From
Trinity Retreat Dear friends of Fr. Benedict,
From
Trinity Retreat
Monday, June 28, 2004
These little daily thoughts from Trinity Retreat began
long ago as medical reports from the hospital, and today I’m going to
give you another medical report. I learned just recently that I have to have
two more surgeries — one on my shoulder, which is badly broken and clogged
with calcium, and the other to replace my elbow. I went to the Hospital for
Special Surgery in Manhattan, where I saw the world’s greatest expert
on elbows, Dr. Robert Hotchkiss, who suggested that I consider the possibility
of an elbow replacement.
When he asked me what I thought, I replied that he was the world’s greatest
expert, whereas nobody else in the world knows less about elbows than I do.
He does believe that with these procedures I have a very good chance of being
able to function close to normal.
I will be very grateful if you will remember these intentions in your prayers.
I don’t yet know when the operations will be, but it will probably take
a couple of months to get everything done. As always I am deeply grateful for
your constant prayers and good wishes.
Let us continue to pray for each other!
Father Benedict
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To the Web-Family of Fr. Benedict: "It is ever true that, he who does nothing for others..does nothing for himself !" (Goethe) So lets get going out there..and follow through on your love for Christ, with acts of charity. Today I sent in my contribution to the Padre Pio Shelter. The address is Fr. Benedict Groeschel CFR c/o PADRE PIO SHELTER Box 55 Larchmont, New York 10538. We are all the helping "hands of God". Many blessings from, - Jacqueline, Batavia, New York
A suggestion for the website; read the scriptures with a brief explanation and tie into the Church calendar. Also, updates of your work are encouraging. Thank you! This site is an inspiration and helps me to keep my focus on God. - Joy, Albuquerque, New Mexico
God bless you; have been checking on you every day since your accident. Reference the hospital in Honduras; my wife has 36 years experience as an RN first assistant in the operating room. A hospital that she worked in for thirty of those years used to collect UNUSED surgical drapes, gowns, etc and send them to Haiti for use by doctors who would go down there periodically. There are about 10 hospitals near us and we would gladly work out an arrangment whereby we could collect unused surgical equipments and ship them to Honduras. Anyone reading this who is a nurse or doctor and knows what we are talking about could also help in this regard. All we need is an address where we can ship this material if it can be used. Here in the US of A, once a surgical package is opened it cannot be reused even if it is still sterile; thanks to those who want to make a ton of money selling surgical materials. If this is a good or viable suggestion please let me know. I check your website every day and will continue praying for you and all the Friars. - David, Lewes, Delaware
I so enjoy seeing your messages Fr. Benedict and do not want to see them end. I like your suggestion about having different friars post messages since I do understand that this is something that is time-consuming for you. I generally check the web-site everyday for any updates on you and spiritual encouragement. The video clips are so uplifting; I thoroughly enjoy them. I loved the one that had your life basically shown throughout; I wish we could access that one all the time. Thank you all for keeping this site going. God bless all of you. - Elaine, Luling, Los Angelas
Dearest Father Benedict, It is with a grateful heart for all your inspiration over the past 12 years that I placed you in the heart of Jesus for healing and hasn't He been good to both of us. I am rather self-centered and would love to have daily access to your words of wisdom through this website. Understanding that it would be a hardship the idea of asking the friars to take equal time totally fine with me.... Wouldn't it be just like Jesus to want this site that was established in "love" to continue in "Love". You remain in my daily prayer and in the heart of Jesus. - Linda, Yarmouth, Mass.
Dear Fr. Benedict, I am so happy to see that you continue to recover and improve. You have been a spiritual father to me and I have been so pleased to meet so many spiritual brothers and sisters through this website. Some have expressed a desire to hear more from Father so I thought some of the visiters to this website might be interested in how they can access some of Father Benedict's works. If you go to the EWTN website at www.ewtn.com and click on the "Libraries" section and then on "Audio Library" a box will come up for you to submit a name. Type in "Groeschel" and all of Fr. Benedict's series will come up and you can listen from your computer. Just click on the series you want. As some may know, Father gives a year long monthly day of recollection on a different topic each year. Some of these are under the series name "retreat teachings" and I think they have been on EWTN radio, but not the TV. If you wish to purchase some of Fr. Benedict's books, tapes or videos, just click on the "Books" section of this website or send a self addressed stamped envelope to Spiritual Books, Box 2003, Larchmont, NY 10538 for a complete listing of all that's available and an order form.n All the proceeds go to the Padre Pio Shelter run by the friars. Some of the series have been on EWTN but others have not. I really like the cassette tapes because I can take a walk, do laundry or just cuddle up in my rocking chair in the middle of the night and listen and learn. To those looking for a site to answer questions, there is a question section on the EWTN website which might be helpful. Thanks Father Benedict for being such a wonderful teacher. - Jeanne, Iowa City
