A (miraculous?) story and a question

Well start with one blessed medal. He only needs one. I would also ask if he would like to see a priest. He can only say no. If he could make a good confession before he dies, that would be more than a rope but a hawser! If he was baptised Catholic it should be possible for him to receive the sacraments. My own father didn’t live a strong Catholic life and was lukewarm in practice but at the end of his life he had been to confession and was anointed. The nurse who helped us is a devout Polish lady and said she’d been at many deathbeds and my Dad’s was so peaceful. Thanks be to God, I prayed for him for years. She prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet in the downstairs toilet in order not to offend but I told her to go for it anywhere in the house. The chaplet is powerful for the dying, maybe your Dad would be ok with your saying it beside him.

Does he have a rosary?

 

I often listen to Bishop Sheen…. I thought this particular talk is apropos to what a few others mentioned. We are in the situation now because our society is no longer Christian. And if I’m honest with myself, I need to ask myself how I’m contributing to this situation. A Christian must lovingly accept his/her Cross. I don’t do that all the time. Thank God it’s almost Holy Week and I pray that this week I see and accept my cross and become a Christian man in every sense of that word. Courage!

 

I have to admit that I have been afraid of what his reaction would be if I asked him if he would like a visit from a priest. Part of his issue with the Church stems from a very unpleasant encounter with a priest nearly 40 years ago. I wish he would understand that you cannot colour everyone with the same brush.

He does not have a rosary but I have about two dozen, all blessed! I will take one to leave in his room the next time I go visit him. Thank you for the reminder!

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a perfect idea. I will start praying it so that if the moment comes when I ask if he would like a priest (or if he goes downhill quickly and I make the choice for him), that he be open to it and not reject Christ outright.

 

Thank you, Heidi! I never thought I would see any sort of positive sign when it came to my dad and the faith. I was certain that he would go to his grave with so much hate in his heart, and that all I would be able to do would be to pray countless rosaries and have Masses said for him until the day I died. I will still follow that plan because while I am eternally grateful that I have been able to witness a softening of his heart, he has lived in serious mortal sin for so long and was always so obstinate (not like I'm any better, really, but he has carried the hate much longer than I have). Because of that, I do anticipate the enemy trying to thwart our efforts for my dad, especially as he nears his last moments, so I will continue to pray as though none of these graces have happened because I feel we will all need strength to help guide him into the arms of Our Lord, and he--like all of us--will need strength to give his fiat when he is before the throne of God. I am praying for your father, too! May all of us who reject(ed) God surrender to His love.

 

Thank you, Mario! What a beautiful prayer! I never considered asking my guardian angel to help him, as well. I will tell my mother to pray to hers, too.

 

The church is like a hospital; if an employee treats you badly, you don't disqualify the entire medical team because of that. However, I understand that approaching someone with some type of traumatic experience or any type of dislike towards members of the church ends up being like "walking on eggshells." So perhaps it would be good to talk about the parable of the wheat and tares that has served any Christian church throughout history. Christ rebuked the Pharisees of his time, yet recognized that they sat in Moses' chair.

 

Brilliant quote.
Wonderful post.

 

Thank you so much for the prayers for my Dad. He was slapped by a minister when he was a kid, and also lost friends to a cult, so he has a very negative view of Christianity.

 

I can't help but think of the quote from Shakespeare " O the evil that men do. The evil that men daily do. The evil that men do not knowing what they do."

 

Sounds close to heaven to me, AED

 

Oh no. I can relate. When I was nine I went to confession. The Priest was a big burly loud man. I told him I missed Mass a lot. He yelled really loud at me and scared me to pieces. He didn’t know we lived twenty miles from town in upstate NY with brutal winters. And my dad was an alcoholic and my mom didn’t drive. I was so terrified I couldn’t speak. And I am still afraid of confession.