Father Groeschel speaks last October during EWTN's Family Celebration at Northern Illinois University. (CNS)
Posted on 03/31/2009 5:48:13 AM PDT by NYer
Father Benedict Groeschel, whose whole life has been spent preaching the Gospel, suffered a minor stroke in mid-March, leaving him with some speech difficulties.
Father Benedict made the news public on his regular Sunday evening talk show March 29 on the Eternal Word Television Network, “Sunday Night Life with Father Benedict Groeschel.”
Appearing before a life audience, the 75-year-old Franciscan Friar of the Renewal noted that he had missed the show the previous Sunday because he had suffered a stroke overnight March 20-21. Another member of his community, Father Andrew Apostoli, also well-known to EWTN viewers, substituted for him.
Father Benedict’s speech was obviously impaired as he revealed the news, and he misspoke Father Andrew’s name as Father Augustine.
He also confused a recent story in the news when he said that the University of Notre Dame was receiving an award from President Obama.
But Father Benedict said that his speech difficulties improve as he continues to talk, and, in fact, by the time the one-hour program was over, he was speaking much more normally. He even poked fun at himself for getting Father Andrew’s name wrong: “I’ll never live that down.”
His guest on the program was author Immaculée Ilibagiza, whose book “Left to Tell” described her experience during the mid-1990s tribal conflict in Rwanda that left 800,000 people dead. Although the subject of the interview was her new book, “Our Lady of Kibeho,” and the Vatican’s approval of the apparition, Father Benedict and callers to the program also discussed Ilibagiza’s survival of the atrocities in Rwanda and the role her faith played in it.
As if to drive home the need for faith and hope during such times, Father Benedict near the end of the program repeated the news that he had suffered a stroke. He said he decided to go ahead with his program so that viewers who may be suffering in some way won’t give up.
Father Groeschel also announced that he was beginning a new series on the network.
I believe some of this is due to his background as a psychologist. He knows and understands people by faith and spirituality as well as by reason and nature.
As you probably also know, and have heard him discuss, he was educated in a very aggressively secular environment.
His experiences makes him most unique ~ like a rare gem.
Get a grip.
Explain.
This is a reverential thread. I’m not going to disrespect those posting here with dear hearts by arguing with someone who hates religion.
That is a complete misread on your part (but not by others in the thread).
You are accepting the derogatory Leftist definitions of terms like dogma, judgmentalism and rigidity.
I was using them in the proper, complimentary way to characterize the blessings of the essentially unchanging Catholic belief and Faith.
I love Fr. Groeschel!!
I had the honor of hearing him speak and meeting him when he was in Louisville, KY just several weeks ago....he autographed my book and gave me a blessing.
Prayers going up!!!!!
How blessed you are to have met and received his blessing. He’s a veritable trooper and will continue to work the vineyard until the end.
Prayers lifted for him.
Prayer bump
EyeGuy’s post shows that he admires Fr. Groeschel to the utmost, and therefore, is not a hater of religion.
It really distresses me to see someone jumped on like that.
God bless Fr. Benedict!
“EyeGuy’s post shows that he admires Fr. Groeschel to the utmost, and therefore, is not a hater of religion.”
#####
Indeed I do. Both the good Father, and my Catholic faith as well.
I appreciate your post very much. Thank you.
That’s not the way I interpreted his post.
Godspeed, Fr. Groeschel.
If that’s the way you meant it, then please accept my humble apologies.
It really didn’t seem that way to me.
No apology necessary whatsoever.
Miscommunication of meaning and nuance are commonplace in a text-only medium like the internet.
Father Groeschel looked good on EWTN last night. He was discussing Lenten issues, so I assumed it was a current appearance, but on further consideration, it may have been a replay from previous years.
Excellent point. I rarely jump on people who don't deserve it. In any case thanks for being gracious.
That's been my experience with virtually every ascetic I've ever met.
In my prayers.
He is one of the best speakers on EWTN
Prayers!
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