Dear friends of Fr. Benedict,

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A Reason To Believe

Message for Tuesday, May 18, 2004

As my time in the hospital is drawing to a close, I have many things to think about, and as you probably guessed, to write about, in the coming months and perhaps years. To some degree I am a different man than I was on the morning of January 11th . I’ve been through some very profound experiences which affect the spiritual life and which showed me a number of things which I was missing in my own spiritual life. I intend to discuss these as I always discuss things with our spiritual friends to help them in their own lives. The most obvious message, though that comes to me is to trust God in times of difficulty, trial, and even catastrophe. To trust God doesn’t mean a single act, I mentioned previously that it may mean acts over & over again. But let me tell you, at the end of the long dark tunnel that I have been in, I would not have survived if I did not trust God. I did not trust Him as well as I wished I had. I’m embarrassed before the Lord that I did not trust Him better. But somehow or other, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit I was able to hold on and to say with St. Faustina, “Jesus I trust you”.

Let us continue to pray for each other!

Father Benedict

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Dear Father Benedict,
Sorry that I haven't written a note to you for so long. I try to daily check your website to check on you. Thanks so much for praying for all of us and being such an inspiration. Glad that you are improving each day. May God bless you. - Judith, Burlington, Wisconsin

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ both now & forever for our dear Fr. Benedict, Miss you so much at Holy Innocents, life is just not the same without you! But I truly am so grateful for your ongoing recovery. I have your picture on my computer and pray over you every day. Hugs and Kisses & all that mush, and most of all prayers. - Janet, Jamaica, New York

My name is Ian, I am 4, and I want to tell you Fr. B. that I love you and I am very sad that you are sick and that you have a broken hand and you are a good man and I will pray for you every night when I say my prayers, someday when you feel better I have been watching your movies and I am learning about Jesus because of you. My name Lauren, I am 7, and have been watching all your videos and I hope you feel better and I will pray for you every night. My name is Caitlin, I am 10 years old, I think your teachings are wonderful and I hope to grow closer to God in my studies, I will say the rosary and pray for you every night. Get well soon............ - Caitlin, Lauren, Ian, Cadillac, Michigan

Dear Fr. Benedict, Thank you for reminding me and thousands of others to turn our hearts towards our God. May He bless you and heal you, - Pat, Northville, Michigan

Dear Fr Benedict,
I absolutely adore you and the friars!I am from the U.K and i know the friars in Canning Town, they are VERY cool!! I am writing to tell you how glad i am that you are getting better and i am asking for your prayers for my brother Paul who is considering becoming a friar, hopefully he will become one!! He is visiting New York in July and i would love it if he joins so please pray for him ! I love you loads, God bless you xxx. - Catherine, United Kingdom

Dear Fr. Benedict, may God continue to bless you and my our Blessed Mother always be a source of comfort for you. On the 27th of this month I will go into hospital for a triple bypass. I know that as the time approaches I will naturally get more anxious. But, I am trying to thank God for this situation - learning from the example of the Ven. Solanus Casey OFM Cap. - Thanks be to God! - George, United Kingdom

Dear Fr. Groeschel, I have been keeping a close eye on your daily messages and your inspirational videos from the hospital as well as those professionally done with a kaleidescope of your photographs and ministry over the years. They are awesome to watch. The responses from the other readers and viewers who come to this site have affected me. I am completely unworthy and pathetic as a person to be loved by Jesus as evidenced by my even being able to write this note to you. I deserve the fires of hell...and yet, He has sustained me long enough to write this to you. I am going to go to confession tomorrow. I will offer a prayer for your continued recover so that others like me, can see the faith, hope, and love of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, en fleshed within the suffering of one faithful son of the Church...you, Father. Pray for me, as I pray for you. Thank you, - Ralph, Cleveland, Ohio

Father: I have been listening to your messages on hope on KBVM radio. Sometimes I cry. I believe God has given you a gift to know what it feels like to lack hope. I do not like to use the word, "hopeless", because I think if we have Jesus we always have hope. Nonetheless, after being alone for almost 20 years, a trying to regain my health after 11 years of Chronic Fatigue, and the associated losses and poverty it brought, I sometimes feel without hope. Thank you for sharing God's love and letting me know that I am not alone, and that God has not forgotten me, even though life does not seem to make any sense, and I would much prefer to thrive rather than solely survive. Please pray for me to know God's will and to have joy in the midst of a great burden. Thank you. I am continuing to pray for your rapid and full recovery. God richly bless you. - Barbara, Beaverton, Oregon

Dear Fr. Benedict, I was really feeling down, when I visited your webpage today. The horrible events in Iraq this week really made me sick to the depths of my heart and soul for our country, and for our world. But the Holy Spirit, and Our Lady (of Fatima, I'm sure), touched my heart, and lifted my spirit through your words, and the beautifully touching webpage video. They were the prayers I needed to lift my darkness. Thank you!

Fr. B., you may be broken in body, but your Spirit still soars! Thanks be to God and to His Mother! Your Friend, - Connie, Baton Rouge, Los Angelas

Send your greetings to Fr. Benedict

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