Prayer Requests

Praying Hands with Beads
Praying Hands with Rosary Beads and Dove

On this page, readers are invited to send in their prayer requests. I will leave requests up for nine days. All readers are invited to pray for those who ask for it and any who want to offer a word of comfort are invited to do so, as well. May we work together to mutually build each other up and support each other in times of trial.

2,804 thoughts on “Prayer Requests”

  2. I just learned at the evening Vigil Mass tonight that Bishop Daniel Conlon of Joliet has taken a medical leave of absence. I had not heard that he was ill. Upon returning home and checking for news online, it appears that is has been named in and as a defendant in a civil lawsuit. Please keep him and our Joliet Diocese in prayer.

    Here if the Press Release from the Joliet Diocese:
    http://dioceseofjoliet.org/communications/newsdetail.php?id=112

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      1. It was her older brother who made the request. He said he hasn’t seen her in a while but that they’ve always stayed in touch. In his email to me, he closed by saying something so touching:

        “May she realize her beauty.”

        Thank you, Jen, for your prayers for Mo.
        Big hugs for you! ❤️

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  4. Another request just came in:

    ✝️ Please pray for Janice, a 96-year-old woman in Montana. From her friend: “Janice is currently on hospice and actively dying. She grew up Jewish and never really practiced that religion. She has asked me to pray with her once. I pray she will be saved.”

    Thank you again for your prayers.
    Patrick

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  7. Patrick, I will say a PMT for Patrick. My dear brother has Parkinson’s as did our late beloved father. I will ask for the intercession of St John Paul II.

    Good luck with the job search, Patrick, I will also pray for that intention.

    Could I please ask for your kind prayers, everyone, for my country (Australia) where the ‘fires of hell’ have quite literally been unleashed along the entire south eastern seaboard. This is where holiday makers traditionally gather at this some of the year (the height of the summer holiday season). The Defence Forces have been called in to help evacuate these tourists from fire affected towns. Further extreme temperatures are forecast for the day after tomorrow so to prevent further loss of life it is important to get the evacuation done by then. Thank you all.

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  8. HI big guns…asking for a big gun prayer…if you will, plz pray for my step dad, emery…just got word he is in hospice and going over to the other side. This man has caused much division in our family and banned me from my mom’s house day of funeral. Took a lot to get over but by the grace of God and MANY confessions I started praying for him after holy communion instead of holding grudge. I ask you pray God’s Mercy for him, for I believe, he knew not what he did. He has so much good too like all of us, mixed bag. Thank you all sooooo much and also, plz little prayer for globetrotting Tom n liz as they head to their new er assignment sunday in Fort Myers florida…love u all so much🤗😇😘 aND thank you once again 🤗

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  10. Emery passed away this morning. .I’m still traumatized by how he treated me and have been advised not to go to funeral but I pray he is in a good place. Thank you all for your prayers. Jesus I trust in you 🤗😇😘 maybe I can go back into my mom’s home soon and have a little closure…gosh humans can be so mean spirited 😢

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      1. Thanks Mick..hardest thing I ever had to do…lol…finally negotiated it with Jesus, ok Jesus, I don’t like him…BUT I know you do…!!! Then after Holy communion I prayed for him…chaplets of mercy…I hope he’s ok. Lol. I do need closure though. 2 years and haven’t been able to enter our family home…horrible…but ya know what mick…maybe I never need to again..it’s just stuff, right? Time to move on…let go…let God…have a feeling there’s a whole lot more coming of this sort of stuff. All we need is God. Period.

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      1. Thanks jlynnbyrd so far so good..his kids in cued me n hubby in obit, and I’m allowed to go back into my mom’s house sat with rest of my 3 sibs so I’ll finally have closure..whew..that was a tough 2 yrs being shunned that way..thanks be to Charlie, I followed his advise and it keep me going…I pray Emery has seen God and all went well…God rest his soul. Will be prating for his family now. I’m sure they will be grieving quite a bit for him. He was a really good dad to them 🤗

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    3. Joining in prayer for you, Linda. Praying for the repose of Emery’s soul. Praying, too, for your peace and strengthening which is secured in the ways you have prayed goodness for this man thus setting your self free. Be blessed now with total healing, Dear Linda. We love you.

