John using his walker to navigate in France after we miraculously flew there after he managed to get to the bathroom alone the night before! It was very rustic and huge up and down hills, so it was still very challenging for him...
John's "walking stick" for his journey...
He discovered that this was the beautiful and special way to walk - with a sister under each arm. John on the cross called finding his Faith through brain cancer.
Tears were in my eyes watching this powerful sharing of his sisters in his journey to healing and discovering the faith that he had recognized in his sisters. "I was raised in a Catholic cocoon, and my faith had never been needed to get me through difficulties. I had never made it my own. After I prayed half-heartedly for Faith... I found myself facing the battle of my life and for my life!"
20 years old and his dad having to help him to the bathroom... John's talk last evening I would describe as humorous and humble. Describing how he was helpless needing to even have his pants pulled down and placed on the toilet.
Today the words of the Gospel really struck me at how the Lord told his disciples to take nothing but a walking stick as they went forth on the journey!
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Mark 6
Jesus took all of John's pride and abilities away from him in an instant... John literally had only a walking stick/walker or his dad or sisters to go with him on his journey towards finding faith through brain cancer!
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
Reading this prayer of St JPII this morning as called Totus Tuus/Totally Yours, Mary. It describes John's love for Mary the Mother of God!
"Totus Tuus"
A prayer by Pope St. John Paul II
A prayer by Pope St. John Paul II
Immaculate Conception,
Mary my Mother
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life,
replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
Mary my Mother
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life,
replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
Amen.
John prayed to St Peregrine, the patron of cancer patients last evening... this was the Crucifix in the chapel at St Joseph's where we stared our journey in the Cities and then eventually to Mayo! Jesus reached down from the cross to heal him of cancer of the leg!
Love these from a year ago of Luke helping his little sister, Joy, with her shoes... Just as John's sisters helped him through the years... LOVE!
Precious moments of service as we are called to put others ahead of ourselves!
Lake Miniwaska last night as we pulled into Glenwood with the setting sun and all the fish houses.
John was humorous and humble, and warmed our hearts with his prayer and sharing the LOVE he had been given.
Mary over his shoulder and Jesus's cross overhead! The heart of John's story is falling in love with Mary while at Lourdes early in his journey as we miraculously arrived in France! How I loved how he shared that so beautifully!
Jesus in the tabernacle!
He ended his talk sharing about Bobbi... his precious wife, who prayed and waited for John for 10 years through brain cancer, seminary and girl friends and jobs! All there were so amazed and charmed by Bobbi! She is a dream boat and such a special message to end with!
After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special. She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband. Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!! Amazing!!! And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!
After we gathered for bars in the basement... John prayed with a couple that had lost their 37 year old son to lymphoma. I was at a loss as to how to answer their pain other than to say; "I am so sorry."
His prayer was so beautiful and touching to the 4 of us as we came together in prayer! He mentioned how Mary had held her newborn son, Jesus the Son of God in her arms at his birth and also at the foot of the cross holding his dead body... so powerful for them and for us! It was just a indication of his ministry no matter whether survivors or not. "Survivor guilt" was mentioned by John and those there that were years out from their cancer!
Danielle Rose - A Mother's song
This song is about the Crucifixion... It is what John prayed!
Listen to it and weep and feel the amazing Gospel reading from John where Jesus gives us His Mother at the foot of the Cross and we bring her into our home!
To show my sister-in-law the St Therese gift that graces my home now! Thanks to my sister!
John prayed to her along with his group of saints joining him in his battle as the journey continues down the narrow path! St Augustine, St Jude, St Rita, St JPII, St Peregrine, St Pio, St Therese!
On the way home we gushed about how if you LOVE our Lady there is no place to be but The Church! That combined with the Eucharist - "You will eat my Body and drink my Blood or you will have no LIFE in you." Yes! The one place this happens is The Catholic Church! There can be no doubt!!!
3 year old Josephine and St Therese!
Jesus, I am so filled to overflowing with your Truth and LOVE and your walking among us as you did in the Gospel days! Answering our prayers with so many miracles and PRAYER is so real and powerful! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
"Totus Tuus"
A prayer by Pope St. John Paul II
Immaculate Conception,
Mary my Mother
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life,
replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
He ended his talk sharing about Bobbi... his precious wife, who prayed and waited for John for 10 years through brain cancer, seminary and girl friends and jobs! All there were so amazed and charmed by Bobbi! She is a dream boat and such a special message to end with!
After being classmates for all 13 years for them to come together 10 years after graduating is kind of special. She shared to the 300 family and friends gathered at the reception in her sweet humble way about how John Verly popped into her head and heart when they were seniors in HS as her future husband. Time and time again the same answer came to her through prayer and roses from St Therese and opening her eyes to see him right in front of her at WYD in Australia... When we consider what John experienced over those 10 years... brain cancer, seminary, girl friends, ups and downs and how disheartening it probably was and how powerful her prayers were for him!!!! Amazing!!! And how patient and trusting and prayerful and waiting and praying for John, this sweet girl was!
His prayer was so beautiful and touching to the 4 of us as we came together in prayer! He mentioned how Mary had held her newborn son, Jesus the Son of God in her arms at his birth and also at the foot of the cross holding his dead body... so powerful for them and for us! It was just a indication of his ministry no matter whether survivors or not. "Survivor guilt" was mentioned by John and those there that were years out from their cancer!
This song is about the Crucifixion... It is what John prayed!
Listen to it and weep and feel the amazing Gospel reading from John where Jesus gives us His Mother at the foot of the Cross and we bring her into our home!
John prayed to her along with his group of saints joining him in his battle as the journey continues down the narrow path! St Augustine, St Jude, St Rita, St JPII, St Peregrine, St Pio, St Therese!
On the way home we gushed about how if you LOVE our Lady there is no place to be but The Church! That combined with the Eucharist - "You will eat my Body and drink my Blood or you will have no LIFE in you." Yes! The one place this happens is The Catholic Church! There can be no doubt!!!
Jesus, I am so filled to overflowing with your Truth and LOVE and your walking among us as you did in the Gospel days! Answering our prayers with so many miracles and PRAYER is so real and powerful! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
"Totus Tuus"
A prayer by Pope St. John Paul II
Immaculate Conception,
Mary my Mother
Live in me, Act in me,
Speak in me and through me,
Think your thoughts in my mind,
Love through my heart,
Give me your dispositions and feelings,
Teach, lead me and guide me to Jesus,
Correct, enlighten and expand my thoughts and behavior,
Possess my soul,
Take over my entire personality and life,
replace it with Yourself,
Incline me to constant adoration,
Pray in me and through me,
Let me live in you and keep me in this union always.
Amen.
Worth repeating! LOVE!
I think the next time I visit my dad, he will be memorizing this and I want to join him!
Beautiful wife of John, Bobbi, stole the show last night. John ending with her sweet message of loving and never giving up on prayer! She is so amazing and her message is so important in this misled world taking our youth down the wide path to darkness and death! Bless-bless, Barb
So much beauty for John's story!
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