Wednesday, January 30, 2008

PRAY FOR FR. ED!



Here is a letter from a dying priest, and is originally posted by John Michael over at "St. Robert Bellarmine: Contraversies and Secrets..." Thank you, John Michael!

Let us pray that God will embrace Fr. Ed with God's loving arms, forgive all his sins, and bring him home to where everlasting life awaits him. God be praised!




From Fr. Ed --


Here's an update on my health status.


A week ago Friday I met with my oncologist, Judy and some family members and prayerfully discerned to stop treatment. It wasn't very hard to make based on the options that I have. Anything aggressive is a long shot and some of it involves surgery with a high risk of infection with my weak body. Praying about the decision came through loud and clear to stop treatment.




I am at peace with that.



We even talked about hospice care at the appropriate time. Some tears were shed and it was nice to have family members there to share it together. Last week I visited my homeopathic doctor and he informed me that a body flooded with biliruben and a weakening liver can die in a matter of weeks but that it is a peaceful, pretty well painless way to die. That was a shock to hear that the illness could break the body totally down so rapidly.


All I can say is that for the past three and a half weeks my energy, appetite, general overall feeling has been constant--no regression and no progress. I would guess that without a miracle we’re talking about months rather than weeks. I began hospice care this week and that comes with some good benefits of paying for all of my prescriptions and reimburses me for ointments that help with the itching. I also get a massage each week.


I'm saying that on the scale of balance of going home soon or remaining here to continue ministry for a while, all of the facts tip the scale on the side of going home sooner rather than later. On the other side is the power of prayer which cannot be measured. I continue to ask Luminosa Bavosi to intercede for me and I feel her presence a lot.



As I say, I am at peace. Each day I have my bags packed for going home (heaven) and my brief case packed for doing the ministry of the day. I can’t think of anything more to put in the bag to go home. My brief case has about two appointments a day and a big reminder that . . .




LIVING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT AND
EMBRACING JESUS FORSAKEN
IS THE GREATEST MINISTRY THAT I CAN DO.



Thanks for your unity and prayers, and love. I lean on them a lot.


Fr. Ed


P.S. Thanks for your prayers of intercession with Our Lady of Guadalupe and the praying of the Psalms.




5 comments:

John Michael said...

Thank you for your prayers!

What a big heart you have.

God bless!

Anonymous said...

I will also pray for Fr. Ed

Easter Almuena said...

John Michael and Ed,

You two are just what the world needs! You, dads, are strong in your faith that is why you are such good prayer warriors for our priests!

God bless you both abundantly!

EC Gefroh said...

Amen Easter! I am also praying. BTW, did you post this on the OCB blog?

Easter Almuena said...

Thank you Esther! What is OCB blog? I think I have much to learn. :-)