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      2. That was sooooo beautiful Beckita. I kept telling God, I don’t like Him, but I know you do dear God, so I must pray for him. Finally got closure and all my siblings came back for a day and had a beautiful “hang out” it was beautiful ending and I did cry a bit for emery…lol..he had much goodness in him for sure..God rest his soul..Thank you for your prayers dearest Beckita 🤗😇😘

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  12. Devon, the young single mother who had been fighting cancer, is in home hospice. Please pray for Devon and her daughter. Jerry has been in the hospital for over a month now. There is a meeting today to discuss trying to get him home for hospice. Please pray for Jerry and my daughter as well as their young children. Thanks.

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  13. Kris, I’m praying for Devon and Jerry, and your daughter and children. Also, for you, your husband and rest of the family and friends. God bless you, my friend. XO

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  15. I’m stuck on Montana highway 200 at 24. Second vehicle stopped in line facing an overturned semi. It’s one of those trucks with dozens of tires that haul rock. The accident occurred about 3 hours ago. A wrecker just arrived.

    There is 1 fatality, the driver.

    ✝️ Please pray for the repose of his soul and for his family.

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    3. “A rollover crash that took the life of a 27-year-old Lewistown man Wednesday was the third fatality on Montana roads for 2020.

      According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the crash occurred just before 11 a.m. on Montana Highway 200 west of Circle near the town of Brockway.

      The man was the driver and sole occupant of a Kenworth Construction truck driving eastbound when the vehicle left the right side of the roadway near mile marker 262.

      The driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll.

      The man suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.”

      https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/01/09/lewistown-man-killed-mccone-county-rollover-crash/4420095002/

      I was praying a continuous Chaplet of Divine Mercy while on the road before reaching the scene, then offered a heartfelt (and tearful) one once I passed the wreck and headed through Brockway for home.

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        1. I’m not saying this is the cause of this particular accident, B, but throughout my 900-mile trip around the state, I couldn’t believe how many truck drivers had their heads turned down and to the right, looking at what was most likely a digital display in the center console. Watching movies? Certainly not checking a map for directions on a rural highway.

          Automobile drivers too, clearly looking at their cell phones at 70 mph on single divided highway with narrow shoulders. (Actually, a couple of times I did so myself very briefly, tho I do hold the phone up in front and bounce my eyes quickly btn road and words….but still. 😬) Isn’t it curious how a person can look at another person who is wearing sunglasses, passing each other at 135 mph combined, yet you can tell that the person’s eyes are looking below dashboard level.

          An excellent reason to make sure we’re always be in God’s good graces because it takes but a tiny moment for everything to change dramatically………………..

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  16. Even though we prayed for a miracle healing from her cancer, the Lord chose to take my sister home this morning. Please pray for Dolores’ and her husband and daughter; (and a little prayer for me b/c of my condition, I’m unable to travel to attend her funeral as she lives on the east coast, and grieve with my other 6 siblings, but I’ll try to offer that up as well.)

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    1. Oh Maggie, I’m so sorry to hear this news. Praying for the repose of the soul of your dear sister, Dolores. Praying, too, for her husband and daughter and all who love her. And special prayers for you, Maggie, as you mourn the loss of your sister.

