The 34th Miner
Like the rest of the world, I watched with anticipation the 33 Chilean miners emerge from deep underground after 69 days of being trapped. As they arrived above ground, they each thanked God before being embraced by their families. Jimmy Sanchez later told the press that there were in fact 34 miners. Only 33 required rescuing, since the 34th was God. "We were never alone. God was with us every day."
When I was 15, I almost lost my faith. I had a boyfriend who threw tough questions at me about what I believed as a person and as a Catholic that I couldn't answer. Up until that time, what I believed about God, was a matter of pure faith to me, I just believed. Still, he had legitimate 'concerns' about my beliefs that I now wanted answers to myself.
Enter Fr. Maurice McNeely. He was (and is) a friend of the family that welcomed my questions almost excitedly. I asked why Catholics worship statues. I was sure I didn't, but as my boyfriend pointed out-we kneel at their feet, and pray. Fr. Mac was a chaplain in Vietnam. He said that every soldier had one thing in common. They each had a photo of someone they loved in their helmet. At night, the photo would come out and be talked to, admired, even kissed. The soldiers were not worshipping the photo, rather, it was a reminder of someone back home. The photo kept them close to the ones they loved, and got them through.
Fr. Mac answered all of my questions with the same beautifully simple answers, and encouraged me to keep asking. The church he answered these questions in was the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. This is the church in which Brother Damien de Vuester was ordained Fr. Damien. A missionary to Hawaii from Belgium, he volunteered to minister to the Lepers of Kalaupapa on Molokai. After 16 years of serving this community, he contracted the disease and died.
In 2009 he was canonized St. Damien after two miracles were attributed to him. One was a dying French nun who was cured around the turn of the century, and another a woman from our parish in Hawaii who was diagnosed with incurable cancer (liposarcoma) that had spread to her lungs. At Fr. Mac's encouraging, she prayed to Fr. Damien to intercede on her behalf. She did and is cured, alive and well!
When my husband had cancer in 2008, Fr. Mac suggested I do the same. I did, John survived his stage 3.6 head and neck cancer with St. Damien's intercessions. Last week I prayed that St Damien be with my oldest friend's mother as she awaited suspicious scan results on her lungs. She is clear of cancer!
The saints are a way to God, a mortal person who did extraordinary works on earth that has God's ear. Connecting with St. Damien gives me hope and faith that all will be well with me as it was with the miners.
I still question things I don't understand about my faith, and even disagree with the church on a few things. But I would not want to go to battle without St Damien in my helmet, down a mine shaft without the faith that I am not alone, or fight cancer with only medicine. I know that for sure.
About St. Damien: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Damien
Fr. Mac's Book, Catholicism Without The Guilt: http://www.amazon.com/Catholicism-without-Father-Maurice-McNeely/dp/1598007645
When I was 15, I almost lost my faith. I had a boyfriend who threw tough questions at me about what I believed as a person and as a Catholic that I couldn't answer. Up until that time, what I believed about God, was a matter of pure faith to me, I just believed. Still, he had legitimate 'concerns' about my beliefs that I now wanted answers to myself.
Enter Fr. Maurice McNeely. He was (and is) a friend of the family that welcomed my questions almost excitedly. I asked why Catholics worship statues. I was sure I didn't, but as my boyfriend pointed out-we kneel at their feet, and pray. Fr. Mac was a chaplain in Vietnam. He said that every soldier had one thing in common. They each had a photo of someone they loved in their helmet. At night, the photo would come out and be talked to, admired, even kissed. The soldiers were not worshipping the photo, rather, it was a reminder of someone back home. The photo kept them close to the ones they loved, and got them through.
Fr. Mac answered all of my questions with the same beautifully simple answers, and encouraged me to keep asking. The church he answered these questions in was the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. This is the church in which Brother Damien de Vuester was ordained Fr. Damien. A missionary to Hawaii from Belgium, he volunteered to minister to the Lepers of Kalaupapa on Molokai. After 16 years of serving this community, he contracted the disease and died.
In 2009 he was canonized St. Damien after two miracles were attributed to him. One was a dying French nun who was cured around the turn of the century, and another a woman from our parish in Hawaii who was diagnosed with incurable cancer (liposarcoma) that had spread to her lungs. At Fr. Mac's encouraging, she prayed to Fr. Damien to intercede on her behalf. She did and is cured, alive and well!
When my husband had cancer in 2008, Fr. Mac suggested I do the same. I did, John survived his stage 3.6 head and neck cancer with St. Damien's intercessions. Last week I prayed that St Damien be with my oldest friend's mother as she awaited suspicious scan results on her lungs. She is clear of cancer!
The saints are a way to God, a mortal person who did extraordinary works on earth that has God's ear. Connecting with St. Damien gives me hope and faith that all will be well with me as it was with the miners.
I still question things I don't understand about my faith, and even disagree with the church on a few things. But I would not want to go to battle without St Damien in my helmet, down a mine shaft without the faith that I am not alone, or fight cancer with only medicine. I know that for sure.
About St. Damien: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Damien
Fr. Mac's Book, Catholicism Without The Guilt: http://www.amazon.com/Catholicism-without-Father-Maurice-McNeely/dp/1598007645
Ann u have become my strength....how is that possible? The warmth of your words have become quite soothing for me....and YOU are battling cancer.......glad we are back in tough all these years......God bless you and your wonderful family :) And for your words
ReplyDeleteHope #1 was ok.....now for 2 and you just go girl! (Did i pull off the "go girl"...sigh maybe not but you know what i mean....How about U go God! ) ALOHA!
I will add my prayers to St. Damien for you also. God Bless you Ann and we are all praying for you! Love Cosha
ReplyDeleteAnn Graham, I have always been in awe of you . . . now even more than ever. I love you, J
ReplyDeleteDear Ann, wow, how remarkable you truely are.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your messages. I sure look forward to them. I too will certainly direct my prayer to St. Damien, as well as St. Jude - who is one of my favorite saints. God love ya, as Father Pete would say........and I know He does.
Thank you SO MUCH for the prayers!
ReplyDelete@Joanna- you are with me every day. I am drinking so much water (7 water bottles a day) just because of you. Even when they send me home with a backpack IV, I am still drinking water.
@Cosha- thank you for your prayers and constant encouragement, I need it!
@ Anonymous (aka my husband), right back at you! I know God loves me because He gave me you.
@ Ms. Mary Ann - thanks for praying. My MIL prayed a quick and effective prayer to St Jude last Friday that my counts would go up so I could go home, it worked.
Hi Ann, my name is Dave. I'm a friend and colleague of your sister Katie. I think very highly of her, and always enjoy spending time talking with her. I was talking to Katie today, and she told about your situation. I wanted to send you a brief note to introduce myself and offer my support. In 2008, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. It's been a very eventful journey so far. But thanks to wonderful family and friends, like Katie, I've been beating the odds. I look forward to following your blog and offering whatever support I can.
ReplyDelete@David - Thank you! Katie is an absolute rock (and rock star) for me too. Congrats on beating the odds thus far -knock on wood! As my doctors have said, and my husband reminds me, the odds do not apply to you. This is your battle to fight and win. Thanks for your support, and right back at you! Best Wishes for strength and miracles. A
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I picked Damien as my saint, he sure has helped us a lot in the last few years :-D. He's my boy. I love reading your writing, I think you are the coolest. Miss you, Love you, and we will see you soon!
ReplyDelete