Dear parishioners,

One month ago today mom fell very ill and waited it out at home. By the following weekend her oxygen was dropping and my brother-in-law took her to the hospital. Her lungs were starting to fail and she had no energy left. During the week that she went onto a ventilator, I had a great opportunity of spending the days with her to keep her company. I washed her hands and feet, I combed her hair, I prayed with her and over her, I read to her and I gave her a daily preaching (or multiple!). I got to know the nurses and thanked them again and again. It was a grace for my family to work together and stay hopeful and prayerful. Mom came off the ventilator a week later and my Aunt Joan took my place at mom's side. I then visited my Dad each day while he was in ICU for a short time. Mom left ICU and her lungs were strong. And though she was still fatigued and tired of the hospital, she was thankful and gracious and sweet.

On Monday night we got word that there were complications, mom needed a transfusion among other things. She was headed back to ICU. At that point my Dad was able to visit her and we were all alerted, waiting for her to turn a corner. Yesterday we began planning a prayer novena. Nine more days would make it that symbolic forty days, the time that Jesus faced in the desert. Every time the number forty appears in Scripture, there is a time of testing followed by transformation. Last night I gave mom a long pep-talk on how we would keep waiting patiently and praying for healing. Aunt Joan told me I really had a lot to say. But this morning I woke up to the news. Mom became unconscious last night, the hospital called, and Dad and mom's sisters, Joan and Rita, went to the hospital at 3AM for a last visit and a goodbye.

I wish this weren't a goodbye and that the outcome would be different. So many things need to change and evolve now. It hurts really bad to think about mom. But for the moment, we are planning the funeral and staying hopeful and prayerful. I cannot thank staff, clergy, and all of you enough for your support and prayers. I trust that God does beautiful things with all of those desires expressed in the language of the Spirit.

With great love and appreciation!!

Fr. Joe

The coming arrangements for her funeral will be:

Visitation and wake - 5-8pm, Tuesday 10/5

Funeral Mass and burial 11AM, Wednesday 10/6

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

120 W. Main St

Front Royal, VA 22630

RSVP for attendance

Mass will be livestreamed on Catholic Cluster YouTube

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