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    2. Maggie, I offer my heartfelt condolences to you and your entire family at this difficult time. May you all be surrounded with love and the consolation of family, friends, your community and cherished memories. ❤

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  17. Hello, I thought I would give an update on my granddaughter Serenity. She was born November 7th by emergency c-section due to a placental abruption. The lack of oxygen caused an injury to her brain, liver and kidneys. She spent 6 days in the NICU at Sick Kids Hospital. The doctors were confident that her injuries would heal and that she would have only a small chance of neurological impairment. She was transferred to our local hospital for another 8 days where she had to learn how to feed properly. She came home at 14 days old. She is thriving and gaining weight. She went for a hearing test the other day and she might have hearing loss in one ear but her other ear has great hearing. Thank you everyone for your prayers. It has been a difficult and draining journey, but we are happy that Serenity is doing well. Of course, we still need prayers for my daughter, Serenity’s mother, who is a teenager and has mental health challenges. Her mental health has been surprisingly good until this past week. Her mood is taking a downturn and she has to get back on meds. Some days I find it difficult to stay positive. All of my children have some serious challenges in life. Our family seems to take one hit after another. I always keep my cell phone close by because I am likely to get calls from my kids in distress, or the school, or the hospital, or the police. The suffering is so intense at times that it wears me down and I wish I could fast forward through life and just get to my final end. I know I deserve this suffering because I am a great sinner, but thankfully I also know that my suffering is a gift to expiate my sins and that there is merit in accepting my pain to help my children and others. Please keep us all in your prayers. God help us.

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    1. Thanks be to God. Often, to get to real Serenity, we must first pass through serious turmoil. Your Serenity is a living example of that.

      Hang tight, CDN – and know that the burdens you bear can be offered up on behalf of those you love. It is hard, but what wonderful opportunities you are getting to draw down sanctifying grace for those around you. During a five-year period of great turmoil, I often would find myself praying for relief – and then would catch myself and pray instead that the Lord give me strength to deal with whatever He sent.

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    6. Just seeing this, CDN. Wow- you are truly amazing. A real warrior! Really! Thank you for sharing with us your journey. Praying for all of your intentions! Blessings, love and much gratitude for you who carry so much for so many.

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  18. Oh my gosh…got through the showing last night with emery n his family, very cold underline from his family, funeral today, we gave them space…keep hearing humility humility humility. ..but we are divided, going to try to mend with real family tomorrow at my mom’s condo…just wierd few days here..family, plz keep us all in ur prayers…floating…Jesus I trust in you 🤗😇😘🤗😇😘🤗😇😘 thank you all so much. I’m sorry I’m so out there right now…soon to be back to normal…what is normal…lol…I love u tnrs asoh

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      1. Very good fri, sat, and one more day…bp was really up 160/110😂😂😂and my Lil bro hank we worried was having heart attack today (cramps /heartburn) overweight yikes..life is stressful but oh I felt Jesus with us Blessed mom, St Raphael…Charlie’s presence tnrs..asoh..Beckita and all there…amazing love and sibs coming back together..God is good. Xoxoxoxoxoxo thank you my sweetest beckita..plz pray for us all..God save us ALL

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          1. Thanks Beckita…I hope God helps all of us in the whole world to reach salvation. When you spend time with folksies ya just fall in love with them. (In an honorable way that is) I just love how Charlie says God is looking for any sign of goodness in our fellows to weave in a thread of grace. …isn’t that sort of cool…how loving. Good. Merciful and mysterious is our God! Happy Sunday ya’ll 🤗😇😘

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              1. Oh beckita you are so so so wise..I texted globetrotting Tom a little earlier..lol..it’s hilarious bp was 165/114 last night…tonight 95/58…just wierd…lol…globetrotting Tommy says “you’ll be ok mom..”😆 what a roller coaster…thanks for listening ya’ll. ..back to normal tomorrow ..pinky promise 😆

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                1. Tommy’s exactly right. Truth is we’ve all got emotional roller coasters from time to time. May Our Lady wrap you in her Mantle and intercede to restore serenity. We love you, Linda. 🙏❤️🔥

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  22. ✝️ Please pray for a 73-year-old man named Chuck. He has been sick for a while. His son, a Catholic priest visiting him from Washington State, said he would be placed on hospice today. He is very grateful for your prayers.

