DEAR FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS

JULY 13, 1998

A SHARED THOUGHT:

I HAVE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER ABOUT MIRACLES. DURING MY PRIESTLY LIFE I HAVE SEEN SO MANY AND BEEN PART OF NOT JUST A FEW THAT I, AT THIS POINT OF MY LIFE TAKE THEM RATHER CASUALLY AND TO THE POINT OF EXPECTING THEM. THE LORD JESUS TOLD US TO HAVE FAITH AND MOUNTAINS WILL MOVE. HE TOLD US TO ASK AND WE WILL RECEIVE. HE ALSO TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT ONCE THEY BEGIN THEIR PUBLIC MINISTRY THEY WILL DO GREATER THINGS THAN THOSE DONE DURING HIS MINISTRY..

NOW TO THE POINT OF THIS THOUGHT. ON MARCH 23rd I NOTICED WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT ODD QUIRKS WERE HAPPENING TO THIS BODY OF MINE. BREATHING WAS DIFFICULT, I WAS HAVING OCCASIONAL DIZZY SPELLS, LACK OF ENERGY, AND WAS TOTALLY "WASHED OUT". THE NEXT DAY I BEGAN DRIVING TO THE U.S. FOR A MEDICAL CHECKUP. I HADN'T LOST MY OPTIMISM, HAVING BROUGHT CLOTHING FOR A FOUR-DAY TRIP.

THE DOCTOR REALLY GAVE ME A SHOCKER AFTER A MINOR EXAMINATION: IMMEDIATE ADMISSION TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INVESTIGATIVE PROBING. NO WAY, I THOUGHT. I HAD A 30 DAY ST. IGNATIUS RETREAT PROGRAMMED, STARTING THE WEDNESDAY AFTER EASTER SUNDAY. I ASKED THE DOCTOR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TO THINK AND PRAY ABOUT IT. UPON LEAVING HIS OFFICE, HE SAID: "BETTER MAKE THOSE TWO DAYS SHORT." IN TWO DAYS I WAS BACK TO SET UP THE SCHEDULE.

"INVESTIGATIVE PROBING?" DURING THE. NEXT 35 DAYS--14 OF THOSE SPENT IN AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT--I HAD A SERIES OF ANGIOPLASTY PROCEDURES, REPLACEMENT OF THE MITRAL VALVE IN MY HEART, A DOUBLE BYPASS, ANOTHER HEART ATTACK, AND AN IMPLANTATION OF A DEFIBRILLATOR, WHICH CONTROLS THE HEART RHYTHM. AND ALSO MORE THAN 100 NEEDLE JABS FOR BLOOD TESTS, WHICH NEVER DID BECOME JUST ROUTINE.

I HAD TALKED THIS DEAL OVER WITH THE LORD BEFORE I AGREED WITH THE DOCTOR'S ADVICE, AND IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT HE WANTED TO GIVE THAT 30-DAY RETREAT TO ME PERSONALLY. WHAT HE REALLY.,SAID WAS THAT I WAS TO ACCOMPANY HIM TO CALVARY. WHAT AN EYE-OPENER! I NOW HAVE AN ENTIRELY' DIFFERENT AND MORE PROFOUND MEANING OF WHAT HE 'PENT THROUGH IN ORDER TO REDEEM US.

THEY HAD ME SOMEWHAT SEDATED AFTER THE OPERATIONS AND THAT STILL LEFT ME IN MISERY. THE EXPERIENCE WAS GREAT!, PURIFYING AND FILLED-WITH GRACE. MORE WAS TO FOLLOW AND STILL CONTINUES. WE CANNOT KNOW JESUS WITHOUT SUFFERING WITH HIM. THAT, DEAR FRIENDS, IS A GREAT BLESSING.

THE MIRACLE: HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN, ELDERLY, THOSE WHOM I HAD SHARED WITH DURING MY PRIESTHOOD, PRAYING FOR ME. ONE OF THE OPERATIONS TOOK 6 ½ HOURS, AND DURING, THAT TIME OUR CHILDREN WERE HAVING HOLY HOURS OF PRAYER. THIS GAVE ME THE ADDITIONAL LIFE I NOW CHERISH. THREE. DIFFERENT DOCTORS SAID TO ME: "YOU HAVE A BAD, BAD HEART." BUT MY DOCTOR, THE LORD, WHO TAUGHT THESE DOCTORS THEIR SKILLS, TOLD ME: "HANG IN THERE MY PRIEST; WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO."

