Dear friends of Fr. Benedict,

From Trinity Retreat

Friday August 20, 2004

Recently I was talking to a fine young man who was not raised a Catholic or in fact with any particular religious denomination. His mother is quite ill. He told me that he did not believe in life after death and I asked him why. His reasons were not well thought out.
I said, “Well, don’t you think with such a question you ought to ask someone who has been there and knows?”
“Who is that?” he asked.
I told him that in the fourteenth chapter of St. John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (14:1–3).
Every one of us must think of death and what lies on the other side, especially after you’ve looked death in the eye. That’s when you are grateful to God to ask—if I may use this term—an expert. Ask somebody who has been there, somebody who stands beyond it all. We call ourselves Christians because Christ not only rose from the dead, He came from the other world to be with us and He returned where He will rule forever and ever. We hope to be with Him.

Let us continue to pray for each other!

Father Benedict
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Dear Father Benedict, God bless you. I love you. Thank you for witnessing to the Truth. Thank you for sharing it with us. We are so fortunate that God has allowed you to stay here with us. Please keep up the awesome work of teaching and guiding us. I will continue to pray for you, and all priests. You are a grace indeed. - James, Whitestone, New York

Dear Father Benedict, Heard of your accident only yesterday, from Zenith News. I join your many friends in praying for you. I have wonderful memories of you from the 2003 Clergy Institute--your warmth, your humor, your wisdom and sound common sense. I am with you in prayer, Fr. Benedict. - Fr Joe, Mannath, INDIA

Dear Father Benedict: We were at the conference in Paso Robles, Ca that you were at when you left to Florida and had your accident. We were so saddened by what happened to you. But, we were able to see you on EWTN on Sunday with Father Pacwa. You look great! Or should I say "You look MARVELOUS!!! Father, when the audience member asked you about how to vote, you said that you would not vote for anyone but pro-life. I totally agree! My parents who are strong Democrats, were watching the show with me. They became very agitated and started to say some very angry things. Father, this was so upsetting to me. First of all because it was my parents saying these things and second of all they are Catholic, attend mass everyday and pray the rosary 4 times a day. I am so confused with their way of thinking and I ask for your prayers for my parents for a change of heart towards this election. They plan on voting for the Democrat candidate. They are not open to hear any reasoning on the teaching of the Catholic Church. I just continue to pray and I ask for your prayers for them also. God Bless you Father Benedict, U.S.A.

Please do continue with the website, with your health updates, and most importantly reaching out to everyone. It's obvious that many, many people gain a great deal by just reading the prayers of others who post on the site. You are an amazing example of Christ in this world today ...something we so desperately need! May He continue to bless you and use you. Love, - Karen, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

I, too, continue to find encouragement to "pick up my cross and follow Jesus" by reading your comments and those of your "followers". I would like to thank Mary from Minnesota for sharing with us her prayer in asking the Holy Spirit's guidance for this fall's election. I, too, have been praying for help here in Illinois. I don't know if we can mention particular candidate's names here but we have (what I feel is a "God send") a candidate for the U.S. Senate who is from out of state and has a strong Pro-Life stand. He is not afraid to stand up to the jeering because I think he feels he has been called to oppose the strongly pro-death candidate who would even allow the child who survived a botched abortion to die. I feel with the political machinery in this state that it's like David taking on Goliath. Just as we all prayed together for Fr. Benedict's recovery, please let us join our hearts and voices and petition Our Lord to open the hearts, minds, and ears of this country to hear and vote for the Pro-Life candidates. With God, all things are possible. - Carol, Lindenhurst, Illinois

Dear Fr Ben, How wonderful it was to see the video of you out preaching to the youth of NYC. It sure is a miracle to hear that voice speaking out for the Lord and the endearing Jersey accent pleading to seek God at all cost. It touches my heart and melts any burdens that may be there to see and hear the Holy Spirit again working through you and how wonderful God has been in granting our prayers to allow through His graces you again to work His fields to touch the souls of so many needy souls. It does my Celtic soul wonders to see with my own eyes the wonders of the Lord and the Light of the World at work amongst all the darkness. Keep the light shining all of you the Renewal is surely working one seed at a time. - Cathy, Upstate New York

Send your greetings to Fr. Benedict

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