    ✝️ Please pray for an 80-year-old man living in Portugal named Sebastião. According to his friend, he left the Catholic Church many years ago, has lived a sinful life, and is now very close to death. Please pray for his conversion. May he come to Christ before his passing.

    Thank you.
    Patrick

    (Expect a few more requests tomorrow)
    http://Www.SpiritualHospice.com

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    2. Praying that Devon’s soul rest in peace and the Lord will comfort all who love him.

      Praying, too, for Jerry as he makes this final journey. At times like this, I think of the hymn with these lines: “May songs of the Angels welcome you and guide you along your way. May the smiles of the Martyrs greet your own as darkness turns into day.” Holding your daughter and grandchildren and all of you in tenderness with prayers that the Lord both comforts and strengthens each of you, Kris.

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  25. Hospice is giving Jerry a couple of days. He has not yet found his peace. Tomorrow Jerry will be surrounded by family as we celebrate Jerry’s life and Christmas ( which had to be delayed due to circumstances). Perhaps that will give him the peace that evades him.

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  28. Our beloved Jerry passed to his eternal home just after midnight on Tuesday, January 21st. Always considerate of others, he passed just 6 minutes after his brother’s wedding anniversary day and the day before his sister-in-law’s birthday. Also during the slowest month for the family business. A bedside prayer service was held the afternoon before his passing in which we could all say our goodbyes. We were invited to put a cross on Jerry’s forehead with Holy Water and say a few words. Five year old Will climbed onto the bed and made a full sign of the cross on Daddy’s forehead, chest and shoulders. He then said, “Hi Dad, I love you. I wish you could stay here, but if you can’t stay here, I’ll miss you and I’ll see you again in heaven.” That broke every last one of us. Little Will stoically wiped his mommy’s tears away.

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    1. Oh Kris. My deepest condolences on the passing of Jerry. Prayers and Love going up and out to you, your daughter and grandchildren and all your family and friends. Praying for the repose of Jerry’s soul. May he intercede for us as we make our way to that great day when…

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    2. Our dear Kris, I too am weeping tears for your grieving and for the tender love for Jerry expressed by his family at his final moments on this side of the veil. I offer heartfelt condolences and prayers for all. ❤

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  29. https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2020/01/29/devastatingly-tragic-news-young-priest-takes-his-own-life/

    Let us all pray for Fr. Harkins, his family and All Dear ones lost to suicide.

    Our beloved Church needs to do more to minister to this crisis. Sadly, I was as unaware as anyone else until we lost our beloved son. Also a complete surprise. The statistics are staggering. Why do we not have more focus on this issue? (rhetorical question). Fr. Alar, Director of Marian Fathers of The Immaculate Conception at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge MA has taken on this issue. I pray for a dedicated, comprehensive, ministry within our church to address this.

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    1. Amen, Littlelight. This crisis is multi-faceted in its complexities to understand. My friend Esther, a faithful, orthodox sister who came out of the convent due to difficulties she experienced, wrote this reflection – found here – after the death of Fr. Harkins.

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  30. That is so beautiful and well-written, Amen. Please thank her for me.

    You are correct there are so many complexities. Here are just two I see, the concept of “perfect” your friend Esther so eloquently explains and “despair”.

    It is my hope that the many priests and bishops and lay theologians who read this column will be moved, and consider the grave need for expert advice to all Catholics, on how to understand this and many many more complexities. It is my hope they will reach out to Fr. Chris Alar, and come up with an action plan. Thank you from this sorrowful mother’s heart, to all who read further.

    Complexity #1: Matthew 5:48

    Not long after LiamXOXO’s death, a priest talked to me about the error of perfectionism in the confessional. He said this world convinces us all that we must be perfect. It’s a lie.

