Dear
friends of Fr. Benedict,
Today is Saturday, February 14. Here
is the latest update on Fr. Benedict.
"We
are very blessed." You would imagine these words being spoken by a father to
his two sons as they sat and sipped sherry before the fireplace right after
a home-cooked meal. Yet, these are the words Father Benedict mouthed to Br.
Daniel Marie and Fr. Juniper after praying the rosary as he lay in his hospital
bed. Fr. Juniper said he was "deeply touched" as they were praying the sorrowful
mysteries of the rosary. "You're living these mysteries, Father", Fr. Juniper
said. Fr. B simply closed his eyes as if to say, "I know".
As many of you know, Father Benedict has preached and written
eloquently about Our Lord's passion. Like another famous preacher, Archbishop
Fulton Sheen, he has written meditations on the Stations of the Cross and preached
"The Seven Last Words" every Good Friday hundreds who would gather to listen.
All of us can only imagine the powerful words which will be preached, the wonderful
meditations to be written, and the effective counseling offered others in pain
- all due to Father's participation in the Lord's passion!
While many of us suffer great trials, both emotionally and
physically, too few of us suffer with great faith, hope, and love. I commended
your prayers to Father telling him, "Many, many people are praying for you,
please offer your pain on their behalf." Yes, we are, as Saint Paul writes,
"…one Body, when one part suffers, the whole body shares in it's pain…"
While we are spiritually united to Father, we benefit from
his prayers. Perhaps you have noticed a special grace or blessing in your life
as you have been daily praying for Father Benedict. God knows, and one day we
will all know, how this thing called "life" fits together and makes sense.
Why some suffer and how pain snaps into the puzzle of God's
plan is indeed a mystery; however, we do know that the cross is the key.
Yes, a cross-shaped key that slips into our deepest wound and opens the mind,
not to answers, but to peace, indeed joy, for the soul.
"We are blessed", Father said today, not because of pain,
but because we have the opportunity to share in some small way in the Passion
of Christ.
Today, Fr. B spent much of the day sleeping, but in the latter
afternoon was placed in his chair. The doctors are still weaning him off the
respirator and it is hoped that he will soon be off for good - perhaps some
time next week!
While Father rests, the friars are out and about praying with
family members of patients. Of course, not one Southern Baptist or agnostic
has refused the friars' offer to bless their loved one with the relic of Blessed
Mother Teresa or say a "Hail Mary". The reception of the Catholic faith has
been "extraordinary", Brother Daniel tells me. When Father Juniper told Father,
"I know you want to go home; be patient, you're here for a reason", Father nodded;
he knew.
Our Mount 2000 retreat is going well. How I wish you could
see over fifteen hundred young people kneeling on a gym floor with the Blessed
Sacrament elevated amidst candles in the center! Confessions are continuous.
As the papers continue to predict the demise of the Church, She not only is
unsinkable, She powerfully presses forward. "Where sin abounds", Saint Paul
writes, "grace abounds all the more." You are right, dear Father, we are
all very blessed.
Tonight, the young men from the Grassroots Renewal team worked
hard to offer you and Father Benedict a Saint Valentine's Day gift in this new
video clip. Once again, I hope you and Fr. Benedict enjoy these e-mails.
Until tomorrow, if God wills. God bless you!
Fr. Glenn Sudano, C.F.R.
Community Servant (superior)
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
______________________________________________________________________________________
Dear Fr. Benny, Are you still trying to breathe on your own?
I hope you are feeling fine. Happy St. Valentines day! :) I am Maria, I am 5
years old. I am in Kindergarten. We are praying for you to breathe without the
machine. ;0 Mom says we will pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy for you tonight.
That will be 9 people praying for you. Patrick doesn't pray very well he only
does the Amen part. He folds his hands, he is not 1 yet. - Maria, Columbia
Heights, Minnisota
Dearest Father, Just wanted to say, that I am offering my meager
little trials for your recovery. All of you are the best. What a wonderful Lord
we have, for the gift of all the CFR's. - Janet, Jamaica, New York
I'm an ardent listener to your popular programm"Hope in the
Lord,I sincerely pray that Jesus and Mary grant you quick recovery.Your message
which I listen always through the EWTN radio has really brought me a great change
in my life. May Mary Health of the Sick restore your health soonest. - Ede,
Cameroon
Dearest Fr. Benedict, It is so gratifying to hear how well
you're doing. The Nuns, Rev. Mother Angelica, and all at the Shrine are still
praying for you and hope very soon you'll be able to go to your Monastery. You're
a wonderful witness for all of us and know Our Lady is always at your side.
Jesus has so much more for you to do in converting His flock. We at the Shrine
love you so very much. Get well soon! God bless you Fr. Benedict! - Eugenie,
Hanceville, Alabama
Dear Father Benedict, As you enter more deeply into the mysteries
of God's Love for us, I would like you to know that you are not alone and forgotten,
as physical pain and loss from the accident would have you to believe. Look
around to the souls that you are coming in contact with, that you would never
have known without God's mercy. Can you see a plan in this for you? Maybe you
can not see where God is going with this part of your life...but I bet the souls
around you can see your presence as a part of God's plan for them. Sometimes
our loss is God's gain...but in the end the faithful servant is justly rewarded.
May the many blessings you have been to us through EWTN, you books and many
conferences returned to you a hundred fold. God bless you always Fr. Benedict.
Remembering you in my prayers. - Mary , Owensboro, Kentuckey
Sto lat, sto lat, niech zyje, zyje wam. Sto lat, sto lat,
niech zyje zyje wam. Jescie raz, jescie raz, niech zyje zyje wam. NIECH ZYJE
WAM! Translated from Polish into English: May you live 100 years! This world
needs yYOU, Father Benedit! May the good Lord continue to use you as his instrument
to us in proclaiming the Gospel and being a true witness to our beautiful Catholic
faith. You are loved by all whose lives you have touched! - Barbara, Center
Valley, Pennsylvania
Dear Fr. Benedict, Doesn't it even amaze you how many lives
you have touched? We love you and you don't even know us.(Reminds me how God
loves us when we aren't even aware of Him.) Last night the sixth, seventh and
eighth graders of our Religious Education classes all prayed for your speedy
recovery. - Alice, Kissimmee, Florida
I'm a Protestant. I've learned alot from you over the past
2 years. I was deeply, saddened to hear of your misfortune. I've been praying
for you ever since. May the Lord bless and keep you. - Tony, Winchester,
Kentucky
Dear Fr. Benedict, Continued prayers for your recovery. Be
assured of a daily remembrance before the Lord. Both with your words and in
your silence, you continue to draw us closer to Him, who alone brings us peace.
- Fr. Albin , Vatican City
Send
your greetings to Fr. Benedict
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