Prayer Request and Praise Reportl

A reader writes:

Requesting prayers for Angela, the teenage daughter of friends of ours, who was hit by a car while on her bike and is now undergoing a dangerous operation on her skull.  Thank you!

Father, hear our prayer for Angela’s swift and full recovery.  Give her caregivers grace, skill, knowledge, understanding, compassion and effective technology to bring her through successful surgery.  Give grace, strength, peace, faith, hope and love to all who love her.  Mother Mary and St. Luke, pray for her.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Another reader writes:

Remember the priest from Haiti that I wrote to you about last year?  You asked all your readers to pray for him because he wasn’t supposed to survive a terrible car crash.  This is an update we just received from my friend, Fr. Louis Merosne.  Good stuff.  And thank you for all the prayers.

The Miracle of Fr. Dumas

Dear friends and family,

Today, August 25th, 2013, is the one-year anniversary of the terrible accident of Fr. Jean Francelorme Dumas, and I am happy to report good news to you!
Since March this year Fr. Dumas has been transferred to Haiti and has been staying with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters in the city of Cayes, those same sisters around whom he grew up.

You were all so ready to pray for him and support us in this great ordeal. We even prayed a novena asking for the intercession of Blessed Pope John Paul II and Blessed Mother Teresa. In fact, in Haiti, we prayed that novena twice and plan on continuing it for several months to come.

I remember the days when many people lost hope on Fr. Dumas. Before he reached Miami, the doctors told us that we should just give him “last rites” because he will not make it. But then, he made it.

So when we got to Miami, things were looking better, but after some time, many of the doctors and nurses were skeptical leading some to think that Fr. Dumas, if he survived would be in a persistent vegetative state for the rest of his life, plugged into a machine to eat and maybe to breathe.

The Lord had a different plan!

All the terrible bed sores in his back and feet are totally healed!

He speaks!

He smiles!

He laughs!

He knows people!

He remembers some of his Spanish!

He knows money; he joking pulled someone’s purse over, grabbed a bill of 250 gourdes (50 Haitian dollars) and calls another person over and says in Creole, “go hide this fifty dollar bill for me!”

He can read, even though he has a little trouble seeing all the words. I was very impressed when he read the word “Eucharistique”!

He knows he is a priest and gives blessings upon request (you will se him touching the head of a sister when I asked him to bless her). He also lifts his left hand (because his right hand is still not moving as much) during consecration, as a concelebrating priest ought to do during mass!

He knows what diocese he is from!

He knows who his bishop is!

I took a video of him singing! In the video you will see him singing with me “Fò m temwanye sa Jezi fè pou mwen!” (I must testify to what Jesus has done for me). After every verse, he responds “Fò m temwanye!” At one point I mention “the doctors said I will be vegetative…” and he smiles as he responds, “I must testify!”

At the end of the video, he thanks everyone and asks for your continued prayers.

[UNFORTUNATELY I AM HAVING TROUBLE UPLOADING THAT VIDEO. AS SOON AS I UPLOAD IT, I WILL SEND YOU A LINK]

He sill needs much physical therapy and some speech therapy especially for his legs, which he can only move a little, and his right arm. But, my dear friends, here is the miracle of God in Fr. Dumas. I strongly believe that one day, Fr. Dumas will be able to stand up and celebrate Mass to the glory of God and for the salvation of souls!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

God bless you!

Father, thanks and praise to your Name through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Fr. Louis