27-03-2025
Purdy speaks at Graan Novena Mass of how faith helped her through the dark times
Former BBC journalist, Martina Purdy, spoke at the Novena of Hope Mass held at The Graan yesterday (Wednesday, March 26).
Ms. Purdy, who left the BBC in 2014 to become a nun with the Sisters of Adoration, told those gathered of how her faith helped her through the dark days of when her life 'fell pretty spectacularly' six years ago.
The Order she was with in Belfast had been told by The Vatican that their convent would have to close due to the congregation being 'too small' to meet the Church's standards.
She said: 'Christian hope flows from faith and belief in the good news. And what is the good news?
"Like a good journalist, I'm going to just give you the headline – Jesus loves you and has an amazing plan for your life. And if you don't believe me, then believe the prophet Jeremiah.
'I had an amazing call, a call that came from prayer and adoration, a call to Mary to help me have the courage to walk away from everything at the BBC, everything I had built up for 20 years to follow Jesus with all my heart.
'After five amazing years, the impossible happened. Myself and the other sisters were told we would have to leave the convent.
'I was plunged into darkness and I stopped quoting the angel Gabriel, and I started quoting my mother, 'How can this be?'
'We did get a miracle, but not the one I expected. A week before we had to leave the convent, a friend offered us a house in Downpatrick where we could recover and begin again.
'God sent an amazing humanity into my life after I left the convent. His name is St. Patrick and he is a man of hope.
"Patrick learned that when God is all you have, he's all you need. And so I began to pray to Patrick for a mission.
'At Mass one morning, a parishioner after I had prayed to St. Patrick asked me would I like to come and work at the St. Patrick's Centre?
"I just thought, 'Boy, that's the fastest anybody's ever answered my prayers'.'
The Novena of Hope, which began last weekend, continues until Monday, March 31.
Other speakers during the Novena will include Helena Connolly, Rt. Rev. Bishop Ian Ellis and Marcella Leonard.