    The difficulty here is that we know “we must become perfect, as our Father is perfect” But this truth is taken out of context and somehow, with the best intention, distorted into something Our Lord never meant. We need articulate, well educated people to parse this out, so we have realistic expectations and hope.

    Complexity #2 “despair”

    Another popular misconception among Christians is the meaning of despair. In his book “After Suicide, There’s Hope for Them and for You,” on page 30, Fr. Alar writes about how our understanding of that word and the theological despair are different:

    The popular understanding of despair is to “give up all hope.” Regarding those who end up taking their lives, this may well be the case. They don’t believe they can continue to endure the daily, torturous agony. They believe there is no “hope” for the end of their suffering or that it will be diminished in the slightest way. ………This kind of despair, however, is most likely *not* [Fr.’s emphasis] the same kind of despair that the Church defines as the *sin of despair* [Fr.’s emphasis]. That sin, per se, is extremely serious and can jeopardize one’s salvation. The Catechism informs us that the First Commandment is concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption:

    By *despair* [Fr.’s emphasis], man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice—for the Lord is faithful to his promises—and to his mercy (2091)

    Is this the same kind of despair that causes most suicides to take their own lives? I don’t believe so………Therefore, it seems that one can possibly “despair” in the commonly understood sense and still be saved. What , then is the only *unforgivable sin* [Fr’s emphasis]? Actually, it is the final impenitence that can come from despair—–but from despair as the Church defines it, not despair as it is usually understood….”

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    1. Thanks for this, Littlelight. These understandings are noteworthy when leading someone through inner healing and inner healing is the component of total healing we’re just now digging into via the online Anointed Life ministry studies. I’m especially interested in this area because I see need for it all around me.

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  31. We received the following request from Jeannine about her father, Eugene:

    ✝️“ My dad has been diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread to his kidneys and pelvis. He will be moving from rehab to hospice shortly. Please pray for him and for his family. Blessings to you, Jeannine”

    Second email:
    “He just agreed to hospice yesterday. He is getting weaker and the parish priest is going today for anointing of the sick.

    Thank you so much for reaching out! It gives my heart comfort to know that people are praying for my father.

    Jeannine”

    Thank you
    Patrick
    http://Www.spiritualhospice.com

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  32. Several prayer requests:

    ✝️ Please pray for Angie in South Dakota who is dying from cancer and has just days left to live.

    ✝️ Please pray for Renee, a 55-year-old woman who has been battling breast cancer for quite a long time. It has metastasized and she is in a lot of pain. She was placed on hospice this weekend.

    ✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️ Please pray for the unknown number of victims of the Coronavirus in China and globally. It is likely that the severity of the pandemic and the death toll are grossly underreported.

    ✝️ Please pray for Rush Limbaugh, a friend to millions of people and a man I personally owe a lot to.

    Thank you.
    Patrick
    http://www.SpiritualHospice.com

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  34. Hi big guns😇 That time of year again our annual “Tour de Florida” Michael works Miami boat show, we rest a week in Hollywood Florida nice mom n pop place and visit a few kids and friends along the way. Yearly vacation, but with driving, it turns into 17 days ..:YIKES!!!

    When Charlie drives, I always worry about him so much as you just never know what you’ll run into on the mountains, roads and ragers out there…

    Mick we get to see globetrotting Tommy & Liz in ft Myers this year for 2 days!!! Woo woot😃😃

    oh my gosh how about that state of the union last night… WOW!!!!

    Thanks for your prayers all of you… God’s will be done always… Charlie we have your survival book with us…lol love you all🤗😇😘

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      1. Thanks so much. Beckita. Just so scary out there. I’m such a homebody. So many “almost “ hits .. Mike and I were discussing Blessed Mother and Joseph’s travel to Bethlehem.. think of all that journey and then no place to rest their weary heads oh my gosh

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  36. Please everyone, along with Padre Pio and St. Pope John Paul II, please pray for Jose, my sister’s friend and co-worker. Jose, age about 60, has been diagnosed with liver cancer. His family is tremendously concerned. He is going in for surgery on the 12th to determine the extent of the cancer. Thank you, and God bless you!

