Prayer Requests

Been struggling with taxes for several days here at Chez Shea and so have not come up for air with my mail. However, I wanted to make sure that these got posted. Aux armes, Chretians!

I’m falling into sin, and it’s recurring. I’m afraid of losing my job since my use of the smartphone they’ve given me is used at night looking at dirty pictures. My addiction has been going on for a long time. I would go through moments of being periodically free and being stronger against it. Then, time passes after awhile, and I’m fallen back into it. I seem to struggle better, and fair better at times. Now it’s getting worse. The addiction isn’t because I don’t want to fight it. Rather, it surrounds me in my thoughts, dreams, and even anyone I look at, these engraved desires keep building and saturating me as water fills up the lungs of someone who is drowning. I try to swim out of it, and then I become fallen into it again. I have gone to confession, and I’m trying to schedule a counselor who is a social worker. My work schedule is hard to work around with the given time the counselor has. The sad part is my addictions have gotten so bad that what I’ve looked at is not only wrong, but the worse type. I don’t want to give up, but feel like giving up. Sometimes suicide keeps making an appeal so that I don’t get caught, in trouble with either work or the law. I just want God’s help and mercy to please lift me out. Temptation appeals so much, and deceives. And this moment that deception keeps appealing to pleasure. And that pleasure tries to employ a promise to fulfill all my desires, particularly to the wounded relationship stemming from a divorces my parents had. There are so many fears I’m filled with, and plagued with on a daily basis. Co-workers who have, I believe, some slight leaning towards a bias of racial value. My brother who is living with my Grandma tends to try to bring into the torments he had faced in prison. Family members, relatives, and cousins who I feel try to wedge their way into my Grandma’s home, and try to get what they want. I feel fear of the law and going to jail for things I’ve done in the past and in the present. I fear God letting me into the devil’s hands and being hopelessly, and helpless to evil influences. I feel God is only lending me to becoming almost like a tyrant and mad man. I pray and ask for deliverance. I don’t want to go to jail, I don’t want to be separated from my family, and I don’t want to end up in hell. I keep trying to change my ways. But it’s like God, His Son, Our Lord, and the Holy Spirit aren’t there. Or are there keeping me into the devil’s hands. I really want to be freed and contained in this sickness any longer. Please ask God and pray for me.

Father, thank you for your son’s transparency with his weakness. Remind him that you love him and do not condemn him, that you are merciful and gladly give him mercy when he comes to you, as he does, asking for help. Heal the wounds he has received both from others and from himself. Help him to forgive the wrongs done him and to receive your forgiveness. Send him your guardian angel and St. Michael to protect him from the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil and give him the grace of your Holy Spirit to take the next practical step in imitating you. Mother Mary and St. Joseph, pray for him. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another reader writes:

Thank you for spreading the prayer request for Sr. Carol Juhasz several weeks ago for me…well, for all of us, really.

I’m reporting back that Sr. Carol went home to the Lord last evening. She’s going to have two funerals, one at the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan and a second one at St. Joan of Arc Church so all the children and families can give her a final send-off.

She planned every detail of her funerals, including the music and readings, and keeping to her style, she will have a wardrobe change in between the two services. This video is a small segment of the surprise celebration the school had for Sr. Carol last year, after she announced her diagnosis.

The parish’s web site has more info.

Father, may her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. We ask ths in the Name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another reader writes:

I just heard my uncle (and godfather) fell 14 feet, was briefly unconscious, and was taken to the hospital. The doctors think he will be fine, but apparently there is some bleeding in his brain. Please pray for a speedy, full recovery. Thanks!

Father, hear our prayer for his complete healing in body, soul, and spirit and for grace, knowledge, wisdom, skill, and the proper techology for his caregivers to treat him effectively. Give him and all who love him grace, peace, strength, consolation, faith, hope and love. Mother Mary and St. Luke, pray for him. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Another reader writes:

I’d written earlier regarding my friend who has a rare bone cancer. She’s had the surgery, and hopefully, the surgeon got all of it. She’s had a couple of rough spots, like an unexpected problem with her heart. Now, she’s out of ICU and in a regular room. But due to the type of surgery (part of her pelvic bone and her hip bone are gone), she’s in for a rough and long rehab. And it seems that she’s caught up in a power struggle between a couple of her nurses who are arguing in front of her. Unfortunately, she’s two hours away from her friends, and she’s feeling more than alone. I’m praying she’ll be out of the hospital quickly and sent to a rehab just a couple of miles from me and her other friends. And praying that her current nurses will get over their egos and remember who they’re supposed to be helping.

Father, hear my reader’s prayer through your Son Jesus Christ. Mother Mary, St. Luke, and St. Peregrine pray for this woman and her caregivers and all who love her. Amen.

Another reader prays…

For a friend recovering from cancer surgery who had a reaction to the antibiotics used afterwards, for his complete healing and recovery. Also, prayers for his wife needed as she helps him through the recovery and days ahead.

Father, hear my reader’s prayer through Christ our Lord. Mother Mary, St. Luke, and St. Peregrine pray for this man and and my reader’s wife and all who love him. Amen.

Finally, two things:

First, please pray for baby Albert Holmes who continue to grow stronger and for his family in this difficult trial.

Finally, please pray for my Mom and for us Sheas. The doctor who is treating her lung cancer is not optimistic and we are meeting on Monday in Olympia for a “reality talk” to decide what course of action is best. Also, please pray for us and our finances. Things are tight. Very tight.

Thanks, troops!