The Gift of Life (when its not easy) ... a story from America

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge (Psalm 31:3,4).

Matt shook my hand and asked me to have a seat. I don't know if I've ever shared my story with you he began. Indeed he hadn't and I am always very interested in the various testimonies people have, so I listened eagerly.

A young lady moved out to California in the sixties. While living there she was raped, which resulted in a pregnancy. She moved back to Pennsylvania shamed, disgraced and broken. Her parents placed her in a distant home for unwed mothers. She gave birth to an infant son and gave him up for adoption. However the baby had a serious muscular disorder and it was feared he would never walk. He was placed in foster care where he spent the first year of his life before he was finally adopted. This baby is Matt.

His adoptive parents were not Christians at that time, but when he was still small first his mother and then his father accepted Christ. He himself accepted the Lord at an early age. When Matt was in college he did a report in a communication class on post-adoption syndrome versus post-abortion syndrome, which sparked an interest in locating his birth mother. He went to his adoptive parents and shared with them of this interest and they gave him their blessing to proceed... (eventually he found her).

However in pursuing the matter he was told that she had a terminal illness and was not expected to live much longer. There was a concern regarding the emotional impact of having a meeting under these circumstances. But he chose to go through with the meeting and a week later met her in the office of the agency. They immediately connected and the meeting lasted 6 hours! Matt found out that since his birth she also had become a Christian, had married and had three boys, who of course were his half-brothers. She lived for a number of years following this and prior to her death Matt developed a wonderful relationship with her that he describes as a deep friendship. His birth mother and his adoptive mother also became friends! She was present for his wedding, which was the last time she was able to get out before her death. Prior to her passing Matt specifically told her, I am so thankful you gave up nine months of your life that I might have life.

Vengeance is Mine, I will repay....by Marge Fenelon

I slammed the Bible shut, tossed it on the table, and thrust it away from me. I sank back into my chair in a state of disbelief. "That's scary," I thought to myself. I sat there for a long time, numb and motionless, just staring at the Bible. Did God really mean what he said? I shivered slightly and got up the courage to read it again. It was Psalm 52, which begins, Why do you boast, O mighty man, of mischief done against the godly? All the day you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery.

When I'd grabbed my Bible that morning, I was looking for a message from God. I was distraught over a dilemma in which someone had betrayed me and consequently destroyed something vitally important to me. I was distressed, angry and fighting the temptation toward revenge. I needed help sorting things out. So, I asked God to guide me through Scripture and randomly opened my Bible. I promised to take whatever appeared on the left side of the page as my answer and meditate on it before taking any action. The next verse was more of the same. You love evil more that good, and lying more than speaking the truth. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. "Exactly," I said to myself. I was relieved to find that the Lord understood my situation perfectly.

Then the psalmist described God's consequences for those who deceive. But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, "See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and sought refuge in his wealth." "Oh, man," I thought to myself. "God doesn't mess around with people like that, does he? That's more drastic than I would have done myself!" 

Then it hit me. This whole thing isn't so much about how I think I've been wronged or how I'd like to strike back as it is about letting God be the judge and levy the sentence. God is Truth and Justice. He sees all, even that which is done in the dark of night. Nothing slips by him and nothing escapes his omnipotence. The end of the psalm took my meditation in a different direction. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank thee forever, because thou has done it. I will proclaim thy name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. What does the olive tree do? It grows slowly and deliberately, constantly reaching toward the heavens and putting all its energy into bearing fruit. It remains unperturbed by its neighbours and surroundings. Any damage inflicted upon it is left to God's tender care and healing. Its sustenance comes directly from him. Its totally dependent on God's goodness. 

That's what we in Schoenstatt call Divine Providence. Our Father and Founder taught us to take in what God sends us through others, through our surroundings, through circumstances, through our inner selves and allow him to lead us on to the next step. Divine Providence isn't about deciding what we want  or what we think God should want for us  and then manipulating people and situations in order to achieve it. It's not about knee-jerk reactions and striking back or crushing someone in order to get our own way. It's about being the olive tree that grows slowly and deliberately, constantly reaching toward the heavens and putting all its energy into bearing fruit  and allowing those around us to bear fruit, also. When I picked up the Bible that day, I wanted an explanation and justification for retaliation. I wanted to know what God wanted me to do about it. Instead, God used his word to shake me up and get me thinking in another direction. He let me know what he has the power to do about it. In the meantime, my mission is to keep growing, bearing fruit, and trust in his steadfast love forever and ever.

