“Please let Fr. Groeschel know we love him very much…”

“Please let Fr. Groeschel know we love him very much…” August 31, 2012

This e-mail arrived today, from a nurse, regarding the Fr. Benedict Groeschel story:

I have been thinking of him alot lately– I say the rosary at 9 pm when he leads it on the radio. He reminds me of the sweet religious that I was privileged to take care of at a Dominican nursing facility.

The incident re his off-base statement is not uncommon in the elderly, but I found that it is very hard for those without a medical background to accept. I found myself defending my patient’s behavior to  those  inexperienced, when language or actions were inappropriate. The comment  would be made”but he’s a priest– he knows better.” I would try to explain that certain areas of the brain are elicited by disease and the responses are those for which the  the patient is not responsible.

One of my patients was a dear priest who had counselled me through a very, very difficult time twenty years prior. He was very unpopular with some of the staff– with Alzheimers, he had become very physical and inappropriate at times. Here was this beautiful, kind priest; and  at the end of his life,  he had a new cross ( although I do not know how much he was aware of it). I brought in pictures of him in his younger days and told how he was so wise, compassionate, and giving of his time and loving counsel. I had gone through a divorce and he spent many hours with me and my family. For years he even sent me cards at the holidays. He is now in heaven.

So please let Fr. Groeschel know we love him very much and pray for him and his family.


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