My father was a Catholic Deacon here in Spokane, and passed away in May from cancer. I didn’t realise when I left hospice that day to get a little sleep after walking him to the bathroom that he was going to die in less than 8 hours… I didn’t think people who were about to die could get out of bed, and walk to the bathroom. For some reason I left my phone off, and missed the 47 messages that he was deteriorating rapidly. I knew he passed when I woke up, and saw the number of messages, and missed calls. While I was sleeping, and my dad was in his final agony which lasted about 6 hours, (Prior to that he was refusing pain meds because he said, “now isn’t the time for pain pills, it’s the time to suffer” the last five hours he was writhing, and they were squirting morphine on his mouth, but he was no longer able to speak… To me his pain med refusal was an indication of how united to the Crucified Christ he was.) He never told the doctor he was in pain even though he had numerous bone, lung, and brain tumors. The doctor said she was amazed that he wasn’t in pain, but after I heard what he said about it being the time to suffer, I think what he was going through he kept between he, and God. Bishop Cupich came into his hospice room, and prayed with him for his last several hours, and at one point he turned to sister Mary Eucharista, and said, “He’s ready, he can go now, I have to leave, but I will continue to pray so please call me, and let me know when he passes.” My father died about 30 minutes after Bishop Cupich left. I am so greatful for that act of kindness towards my father on the Bishops part.
He died 7 weeks after his diagnosis, and was supposed to have six months to live. About 5 days before he died he had a doctors appointment, and the doctor said she wanted to speak to my father alone to evaluate his condition so my sister who was his primary care giver left the room. She asked him how many children he had. He said 3, (there’s 8), and asked if he could name them. He said, “Paco Kathy, and Katie, and that’s Katie standing right there.” When the doctor was finished she asked my sister who Katie was. She said, “She’s my daughter who passed away in 1987.” My sister also said the day before he went into hospice she observed him looking back, and forth over a horizon only he could see. He said to her, “This is the most amazing experience a human can have, and I can’t wait for you to have it… The Arc Angel is here now… can you see Him?” He let her in on all the really good stuff. The day after he died she said to me… “Kevin, Jesus, and heaven are real… I had no idea, will you please help me with my annulment. I have to Marry my husband sacramentally?” She has been saying a Rosary everyday since. His favorite prayer was the novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. After he told me about it, and I finished it. I told him that I had finished it. He said, What do you mean you finished it? This isn’t one you finish… You pray it everyday for the rest of your life." I really miss him, but thought after I read about Bishop Cupich becoming Arch Bishop, I would share his extrordinary act of kindness towards my dying father… Deacon Jack. I watched my father go from a very angry drunk when I was a child to becoming a saint during his 40 years as a deacon. His serious transformation happened after consecrating himself to our Blessed Mother about a year before he died.