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  37. When you’re on a work/play vacay…God puts so many people in your path, for me, I feel it’s always a TNRS ASOH next right step moment! First Brandy, sick and poor sick son then poor Daniel, whom I felt was very ill in body and soul looking for answers, then last night where we are staying, the son of Jeff, Adam/AJ was in such a bad car accident Dec 8, (Immaculate Conception) 2019. He didn’t have his seat belt on and broke both arms. He looks amazingly better but not back to work yet and pretty depressed. He’s 34.

    We were talking about Charlie last night and his journey and squirrels.. then of course all these squirrels start walking/running the top of the fence around Adams dad yard!!!

    I told him Charlie’s in Denver Colorado then he proceeded to tell me of his half sister Baileywho also is in Denver Colorado, and she back packs all over miles and miles . Beautiful long dark hair 5 foot kid!!! Ha!

    The biggest thing with Adam is he’s thinking a lot about Jesus lately. He played the song Kanye west just came out with…Jesus walks… which is rapper but he said you must listen to the words..you can talk about anything in America but DONT talk about Jesus… he likes how Jesus came to people who really they thought Jesus shouldn’t be talking too (words in song)

    So please family, please keep Adam (AJ) and his wife from Brazil, Kris in your prayers. They are close I think to conversion.

    I told Adam/Aj about Charlies vision of Jesus and “game litte puppy!” He related and liked the story getting back up again… praying hard for Rush!!! Gosh… let’s pray he has full healing St Raphael, pls, healing 😇 of God, pray for Rush! Thank you all so much…prayers for you all at Mass this am too ! God is sooooo good… so much wood chopping to do ! Oh Jesus, please set your world ablaze!!! Xoxo xoxo TNRSASOH 🤗😘😇👍✝️🌴🐿🌅💒🌄❤️🇱🇷

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  40. Asking prayers for a dear friend & her family. My friend’s name is Jeannine, married Steve (he’s a Desert Storm vet) & they have 5 kids. Back on January 14th both her mom & dad were diagnosed with cancer. Her dad, Eugene, passed away on February 7th. Tonight, she took Steve to the VA ER with breathing problems & chest pains. EKGs are coming back irregular each time so they’re keeping him for observation. They are devoutly Catholic & she feels that they’re under spiritual attack. Kids are having a hard time with dealing with grandpa’s passing (they called it not a funeral but a celebration of his new birth day) & now this.

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  41. Prayer request for me personally.

    Facing rather tough struggles with a 2-woman staff strangely obstinate to “the new guy.” Leadership challenges that I would rather not be facing as this job is tough enough as it is. But it’s a small town and change (which is so very desperately needed) is met with resistance. It will all work out, but this is honestly the last thing I need. I’m assuming responsibility of a clinic full-time (that the community has stopped trusting long ago) and a nursing home with dementia patients….50-hour work weeks….got a lot on my plate. Plus, trying to learn the art of family medicine, fortunately with the excellent support of a North Dakota physician, Jeff Hostetter, MD (https://www.chistalexiushealth.org/find-a-provider/jeff-hostetter-md). He’s taken me under his wing (because I’ve got no one else and that’s just the kind of guy he is), educates and challenges me like one of his residents, and is a text or call away when I need advice, a second opinion, or outright help. I’m easily staying afloat (thanks to Our Lady and Our Blessed Lord), no chance of failure, but I’ve far got more than I bargained for at Powder River Health….

    …and I truly need your prayers more than ever.

    Thank you.
    Patrick, FNP — the new “doc” as they are calling me.

