Fr Craig had come to Rochester to anoint another woman, and how we were blessed when he came to John's room and just at the same time that Susan came to join in the Sacrament of healing - Anointing of the sick! Talk about the Holy Spirit at work and our Church there for us in all our needs!
I will always remember my mother speaking about how sad it was when her mother, Beatrice, was approaching death..."As a Protestant there really is so little there for her to turn to or to minister to her." As Catholics we are given almost more than we can fully embrace with all the power of The Sacraments, Jesus in Word, Body and Blood, His Mother and ours, Mary the Queen of the Saints and all the Saints, our guardian angel and of course, PRAYER all around us lifting us up - prayer is REAL!
Pat had to help John walk as he was unable to use his left side properly.
https://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
John's amazing story led to a ministry now of prayer here and now.... "I now know why I got brain cancer - to bring people to Christ!"
From the page devoted to John's cancer journey...
Maria at John's side - she discerned that the Poor Clares was not her call - she is now married to Joseph and they have 5 children - 3 with them and 2 in heaven. It was so important to John in his battle to have us all around him, and then there were the thousands of prayers from the prayer warriors! His life was transformed by his journey/Cross - cancer/healing/seminary. His story is a beautiful testimony of Jesus answering his prayer for Faith! http://dnu.org/news/documents/JAN.2013MASTERISSUE.pdf Here is the article in the January Prairie Catholic. So moving to hear in John's words just how the Lord was at work answering his prayer for Faith with brain cancer - looking death in the eye, and being healed and ministered to by the Catholic Church through - Sacrament, Saints, Our Lady in the rosary, Prayer, on and on. John faced the giant -cancer - as a beautifully courageous young man of God - David! He found strength in the arms of his family around him! We were able to have Susan come home from France and be with John to support him. How he loves and misses his Susan/Hallel when she is far away. It was so uplifting for us to band together to fight the fight for John's LIFE and most importantly John's FaithLIFE!
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Mark 6
When dad arrived his Blessed Solanus relic was missing! Eventually he found this in the safety of his wallet after he had brought the relic to mom's hospital room and placed it on her hand just a hour before she passed away. Solanus took her hand and helped her into Heaven forever!
How we pray for Bill's sister Amy! The doctors at Mayo will help her the best they can!
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Mark 6
From Nancy! " Mayo will be treating her, but it doesn't look like she needs to come here. They will be sending treatment to Pittsburgh for her existing team of doctors to administer."
John just shared an experience that reminded him of his ministry post healing and now 12 years down the road... "I was at a job interview, and the manager shared with me a illness his wife is suffering from. I said that I would pray and was leaving the business, when I thought to myself - "What am I doing?" I returned to his office and asked; "Can I pray with you here and now?" His answer was; "OK, it is hard to hear people say they will pray and to really pray together is something I that is good and appreciated." So, they prayed! John asked him if he was Catholic, and when he said not... "I said we would stick to the Our Father and not get too Catholic." That makes me smile!
How we love to fly to our Mother of heaven and earth! Those rosary beads continue to be my daily life-line, but when John was in the thick of the battle they were never out of my hands or my heart, mind and soul! In order to give all the control to Jesus - she helped me more than any other, and Blessed Solanus too!
Today alumni and NFL draft prospect @trey.lance took the time to speak live with our students! He answered questions, and spoke about his faith and how it fits into his routine. 
He said, "Prayer is real and can make a difference in the lives of others."
He said, "Prayer is real and can make a difference in the lives of others." It rings like a bell... "Prayer is REAL!" Many prayers for this young man as he seems to have the world by the tail, that Jesus can always be first for him!
In Saint Pierre! Susan sees John for the first time, and look at the smiles all around. We had done it! And it was a very powerful time to allow these two children of mine to share one with the other as they each had these huge life altering experiences going on at the same time! So interwoven as we shared and blended the experiences as they threaded in and out of each other.
As we brought John up to the Cities - we had a homebase at Maria and Joe's home close to the St Thomas campus in St Paul. It worked out well for this to be family central, as Nancy also lived with their family as well as 3 law students! It was a lively place where we could make big family meals and since it was summer - grandma bought this pool complex for the kids to enjoy in the midst of the craziness and emotions of this shocking outcome for our 20 year old John! As the family was all around John - I took a day away to make FOOD! I just needed a down day to make some homecooked food for the family, and get some mental health time. I ended up at a big Cub Food store that was nearby. As I slowly walked the aisles picking out what I needed... I got in line of a black checkout woman about my age. She asked me the ususal - "How are you doing?" I just couldn't say the usual "fine." I said - "Not that good." "You at least have money for food." she says, "unlike that guy ahead of you." she points to a black man bagging his own groceries that has just paid with food stamps. "That's true," I say, "but my 20 year old son has brain cancer! Could you please pray for him?" She looks shocked at me and slightly nods her head. At that exact moment a young girl in the next lane says - "Are you from Marshall? I think I went to school with some of your girls. Did you say that your son has brain cancer? Can I pray for you right here and now?" I was shocked and nodded my head in astonishment by it all. She bowed her head, and said a simple short prayer asking for John to be healed and protected as well as his family. I looked up to see the checkout lady and the man bagging his groceries also bowing their heads in prayer - united in prayer! That changed me! I might have lost a bit of my fire since. But for a long time after this happened I would pray in the street, on the phone, in an email - I would no longer say that I was going to pray for someone - I would do it right then and there! I call this the Grocery Store girl, and she started me into a virtual prayer warrior! I was reminded of this the other night - John and I were talking on the phone, and we were talking about my working the overnight shift at the nursing home that night. This is a hard task for me, and John knows it. He said that he would pray for me, and immediatly launched into a wonderful sweet prayer asking Jesus to go with me and to use me! I thought of my grocery store girl, and smiled all the way to work and many times during the night remember the blessings that we have received. Just yesterday I called a special friend/daughter that is struggling with her faith, and we prayed on the phone! Such a powerful connection! Prayer is something REAL and powerful!!! We certainly have discovered that on this journey!
Lord, prayer is so important in our journey! John was supposed to be there and pray! We are all called to pray without ceasing! Lord, may I be better about praying like the grocery store girl united us in prayer! May we be humble and pray for those that are in need. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
"The Mass is very long and tiresome
unless one loves God."
G.K. Chesterton
"The best way to economize time
is to ‘lose’ half an hour each day
attending Holy Mass."
Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
Founder: Society of St Vincent de Paul
Founder: Society of St Vincent de Paul
we
Zach Williams
Gregorian chants just because they are beautiful and uplifting!
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