My dear brothers and sisters,
Thank you for your prayerful support. Church Militant has been keeping me abreast of things here on the forum. He’s my contact person, as he is also one of my best friends. I’m tempted to say as Mary did, “Do whatever he tells you;” but I won’t go that far.
I’m home resting. My health is slowly improving. I’m very tired these days. At times, it’s hard to keep my head up for more than two or three minutes. However, I have no complaints. The brothers are very good to me. There’s always at least one of them around should I need anything.
To put it briefly, my body is slowly shutting down. Nonetheless, we continue to do what we can for the Immaculate. With her at our side all things are possible.
Please keep the Franciscan Brothers of Life, our Project Joseph and this brother in your prayers. There is much to for which we have to thank God and there are some challenges ahead. We have more men coming to discern a vocation. However, I have no place to put them. We may have find another house. On the flip side, someone has offered us a house. I have been unable to check it out, because I’m grounded. This is good problem. Our Project Joseph, which is our education and outreach program to dads in crisis pregnancies is growing. There too is a challenge. I need more lay volunteers or more brothers. We now cover an area that’s about 300 sq miles, another good reason for another house.
We had a beautiful celebration for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, as he is the patron of our Project Joseph. One of our brothers knows how to celebrate the EF. I ask him to celebrate it for us on special occasions. This was one of them. Shhhh, don’t let on that I’ve noticed that Brother doesn’t do cartwheels when I ask him to celebrate the EF. It’s what I call “a loving obedience.” This kind of obedience has huge merit. It’s obeying because you want to obey, not because you’re too excited about what’s being asked or because you have no other choice. I have authority to command a brother-priest to celebrate an EF. He does it because he knows that I like the form. But they (the brothers) put extra special effort into the music for St. Joseph. I took great consolation in it.
I don’t know how long it will be before I’m back here full-time. Please don’t forget me. Pray for me. I need your prayers. When you don’t feel well, it’s too easy to get comfortable in self-pity and to become lazy in prayer. “I’m tired. I’ll pray later,” can become a frequent excuse. That’s not good. We must always pray. When we can no longer pray with our mouths, then we pray with our minds. If that becomes challenging, then with our bodies. Our little aches and pains, when accepted out love and offered to the Father with love, can become great prayers.
Pray that I may not be afraid. I’m a coward. I hate pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and weakness. One would think that someone like me would welcome it. I could probably get some credit for Purgatory. That’s not the case. I fear pain and I always pray that God will take away the fear. My good friend and brother, Friar David, O’Carm is praying for me. I remember him daily. I ask him to pray for me. He’s very close to Our Lady. After all, he was a Carmelite. So we have a deal. I pray for his prompt release from Purgatory and he prays for that I may do the Lord’s will.
I’m very tired now. This turned out to be longer than I expected. But I pray for all of you, your families and your intentions. In a very special way, I pray for your children and grandchildren. Our children need our prayers. God bless you.