An Answered Prayer....a story from Liberia

The SMA Fathers work with a Leper colony called Masserti in Liberia and tell this splendid story of God's provision & sense of humour.

Recently Fr Garry contacted me to share an idea. The People of Masserti, he said, are growing rice, in fact they could grow more than they need. But they can't afford to transport it to a rice mill for processing. If they had their own mill, he said they could feed themselves and we could buy the excess for other projects. 

Two hours later the telephone rang and a gentleman said he and his wife would like to help the people of Masserti and he offered a specific donation.

The donation was the exact amount that would be needed for the mill that Fr Garry had spoken of. The names of the donors were  Mr & Mrs Rice !

Sarah Smith: Abortion Survivor

My mother's choice was my death sentence. My mother Betty had an abortion in November 1970. A few weeks after that, she was sitting at home reading when the book on her stomach began to bounce up and down. That's when she knew she was still pregnant ..with ME!

"I'm so sorry, Betty," the doctor told her when she went back to him. "you were carrying twins!"

Although a second abortion was suggested, my mother refused and instead brought me to term. I was born with bilateral congenital dislocated hips, a condition for which I've had dozens of operations. It hasn't stopped me from pursuing my medical studies, though, or from speaking out wherever I can for the right to life.

My mother Betty and I speak publicly throughout the country and throughout the world. Most recently, we spoke in Rome and met Pope John Paul II.

I have forgiven my parents for trying to abort me, and I forgive the abortionist who killed my twin brother and who almost killed me. I often think of my brother, Andrew James, whom nobody can replace.

I believe that the way of truth, love, and God's grace is the only way to deal with the abortion tragedy. I would like to call all people to stand with me to defend the right to life of all persons. There are many alternatives to abortion. Nobody needs to sacrifice her child, no matter what anyone says.

Though I'm not a Catholic, I have worked closely with Priests for Life and have had speaking engagements and TV appearances with Fr. Frank Pavone. My mother and I and a former abortion provider Joy Davis recently met together in the same room for a TV interview as part of Fr. Pavone's TV series, "

If you would like to schedule Sarah to speak at your event or conference, please send an E-Mail to Pro-life America. You may also telephone Pro-life America at 310-373-0743.

Don't forget the souls in Purgatory ...

I’ve noticed, over the years, how funerals have become more sophisticated: ornate (rather heavy) caskets, creative flower arrangements, full colour ‘orders of service’ , headstones with photos and fine engraving and even at the wake, superb catering. Families really ‘push the boat out’ to show respect and celebrate the life of their deceased love ones. 

Whilst it is right to have a good send-off; the deceased does not benefit from the externals in the slightest and the one and only thing they would appreciate is often neglected... prayer to ease their pains in purgatory, our primary duty to them. 

Over the centuries, the holy souls have been given the favour of visiting saints and mystics to deliver this message of neglect. One said “the greatest “complaint” of the souls in Purgatory is how they are almost completely forgotten by their family and loved ones; they rightly complain that they receive no spiritual help from those they themselves helped so much during life. How few prayers are ever offered up for them, even at their funerals.” 

It is a sad indictment. It may be that we think they go straight to heaven; that we believe them to be good because we love them and overlook any shortcoming, forgetting that perfection and holiness is required for a soul to enter heaven. 

As to the means of their deliverance from purgatory, one holy soul had this to say, “It is the Blood of Jesus Christ that is needed to extinguish the flames by which I am consumed; it is the Holy Sacrifice (of the Mass) which will deliver me from these frightful torments. I implore you to keep your word, and refuse me not that which in justice you owe me." 

I think the message is to never stop having Masses offered and adding our own prayers too for the holy souls; the ancient tradition of Gregorian masses (30 days of consecutive Masses) seems a good start, although some will need many more than that. 

We should train the next generation to pray for the dead everyday. Children and grandchildren will be the only ones we could rely on when our time comes.

Last Judgement....a story from America

Fr Scheier was ordained in 1973. Unfortunately he was more concerned about what other priests thought of him than about being a good priest for Jesus. His priesthood was not in the service of Jesus but to win people's admiration.

