DEATH EXPERIENCE

DEATH EXPERIENCE, written by Father Jose Maniyangat ( Florida )


I was born on July 16, 1949 in Kerala, India , to myparents, 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 Seminaryin Thiruvalla to begin my studies for the priesthood. Four years later, I wentto St. Joseph 's Pontifical Major Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala to continue mypriestly formation. After completing the seven years of Philosophy andTheology, I was ordained a priest on January 1, 1975 to serve as a missionaryat the Diocese of Thiruvalla.

In 1978, while teaching at the St. Thomas Minor Seminary in Bathery, I becamean active member of the Charismatic Renewal Movement and began conductingcharismatic retreats and conferences in Kerala.

On Sunday, April 14, 1985, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, Iwas 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 bya jeep driven by a man who was intoxicated after a Hindu festival. I was rushedto 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 tothe hospital. I heard them crying and praying for me. At this time, my angeltold me: 'I am going to take you to Heaven, the Lord wants to meet you and talkwith you'. He also said that on the way, he wanted to show me Hell andPurgatory.

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 Fahrenheitdegrees, worms crawling, people screaming and fighting, others being torturedby demons. The angel told me that all these sufferings were due to unrepentedmortal sins. Then, I understood that there are seven degrees of suffering orlevels according to the number and kinds of mortal sins committed in theirearthly lives. The souls looked very ugly, cruel and horrific. It was afearful experience. I saw people whom I knew but I am not allowed to revealtheir identities.

The sins that convicted them were mainly abortion,homosexuality, euthanasia, hatefulness, unforgiveness and sacrilege. The angeltold me that if they had repented, they would have avoided Hell and goneinstead to Purgatory. I also understood that some people who repent from thesesins might be purified on earth through their sufferings. This way, they can avoidPurgatory and go straight to Heaven. I was surprised when I saw in Hell evenpriests and bishops, some of whom I never expected to see. Many of them werethere because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad example.

After the visit to Hell, my Guardian angel escorted me toPurgatory. Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and unquenchablefire. But it is far less intense than Hell and there was neither quarrellingnor fighting. The main suffering of these souls is their separation from God.Some of those who are in Purgatory committed numerous mortal sins, but theywere reconciled with God before their death.

Even though these souls are suffering, they enjoy peace andthe knowledge that on day they will see God face to face. I had a chance tocommunicate with the souls in Purgatory. They asked me to pray for them and totell the people to pray for them as well, so they can go to Heavenquickly. When we pray for these souls we will receive their gratitudethrough their prayers and once they enter Heaven, their prayers become evenmore meritorious.

It is difficult for me to describe how beautiful my GuardianAngel is. He is radiant and bright. He is my constant companion and helps me inall my ministries, especially my Healing Ministry. I experience his presenceeverywhere I go and I am grateful for his protection in my daily life.

Next, my angel escorted me to Heaven, passing through a bigdazzling white tunnel. I never experienced this much peace and joy in my life.Then immediately, Heaven opened up and I heard the most delightful music, whichI never heard before. The angels were singing and praising God. I saw all thesaints, especially the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph , and many dedicated holybishops and priests who were shining like stars.

And when I appeared before the Lord, Jesus told me: 'I wantyou to go back to the world. In your second life, you will be an instrument ofpeace and healing to my people. You will walk in a foreign land and you willspeak in a foreign tongue. Everything is possible for you with my grace'. Afterthese words, the Blessed Mother told me: 'Do whatever He tells you. I will helpyou in your ministries.'

Words cannot express the beauty of Heaven. There, we find somuch peace and happiness, which exceed a million times our imagination. OurLord is far more beautiful than any image can convey. His face is radiant andluminous and more beautiful than a thousand rising suns. The pictures we see inthe world are only a shadow of His magnificence The Blessed Mother was next toJesus - She was so beautiful and radiant. None of the images we see in thisworld can compare with Her real beauty. Heaven is our real home, we are allcreated to reach heaven and enjoy God forever.

Then, I came back to the world with my angel. While my bodywas at the hospital, the doctor completed all examinations and I was pronounceddead. The cause of death was bleeding. My family was notified and since theywere 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 thatthe body would decompose quickly.

As they were moving my dead body to the morgue, my soulreturned to the body. I felt an excruciating pain because of so many wounds andbroken bones. I began to scream and then the people became frightened and ranaway screaming. One of them approached the doctor and said, 'The dead body isscreaming.' The doctor came to examine the body and found that I was alive. Sohe said, 'Father is alive, it is a miracle, take him back to the hospital.'

Now, back at the hospital, they gave me blood transfusionsand I was taken to surgery to repair the broken bones. They worked on my lowerjaw, ribs, pelvic bone, wrists, and right leg. After two months, I was releasedfrom 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 theworld will heal me'.

Once at home, we were all praying for a miracle. Still aftera month and with the casts removed, I was not able to move. But one day, whilepraying, I felt an extraordinary pain in my pelvic area. After a short while,the pain disappeared com pletely and I heard a voice saying, 'You are healed.Get up and walk'.

I felt the peace and healing power on my body. I immediatelygot up and walked. I praised and thanked God for the miracle. I reached mydoctor with the news of my healing and he was amazed. He said, 'Your God is thetrue God. I must follow your God.' The doctor was Hindu and he asked me toteach him about our Church. After studying the faith, I baptized him and hebecame a Catholic.

Following the message from my Guardian Angel, I came to theUnited States on November 10, 1986, as a Missionary Priest. First, I worked inthe Diocese of Boise , Idaho from 1987 to 1989 and then became the Director ofPrison Ministry in the Diocese of Orlando , Florida from 1989 to1992. In 1992,I came to the Diocese of St. Augustine , where I was first assigned to St. Matthew'sParish in Jacksonville for two years. I was then appointed Parochial Vicar ofAssumption Church from 1994 to 1999.

In 1997, I was incardinated as a permanent member of theDiocese. Since June 1999, I have been Pastor of St. Mary's Mother of MercyCatholic Church in MacClenny , Florida . I also serve as the Catholic Chaplainfor Florida State Prison in Starke, Union Correctional Institution in Raifordand Northeast Florida State Hospital in MacClenny. I am also the DiocesanSpiritual Director of the Legion of Mary.

On the first Saturday of each month, I conduct a Eucharisticand 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 outof the state. I have been invited to conduct the Healing Ministry in othermajor cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, WashingtonDC, San Jose, Dallas, Chicago, Birmingham, Denver, Boise, Idaho Falls, Ontario,Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Poolesville 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 manypeople healed physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. People withvarious illnesses, such as cancer, AIDs, arthritis, heart conditions, eyeproblems, emphysema, asthma, back pains, bad hearing and many others have beenhealed completely.

In addition, several times during the year, I conduct a special healing servicefor the healing of the Family Tree, in which the effects from ancestral sinsare blocked and the person receives complete healing. Scripture says that theeffects from family sins can linger around for three to five generations (ExodusChapter 34, Verse 7). So, in many cases, we need generational healing. Doctorsand medicines do not help to heal certain sicknesses caused by our family tree.

During the Healing Ministry, many people rest in the spiritbefore the Blessed Sacrament and some experience renewal of the soul andhealing of the body.