Posted on 05/21/2002 6:08:15 PM PDT by Siobhan
Dear Catholic FReepers, I want to thank all of you for your prayers for my father (known here as history_matters). I want to ask more prayers from you because this afternoon he was taken back into ICU having suffered a TIA (transient ischemic attack) which is like a mini-stroke.
Yesterday was a rough day for Da largely because of a dream he had. I have his permission to print this dream here. I feel it is more than just a dream.
He was standing above the earth beside the Little Flower. She pointed to the USA and a number of cities lighted up; she said, "I have been here working". Then she began throwing roses down to the US as if she were trying to cover the nation. The roses landed in only a few places and all of the rest were blown from the Northeast across the nation until the roses were scattered in the Pacific Ocean . My father said he began to weep in his dream and his tears fell on the United States. St. Therese smiled at him and threw more roses, and where my father's tears struck the country there the rose from heaven seemed to take root. But again all of the other roses from St. Therese were blown from Los Angeles across the nation and into the Atlantic Ocean. My father and my sister Bernadette believe the dream means that the Little Flower like all of the saints longs to pour out roses (blessings) from heaven, but they can only find a place where there are tears of repentance.
Last night my father told my youngest brother that he had had another disturbing dream. Mother Seton was standing on a map of the US with a broom in her hand. There was a great pile of dirt where Baltimore and Washington, D.C. should have been. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton looked at my father and said, "We could use your shovel you know." And Mother Seton began sweeping filth off of the map and my father shoveled some of the filth off of the map. That dream ended.
My father was quite distressed about the dreams but believes we are being called to labor with the saints to clean up and save our Church whether it is prayers of tears or labor with our hands.
Da had the TIA about 3 pm this afternoon. He is now lucid and seems to have no serious residual symptoms from the TIA today. Nonetheless, I sincerely ask for your prayers for him. And I thank you with all my heart on behalf of my family.
Siobhan
If your dad has cable in his hospital room, please have him watch a new program from Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN. It is entitled The Grassroots Project ... Part 1 aired at 10pm last night; part 2 is slotted for 5/23 and part 3 on 5/24 at 10pm. In Part 1, Fr. Groeschel addresses the problems with the church and corroborates what we have been reading from so many other sources. He clearly shows how the acceptance of homosexuals into clerical life, has brought about this crisis.
Here is the background information:
The Grassroots Renewal Project is a lay operated evangelical effort initiated and directed by the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. This work represents a sincere attempt to respond to Pope John paul II's call for a " New Evangelization"while fostering renewal and reform in the Catholic Church according to the authentic spirit of the Second Vatican Council.
Throughout Church history, the on-going work of spiritual renewal and social reform has often been faithfully and succesfully carried out through the lives of devout and commited members of the Catholic laity.Yet today we witness even greater manifestations of the Holy Spirit in an almost innumerable array of lay-run organizations and activities. some of these are directed towards youth ministry, pro-life work, or care of the poor. Others offer spiritual growth through prayer meetings,the necessary task of apologetics and evangelization has also been spearheaded by dedicated laity.
The Grassroots Renewal Project has been created in order to instruct, inspire, and motivate catholic laity to know and understand the truth, power and beauty of the Faith. At the same time, it desires to challenge them to accept their responsibility of sharing the saving work of Jesus Christ and His Church with others.By virtue of the sacrament of Holy Baptism, the lay faithful share in the Churches on-going work of salvation in the world. It is Our Divine Savior Himself Who not only calls, but sends, thereby revealing the missionary vocation of every Christian.It is the hope of the Grassroots Renewal Project that many commited laity, supported by clergy and religous,desires of reform and renewal in the Church, might participate in this new cooperative effort of evangelization.By sharing the word of God with those who are closest to us, we do our part in the Church, and to usher in the "springtime of faith" so often spoken by the Holy Father.
Fr. Groeschel has set up a web site and dedicated this project to St. Francis of Assist and Our Lady of Guadeloupe. CLICK HERE
You're all in my prayers.
Psalm 85 (86) (A poor man's prayer in time of trouble) Turn your ear to me, Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and destitute. Keep my life safe, for I am faithful; O God, save your servant, who trusts in you. Take pity upon me, O Lord, for I call to you all the day long. Make your servant’s heart glad, for to you, O Lord, I have raised it. For you, Lord, are gentle and mild: you are kind to all those who call on you ...." That is how Univeralis translates today's reading.
Compare to the Douay; Inclina Domine (A prayer for God's grace to assist us to the end) Incline they ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor. Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to thee all the day. Give joy to the soul of they servant; for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul. For Thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee..
Prayer to St. Therese:
O Lord, who hast said: "Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven;" grant us, we beseech Thee, so to walk in the footsteps of thy blessed Virgin Therese with a humble and single heart, that we may attain to everlasting rewards: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
This morning my father has the sweetest smile on his face. He tells me to tell all of you that he is at peace with what the Lord is doing with our Church, and he knows the Lord has accepted the offering of his suffering for the Holy Father and for our Holy Church -- although still in ICU when my sister and I went in to see him first thing this morning, there was a rose resting on top of his chest. I began crying like a baby just seeing it, and at my sister's urging pulled myself together as Da woke up to look at us and smile so sweetly. He said a sister "in a real habit" brought it to him. We don't know any other details about this rose and this sister, but we do know father is at peace and very happy for his visit with the sister. We know this is God's gift to him and to all of us.
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