Dear friends of Fr. Benedict,

From the Hospital:
Message for Saturday, May 1, 2004

Among the touching greetings I have received in response to my illness are the hundreds of cards from children in the lower grades. Usually these cards are handmade, with messages written in crayon saying, “I love you,” “Get better soon,” “Sorry to hear you’re sick,” and things like that. They often come in brown paper envelopes because their teacher has organized the whole class to do it.
I spend some time looking at these little cards. They often include messages that we do not ordinarily find on get-well cards, for instance, “I’m going to the circus next Monday,” or “My grandmother is sick too.” This is an obvious attempt to be personal.
Perhaps only when you are sick and have a certain amount of enforced leisure to look at and enjoy things can you savor something like greetings from little children. We should value them, however, because Jesus says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He also says, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”
It is very moving to me that so many children and their teachers have thought it important to respond to my accident. I ask God to bless all of them and their families.

Let us continue to pray for each other!

Father Benedict

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Dear Father Benedict--I hope your arm getts better soon. You are in my prayers. Every day I go on your website with my mom. From -THERESE, AGE 9, LAKEWOOD, CALIFORNIA

Dear Fr. Benny, CONGRAGULATIONS!!!! What a joy to hear you are speaking again. Maria, my 5 year old, has been reminding us every night to pray your breathing prayer. She has it memorized! She likes to check in on you with me everyday and her class mates in Kindergarten have been asking her how you are doing. She brought in a picture of you and the prayer and they have been praying for you everyday at St. Charles Borromeo School. Do you have a new prayer in mind for your little freinds? What's needed now? May God richly bless you in the weeks to come. Love, -Annette and Bob, Tony, Sarah, Ben, Anne, Laura, Maria and Patrick!!!, Columbia Heights, Minnesota

Dear Fr. Benedict, My name is Jason and I am 25 years old. In exactly one month, I will be ordained to the priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ by Archbishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap. I want you to know that I am praying for you and that you have been a very important part of my priestly formation. Thank you for your witness and example. I hope you get better and better all the time. God bless you. -Jason, Boston, Mass.

Dear Fr. Benedict, How far you have come! All of us here, your spiritual cheering committee, have offered up so many prayers to the heavens for your recovery. How merciful God is to return you to us after holding you in His arms that awful January day. He knew then, as He does now, how much we rely upon you for spiritual guidance. Being disabled, I know how exhausting the pain of recovery can be. It is no small wonder that you have been able to provide us with your daily messages; they may be heavily edited, as you say, but your familiar voice is clearly heard. May God continue to bless you with His healing grace and grant you the strength you need to complete your recovery process. Thank you for staying connected to us through these difficult weeks. I continue to pray for you on your journey back. --Susan, NY, New York

Pokój i Dobro (Peace a. Good) - that is a Polish Franciscan's greeting... May God help and bless you in all your tasks. We will pray for you...
Unworthy brother in God -
Grzegorz, M.I. POLAND

Dear Fr. Benedict: You have become part of my day, I get up early, and go immediately to my computer to read your wisdom. I thank you God for your recovery, and pray you will be home soon. God Bless you, -Annette, Wheaton, Illinois

Dearest Father Benedict, How great and merciful is our heavenly Father to save you for us!! I still pray for your complete recovery, and hope you will join in praying for me as I enter my 80th year, healthy, independent, bathed in the love of Christ (you help me so much with my faith). I am so grateful for Father Glen who keeps us apprised of your condition. I send you so much love and many prayers for your continued recovery. "Vaya con Dios!"-Gert, St.Augustine, Florida

Dear Father Groeschel, Thank you for your edifying messages
from your rehab life to us. You're absolutely right!! Making
the most of our time for Him, the One who died for us all.
I still had to chuckle when I read, "Isn't that what I should have been doing all along?"
-the people that know you would not agree, that is to say,
YOU HAVE BEEN DOING JUST THAT!-Marsha, framingham, Mass.

I'am a big fan of you and what you have to say!
I have read several of your books also.
Several years ago I went to see you celebrate Liturgy of the Holy Innocents at Holy Innocents Church in Manhattan. a My Wife and I were deeply inspired by what you had to say about abortion. Before hearing you, my Wife was was "pro choice" After hearing you my Wife is now "Pro Life"
When we heard of your tradgedy we were deeply saddened and prayed for your recovery.
My Wife and myself sincerly hope that you have a full recovery. This world we live in desperatly needs Priests like you!
Sincerly
-Jim and Rita,
BYZANTINE CATHOLICS-PRO LIFE, Franklin Square, New York

Fr. Benedict, I had the good fortune to watch a rerun of a Good Friday Retreat you had conducted on EWTN this most recent Good Friday. I couldn't move as I was transfixed with your words and wisdom. God has blessed you but now he seems to be trying you. I know you are wilfully accepting the test. Will be praying for you.- Patty, Phoenix, Arizona

Thank you Jesus for giving us back Fr. Benedict. i am praying for you every day. i like your lent reflections, thaks they are ours now. pray for me in your quiet time, Jesus is always calling for more.bless me and prayers.-Emily, Malta, Europe

Dear Father, How elated I am for your continued recovery. My sons and I have been praying so hard for you, especially my son with autism. Until now faith and religion have been hard concepts for him to grasp. But he now sees the power of prayer and is beginning to understand faith in the Lord. Your suffering has brought a miracle to my family, and for that I thank you for enduring it. You have always been and continue to be such an inspiration to me. I pray that one day I will be able to meet you, hug you, and let you know that your life is so very important to mine. Thanks for bringing me and especially my son so much closer to the Lord. I love you, and we'll keep praying!-Ana, Pittsburgh, Penn.

I do not know you Father but you have my prayers. They are the prayers of a sinner. Thank you for being a model of how we should suffer. Peace to you, -Stephen, Carleton, CANADA

I was requested to pray for you since your accident. Praise the Lord you are getting better. This address was given to me by Dick Sohm. I belong to a Mariam Group in Costa Rica. We send greetings and best wishes for your soon recovery.
Thanks.-Carlos, Barva , Heredia COSTA RICA

Evangelizing not only from the hospital, but in and to hte hospital. I KNEW it.
You ROCK, Fr. Benedict. You totally ROCK, and I love you.
Love in Our Lady,
-Joanie,
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.

Dear Father Benedict,
Your suffering reminds me of the "come up higher, friend."
The difficulty is, when Jesus says that, He seems to mean
"Come nearer to the foot of My cross and share in the
Passion." If you get any "higher" at the table, you'll
be sitting in His lap! One other thought: Because the
apostles couldn't keep awake one hour, I believe Jesus
reaches into time and selects a few close friends to keep
vigil with Him during the lonely night hours. Seems you
made the guest list. Please pray for us as we pray for
you daily. Love,-Maureen, Albany, New York

The children were recently being questioned about the parts of the Mass that do not change. Because you are mentioned so often in the prayers of the faithful,one 7 year old insisted the right answer is: FATHER BENEDICT!-Mary, Mamaroneck, New York

Send your greetings to Fr. Benedict

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