On October 18, 1985, Fr Scheier was travelling from Wichita to his parish in Kansas. He was involved in a terrible accident: a head-on collision with a pickup truck and with God. Three people were in the pickup. No one was killed. Fr Scheier was thrown from his vehicle. His entire scalp was taken off on the right side. The doctors told him afterwards the right side of his brain was partially sheered off and many cells were crushed. Behind him in the ambulance on the way to the hospital was a nurse, who later mentioned she tried to help him with the Hail Mary but didn't know it but he was saying the Hail Mary over and over by himself. He had suffered a broken neck, a C2, the second cervical vertebra was broken, the hangman's break. The doctor said there wasn't much he could do and sewed his scalp back on .One of his parishioners who happened to be in the hospital was told he was being given a 15% chance to live. Many people of different Christian faiths prayed for him. He had no surgery. The accident happened in October and on 2nd Dec he was released from hospital and still had the halo, as he called it, a support around his head. He recuperated at home until they could take the halo off, in April. He returned to his parish in May.

One day when saying Mass, the Gospel was about the fig tree. When reading it in the Church, the page became illuminated, enlarged and came off the lectionary towards him. He finished Mass as best he could and back at the rectory/presbytery remembered a conversation that had taken place shortly after the accident. In that conversation Fr Scheier found himself standing before the judgement of Jesus. He doesn't know how long it lasted. He says the Lord took him through his entire life, and showed him how he had failed in his priestly service. Fr Scheier said 'yes' to everything Jesus said about his life. Before the accident Fr Scheier had planned that when he would go before the judgment seat of Jesus he would say he was pushed on any day he sinned and couldn't do anything else. He had a number of excuses all ready. He used to confession regularly before the accident but not appropriately i.e. he was not allowing the sacrament to change his life. He did not have a purpose of amendment. After the accident he wondered how many of his confessions were valid because he had no purpose of amendment. Before the accident he was thinking there would be time to convert but during this judgment scene Jesus taught him there is no time. Now before Jesus he was talking to Truth and when you are talking to Truth you can't give excuses. At the end of his judgment his sentence from Jesus was hell. Fr Scheier said 'yes' as that was the only logical thing he deserved. At that moment, however, he heard a woman say, 'Son, will you please spare his life and his eternal soul?' The Lord replied, 'Mother, he's been a priest for twelve years for himself and not for me, let him reap the punishment he deserves.'But Son,' she said, 'if we give him special graces and strengths then let's see if he bears fruit; if not, your will be done.' There was very short pause, after which Jesus said, 'Mother, he's yours.'

Ever since then he has been hers. He didn't have a special relationship with her before the accident but since then she has become everything to him. At the foot of the cross Jesus looked on her and made her mother of the whole Church. Fr Scheier says she takes that very literally and seriously. Fr Scheier experienced Jesus' mercy but Mary was the one who interceded for him. He has learned this beautiful truth, no one of the Blessed Trinity can say 'no' to Our Lady. It is impossible. They will not say 'no' to her. He says 'Isn't she someone you want on your side?'

We believe in Jesus, Our Lady and the saints in two ways, with the head or the heart. Fr Scheier believed with his head and knew nothing with his heart. He believed the angels and saints but they were make-believe friends and were not real. After the accident he became aware that they are very real, that we have only one home and its not here. Fr Scheier says a lot of our priorities are mixed up. His priorities were mixed up, his priority should have been to save his soul and save other souls. If he had died his parishioners would not have thought that he would have gone to hell. Jesus doesn't take a popularity poll, Jesus is the only one that matters , not what others think about us because we are alone before Jesus in judgment. We cannot say somebody made me sin. Jesus knows the truth.

Fr Scheier says during his first twelve years after ordination he was not being a priest for Jesus. Instead of suffering for Jesus he was a priest for himself. He always ran from the cross. If we run from the cross there is a bigger one awaiting us. He says he was a coward during those twelve years. His mission now is to let people know that Jesus' love outweighs justice, that hell exists and that we are liable to hell and also that Jesus' Divine Mercy exists. 

'Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?' 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.'

The Good Shepherd ... a story from Australia

A young girl, a lapsed Catholic, broke her leg . As she was unable to do much, one of her friends asked her if she would like to go to Mass with her and she went along. The reading was about the Good shepherd going after the lost sheep.

And in the sermon the priest was saying that in olden times when a lamb was a bit wayward sometimes the shepherd would break one of its legs, so it would be immobile and unable to run off and would then carry it around on his shoulders while the leg healed. 

In that way the lamb would become familiar with the shepherd and less inclined to stray. As the girl was listening to this, its application in her life became clear and she came home to the church and counted the broken leg as a blessing !