Diary of a Ghetto Priest | The Lord's forgiveness

Harold is joyful and childlike as he tells his story about life on Ladd Lane:

"I am happy, Father. Just to be here with the brothers, singing songs, worshipping God, playing a domino game here and there, feeding a dying patient. It's all good, though I know I will die soon.

"The brothers give me my medication daily. The only thing I worry 'bout: Does God really forgive me? Does God really, really forgive me? I can't believe it.

"I was a construction worker. When you work for a week, you seek some enjoyment. Me have babymother. For true - two babymother. Me give dem most of me money pon de weekend. I love me babymada dem, and is all right between dem. And me like de pickney dem and play wid dem.

"But de man dem in a Ladd Lane have a competition, Fada man. How much woman we can get every week? And de woman dem have to testify if it true or not dat dem and me enjoy each odda. So along wid me spar wid dem, they tell me dem experiences - which one and we help one annoda.

'NEVER KNOW IT WOULD CATCH ME'

"Den one day, I get weak. Me never know it would catch me. Me always take precaution. Den I weep. I weep and weep before God Almighty. The pastor tell me no, I mustn't kill myself. I must confess me sin, stop de nonsense, and serve God.

"I cry and cry nearly every day and night. When I get so weak, I cry all day and night long. Me two babymada and the two pickney feel sorry for me but wouldn't come near me. I was like a lonely dog on the street dat people stone to get out de way.

"The brothers took me in. I had a nice bed, nice friends, though all a we a HIV patients. We pray wid dem. I even get baptised and receive communion. Dat is me favourite time of the week."

Harold looked to the heavens and began to sing, "Oh let the power fall on I, my Lord, let the power fall on I."

His eyes gleamed.

"Fada, God really forgive me?" he asked.

"Yes, Harold God forgives you," I told him.

"Is true dat there is a heaven? And one day I might get there?"

"You will get there, Harold, if you repent of your sins."

"Sorry, Fada. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry."

He began to weep. I blessed him with the sign of the cross.

I felt pain, but also joy.

"When will it all end? This terrible sin?" he asked.

Never, never, never; we are all in the flesh. But Christ's forgiveness will never end. And we must never stop spreading God's love and forgiveness, 70 times seven per day.