Dear friends of Fr. Benedict,
Monday, Sept. 6, 2004
From Fr. Benedict
SAYING “THANKS”
I had a wonderful experience the other day. I started out-patient therapy at
the Burke Hospital in White Plains, and had an opportunity to visit the staff
who had helped me when I was staying at the hospital for a month. It was a remarkable
experience. For somebody who doesn’t like to be kissed, I got kissed 68
times. Nurses, nurses aids, staff members, and therapists were all delighted
to see me. And the ladies, almost all of them, showed me this with a spontaneous
kiss. The men were quite as much delighted by my return. I thought it would
be good for them to see a patient who had been quite ill returning on his own
steam, even though I am using a cane. They were so friendly and grateful that
I came back to thank them. And yet, I was the one who was indebted to each and
every one of them for their kindness to me and their help. In the last few weeks
the message has sunk in that nobody expected me to ever walk when I came up
from Florida in a medical jet. It seemed to be a foregone conclusion for everyone,
but Fr. Lynch, that I would not walk again. Friends of mine, who are physical
therapists said this openly to each other. Thank God, nobody said this to me.
Now I am walking one mile per day and hope with the help of the Burke Foundation,
to be able to make further recovery. This fills my heart with gratitude to God,
and the gratitude to the staff, to friends, to all who prayed for me, to the
brothers and our whole community. And the amazing thing about gratitude is that
there is no medication that will make you feel better. We would all be better
off if we said big thank yours on our way through life. We used to say that
the motto of Cardinal Cooke was “thank you.” And that is probably
why we consider that he should be named a saint.
Let us continue to pray for each other!
Father Benedict
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Fr. Roemer, As the main "cleaner & wiper upper" at my house I say amen to offering up our work to our Lord and, welcome aboard! - Marie, Wilton, Maine
Dear Father Benedict and Father Glenn, It is so wonderful that you will continue to evangelize on this website. We have much to learn from all the friars! This past week-end, I attended the SCRC (Southern California Renewal Conference in Anahiem, CA. I missed hearing you preach there. To my surprise, there was a beautiful book of thoughts and good wishes being prepared for you. The table was constantly busy and placed conveniently near the Blessed Sacrament and Chapel. There is no doubt that many prayers were being offered for you in CA! I also came across your new book, "There Are No Accidents. In All Things Trust in God." To see this book 8 months later is an awesome testimony to the power of prayer and the miracle God has allowed all of us to share in. Thank-you for all of your efforts in bringing this book to fruition. To God be the glory! Peace and Blessings to you and all the friars! - Kathy, Brea, California
Dear Fr. Glenn, When you mentioned that Christ is truly present in the confessional it reminded of an experience that I had not that long ago. I was driving to church to go to confession and I was thinking about my sins on the way and referring back to my previous confession was considering if I had made any progress in trying to overcome them. I concluded that I hadn't and felt like a terrible hypocrite before the Lord and what was He going to think of me turning up with the same sins again!! So I said to Him, there is no point in continuing to go to confession like this, I'm a hopeless case, I might as well throw in the towel! Nevertheless, I went to confession anyway and when I finished what I had to say, you cannot imagine my shock when the priest responded, "I know its very difficult but we won't throw in the towel just yet!" I nearly fell off the kneeler and thought to myself Oh Lord, you really heard me, you know my very thoughts. Never will I doubt that Jesus does speak to us personally through the priest, He let know that He is truly's there. God Bless and continued prayers for the community and the sisters in your work and for more vocations. - Miriam, Dublin, ,Dublin .....
Dear Fr. Benedict, I praise and thank God for your recovery. I am looking forward to your weekly messages. May God continue to bless and keep you safe and all those involve in your beautiful ministry. Respectfully yours. Aida
Send your greetings to Fr. Benedict