I NOW SORT OF FEEL A BIT LIKE LAZARUS. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR MIRACULOUS PRAYERS. THIS HEART ATTACK WAS MY NINTH. PRAISE GOD!

SCHOOL YEAR ENDS

THE SCHOOL YEAR CAME TO AN END JULY 10th FOR OUR PRIMARY SCHOOL AND JULY 12th FOR OUR SECONDARY SCHOOL. WE HAD 56 GRADUATES AND IT WAS A JOYOUS DAY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN HERE IN SANTA MARIA, THE MAJORITY OF THEM WOULD NEVER HAVE FINISHED SCHOOL. ALL OF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD OF THE BEAUTIFUL RESULTS AND ALSO THE CLOSING CEREMONIES. ONE DAY SOON WE WILL HAVE THE BEST SCHOOL IN THE REGION. WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW!

VOLUNTEER ARRIVING

THIS PAST YEAR WE HAVE HAD FOUR EXCELLENT VOLUNTEERS IN SERVICE WITH THE CHILDREN: JOSH AND STACY FROM THE U.S., AND ANIS AND BLANCA FROM MEXICO. THEY ARE NOW GONE AFTER HAVING SERVED FOR NEARLY A YEAR, AND TWO MORE WONDERFUL YOUNG VOLUNTEERS--LESLEY WALKER AND ELIZABETH GEISHINGER--HAVE ARRIVED AND ARE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THREE MORE YOUNG MEN FROM ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY IN MINNESOTA WILL BE ARRIVING SOON. EACH YEAR WE EXPERIENCE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

STAFF MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF OUR LADY OF THE TRINITY

THE BIGGEST REASON BEHIND OUR SUCCESSES IS THE FIVE WONDERFUL RELIGIOUS SISTERS ON OUR STAFF. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. THE SUPERIOR AND FOUNDER OF OUR LADY'S SOCIETY, FR. JIM FLANAGAN, PROMISED TO SEND A PRIEST SOON TO JOIN OUR STAFF.

NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WE REALLY TRIED BUT WE JUST COULDN'T FINISH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE HAD PLANNED TO HAVE IN OPERATION. JUST THESE PAST MONTHS WE HAVE HAD ABOUT A 20% INCREASE IN EVERYTHING WE LACKED. ELECTRICITY IS A BIG FACTOR AND ALSO INSTALLATION OF THE WATER, AND DESKS, UNIFORMS, DOORS AND PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. YET ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. REMEMBER, WE ARE BELIEVERS IN MIRACLES, AND GOD IS SO GENEROUS.

NEW ARRIVALS

EVERY DAY SINCE MY RETURN FROM THE HOSPITAL I HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY SO MANY PEOPLE BEGGING TO RECEIVE THEIR CHILDREN. JUST TODAY I RECEIVED A BOY 15 YEARS OLD AND ONLY IN THE 3rd GRADE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL. HE HAS BEEN USING DRUGS, GLUE AND ,ALCOHOL THESE PAST TWO YEARS. HE IS ONE OF MANY WE HAVE DECIDED UPON TO ACCEPT. I HAVE TO TURN AWAY SEVERAL EACH WEEK BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF FUNDS AND BED SPACE. WHAT A SAD EXPERIENCE THIS IS!

A SENSE OF HUMOR IN A TIME OF DESPERATION (From Fr. John's desk)

WHEN THE DOCTORS FINISHED THE "INVESTIGATIVE PROBING" FR. NORMAN REFERRED TO ABOVE, HE WAS TOLD HE HAS AN 85% CHANCE OF SURVIVING THE OPERATION . I WAS IN THE OFFICE WHEN HE PHONED TO TELL SISTER TERESA THE NEWS. THAT MEANS THAT I HA7E A 15% CHANCE OF DYING! MAYBE YOU ALL HAD BETTER PREPARE FOR MY FUNERAL. I DON'T WANT AN OPEN-CASKET SERVICE, AND I WANT THE PICTURE OF THE POPE AND ME (taken in 1990) TO BE PUT ON THE CASKET. THEN BURY MY REMAINS IN THE GARDEN WHERE FR. ROSAS LIES, THE ORIGINAL BUILDER OF WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS SANTA MARIA, WHO DIED IN 1890, AND JORGE BAUCHE, THE FORMER RIGHT-HAND MAN OF FR. NORMAN, WHO WAS KILLED IN A BUS ACCIDENT. TWO YEARS AGO.

AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION HE PHONED AGAIN TO CANCEL THE FUNERAL PLANS.

Many thanks, prayers, love and peace to all of you,

children, staff, Fr. John and Fr. Cliff Norman.