Maria Ireland. Then on 1st February 2021, he took up his current position of Chaplin in the Irish Defence Forces. Fr. Damien then goes on to talk about his experiences in the Army, as well as some background on Fr. Willie Doyle, who was also a Chaplin during the First World War, who was martyred in battle and whose cause for beatification is being promoted at the moment.

The podcast ends with one of the many lovely songs that Morgan plays throughout the presentation namely ‘The Song of Bernadette’ composed by Leonard Cohen, and sung by Jennifer Warren.

N.B. all songs copyrighted covered by Radio Maria Ireland.

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