Update on Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Today I was able to spend some time at Fr. Benedict's bedside. Thank God, he is even looking better. He has good color and the swelling of the body has decreased. He is still highly sedated, so he is a "sleep state" and is slightly aided in his breathing with a respirator. His right arm is suspended due to the operation he received last evening. He has a few metal pins or rods sticking out of his bandaged arm. As I mentioned in the last entry, his surgeon is well known and almost revered in the medical community due to his expertise. Providentially Fr. Benedict is receiving extraordinary care. The doctors and nurses have been kind, cooperative, and very respectful. They now know who their patient is; in fact, I am hoping to send some of Father's tapes to them. Not, of course, so they would be giving any better care, but as an opportunity for evangelization!

Tomorrow is a very important day. May I ask each of you to pray for Father during the day? Other procedures will be attempted, depending, of course, how he is doing. The first, I believe, will be to set the broken bones in the right leg. Secondly, to implant small micro filters in special places to prevent a blood clot traveling to either his lungs, heart, or brain. Like many heart patients, Fr. Benedict was taking a blood thinner. This is why there was a large loss of blood from the head after the accident. Since the blood was not congealing, it was literally pouring out. Now that the blood thinner is out of his system, blood clots are more probable than possible. So, small screens will hopefully block any clot from traveling into an area which would have dire consequences. Both operations might take place at once and even done in the surgical intensive care unit. These plans can, of course, change at a moments notice. There are so many variables. Please pray for the doctors, nurses, and other assistants. I promised them you would.

So, tomorrow we are calling for all the friends of Fr. Benedict throughout the States and the world to offer him a helping hand. We are all in this together and our job is to support him. Friends don't walk away from us - they walk with us. So, our "helping hand" has five "fingers".

1. If you are a Catholic, attend Mass and receive the holy sacrament. If you cannot attend Mass, spend time reading the Holy Bible.

2. Pray a rosary, with others if possible, or at least a chaplet of the Divine Mercy.

3. Make a good confession. If you cannot go immediately, resolve to go as soon as you can.

4. Be reconciled with your spouse, neighbor, or co worker. If, "Forgive me" and/or "I was wrong" need not be said, try "I love you."

I know Fr. Benedict would be pleased with this request. The weight of his cross will be lessened as thousands reach out and bear it a bit off his shoulders. When I told Fr. Benedict I would making this request of you, he eyes remain closed and his body still, yet I know - I KNOW - nothing would bring peace and joy to his heart knowing you would do this. So, offer him a hand - for his good and God's glory.

Fr. Conrad and Br. Sharbel will be at Fr. Benedict's side this week - speaking, praying, and touching him. They will represent both of us who cannot be at his side. A friend who has been spending some weeks with the Missionaries of Charity in India called this morning and told me he will be flying into Florida tomorrow with a special gift from Sister Nirmerla, the head of the Missionaries of Charity - a relic of Mother Teresa which the friars will immediately bring to Fr. Benedict's bedside. Together with Cardinal Cooke, the former Archbishop of New York, we are asking Blessed Mother Teresa for her intercession. He was dear friends of both - "Birds of a feather", as the saying goes!

Finally, we hope to offer you an opportunity to leave a brief greeting and message for Father. Please refrain from sending anything at this point. Hopefully, in a day or two, you can have an opportunity to say a little something via E-Mail. But now, let's stop wringing our hands and hold them out - in prayer, in reconciliation, in service - our friend is painfully yet patiently waiting.

Tomorrow is a very important day. May I ask each of you to pray for Father during the day?

That would be today - Friday -- January 16, 2004

Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the Virgin Mother by the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, united substantially with the word of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Divinity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, saturated with revilings, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, crushed for our iniquities, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, made obedient unto death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord,
Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart.
R. Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, in Thy great goodness, grant pardon to them who seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, world without end.

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