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“…hearing the divine word, and reading Sacred Scripture, especially the New Testament, as far as possible daily liturgical celebration and participation in the sacrifice of the Mass, regular celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, celebration of the liturgical hours in union with the whole Dominican Family, as well as private prayer such as meditation and the Rosary…”
~ Rule, §1
Please pray for my Dad, Harold Graves, who is in the final stages of emphysema. He has a relationship with God but has abandoned the Church. My mother recently asked me to deliver his eulogy but it will be at an American Legion post rather than a chapel
God answered your prayers, thanks be to God! The text belows comes from an email I sent to our Dominican friends and family on Saturday, October 16.
As you may recall, I’ve asked you to pray for my father, Harold Graves, who is in the terminal stages of emphysema. My Dad is a believer but has been away from the Church for some time and has been downright anti-clerical But he He was an old fashioned, hard-living man with a will of iron and a moral code to match. His presentation and analysis of current events and social policy is sometimes crude but I’ve often told him that that the Bishops would find nothing substantive with which they would argue.
I’ve been praying for him and asked God to give me – or someone – the words to help him reconcile with the Church – or at least make his personal peace with the Lord. Most of the all, I’ve trusted in the Mercy of Jesus to save him.
This morning I received a call from one of my brothers who told me that this morning my Dad asked my Mom for a rosary. She gave him one and he began crying, saying it looked just like the one his mother used for prayer. He then asked that a priest visit with him.
I’m almost weeping with gratitude for this answered prayer. It was more than I expected and all that I hoped for. I don’t think it coincidental that about nine days ago today our dear sister Therese Errigo arranged, with the friars,a novena of masses for my Dad. And I know that many of you have been praying for him as well.
If you don’t mind, please petition our God that my father may make a good confession when he meets with the priest today. His mind comes and goes and it is possible that by the time the priest arrives, my father may not remember that he asked for him.
But even if this happens, I’m confident that God will know his intentions and welcome him to heaven when the time comes.
Please, if you have a moment, offer up a brief prayer of praise and thanksgiving for this answered prayer, and for the many gifts he has given us all.
With sincere gratitude for you all.
______________________
I later spoke with my Mother who said the priest’s visit went well. My father made his confession – the first in 50 years, I think – and the priest told my Mom he was leaving her with “a good Christian man”.
It is true. We rejoice especially when the Shepard embraces his lost sheep.
Thank you everyone for your prayers.
Please pray for the headmaster of a Catholic school who had emergency brain surgery. Also please pray for a young woman who doesn’t want to have an abortion but family and boyfriend are trying to force her to have one, she had previously had one and is still emotionally hurting from that.