    Here’s our new logo that was designed by my Catholic friend Emily in Rapid City. Based on a sketch a local kid made years ago, I tweaked it, and Emily created it. The county hired a CEO just this November to merge the clinic and the nursing home under one umbrella. We hope to build a critical access hospital in the next 5 years. A resident who recently passed away just left over $800,000, possibly one million dollars to the facility, so that hospital might be realized sooner than anticipated. (Praise God!)

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      1. Funny how the instinct when the heat is on is to sometimes not ask the Lord or others for such help. My friend Pam wisely told me to say the Surrender Novena. (And like a wise-guy I asked her: “Oh, that nine-day novena?”)

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      1. Well, Michael, the prayers are working. Today was a short day at the clinic. Dr. Jeff saw a handful of patients in the morning and I popped in just to finish some charting. He’s been helping out until they got a provider, so looks like he now doesn’t need to come as much. I also agreed to ease his burden by taking on the nursing home patients in addition to my regular clinic duties, so I’m working no less than 43 hours a week. (Fine by me!)

        Anyway, with no more than 5-10 minutes of interaction with one of my staff members over two hours, (and not part of any planning beforehand on my part) we accomplished a lot of work and communicated many ideas. I planted seeds, she made suggestions and offered options, and the table was set for us to move ahead.

        One day at a time.

        So, back to your uncanny description of Broadus a few weeks back. I love this town, the people, and the ranching lifestyle. Obesity is a scarcity, and even if someone is overweight, underneath is pure muscle. Man or woman, young or elderly, these are some of the toughest, physically strongest humans I’ve ever met. There is a rather lovely, feminine nurse about my age that works part time at the nursing home (seems everyone has multiple jobs in addition to working their ranch). She shook my hand and almost caused a hairline fracture. Wow! And when I did a neuro check of a 69-year-old’s lower extremities and asked him to push his legs out against me, he almost put me through the wall.

        I need to get myself into top shape just to keep up with these folks!

        Check this out. On Valentine’s Day, I went to the Stockman’s Club — the only vehicles parked outside were big pickup trucks. Inside, the bar/restaurant was packed with families and cowboy hats. Then a super-cute little toddler came out from the restrooms with her mother.

        She was very tiny. Yet she slowly and deliberately took steps forward completely unaided. She was almost perfectly steady. Her hands were down at her side instead of up for stability like most kids taking their first steps. I was blown away, and I asked someone how old she was. The mother said, “10 months.” And she probably had been walking well before today.

        Anyone with kids knows, this is impressive. 12-15+ months is the typical milestone, and the kids are often wobbly. Not this little Montanan infant.

        Well, went for a hike today (its a holiday) along some muddy gravel road that winds its way out of town. Passed a beautiful 5-foot statue of Our Lady in the cemetery. But ah, the sky had big, puffy, low-hanging clouds with a deep blue canopy, the sun peaking in and out. Then I stopped walking for a minute,

        and took in the absolute silence………………

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        2. The young toddler you saw walking is the perfect imagery. Maybe her folks are the sort who worked with her early, maybe she just decided to up and walk on her own one day. Who knows. Either way, priceless!

          My ma taught me how to say my prayers. My dad and granddad taught me the prayer of doing. Same pattern with this generation. All of our kids took a little coaxing, but they were up and walking when they finally had a mind to. I saw to it that they were all out on the trail at the youngest age. All on horseback by six, though my wee Lucia was on horseback just shy of her 5th birthday. A friend who is a world class trainer and competitive rider thought she was too young. “Try telling her that,” said I, “she wants to keep up with her older bro’s.” And so she did, and she’s been giving her best ever since. Who can argue with that?

          Glad to see your patient. You know you’re in a good place when there’s a Stockman’s Club in town. Give ’em time, they’ll warm up to the big city slicker from SD in no time. Expect some Mayberry-like hijinx from time to time. Keeps it interesting…. and it’s planting the seeds for your eventual ole’ timer status.

          You know what? I think I witnessed the same sky this morning.

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