He preached with zeal and in 1732 God called him to found the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists). Alphonsus wrote numerous books, worked relentlessly through missions and offered spiritual direction and peace to people through the sacrament of Reconciliation.  Although he was sickly for much of his life, Alphonsus’ final years were marked by very serious and debilitating physical ailments; especially arthritis, which caused him great pain, left him permanently bent forward, and confined him to a wheelchair.

He died August 1, 1787, was canonized in 1839, and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1871.

This Sunday the Redemptorist order across America, will be offering the first-ever national ‘Blessing for Arthritics’ after each and every Mass at their parishes and retreat centers across the country.

The blessings will be held on this particular Sunday because August 1 is the feast day of our founder, and Patron of our parish.  In addition to being a doctor of the Church, St Alphonsus is also the patron saint of those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis since he, himself, suffered from severe arthritis for the last forty years of his life!

“This is the first blessing of its kind, as far as we know, on a national scale, for people who suffer the chronic and debilitating agonies of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other serious physical conditions,” said the Very Reverend Thomas D Picton, CSsR, provincial superior of the Denver Province. “We hope this is the beginning of an annual tradition that brings people to our churches to ask for the blessing and intercession of our great saint on his feast day and to beseech Our Father in Heaven to grant these suffering souls deliverance from their pains.”

Fr. Bernie Carlin, C.Ss.R.

Some four weeks ago, after returning from New Orleans, I drove to Chicago to see my surgeon because there was something just not right about my leg.  Go figure!  When I saw him he asked when I wanted to be operated on because the retinaculum was torn again and he was going to have to repair it.  I was waiting for a date out about a week and he gave me three hours and an appointment in his OR.

Later that day, while speaking on the phone with a friend I needed to adjust my position and asked for a pause in our conversation.  As I tried to move I could not because there was something wrong with my leg.  Much to my surprise (aka shock), there was a very large cast on my leg that ran from my big toe to my hip. I then realized the cast and I were going to be friends for three weeks, no matter what.  Fortunately, they modified the cast so I could walk with it.

Learning to walk with a cast on your leg is not easy and puts a hitch in one’s giddy-up.  I learned to walk with a distinct hitch as I pulled the weight of the cast forward with my leg.  Wednesday, July 7^th, the cast was cut off of my leg to the great joy of my friend and surgeon.  My leg had not atrophied as expected and the surgical site looked great.  Henry looked at me and said: “I think we have finally come to a point, Denis, where our professional relationship may be at an end.  Thank goodness.”

Dr. Henry Finn is a world class surgeon, meticulous to a fault, and greatly frustrated by the set of circumstances that has kept our professional relationship alive from January 5^th until now.  Our friendship and love for each other has grown deeply through all of this.  Leaving Weiss Memorial the other day was like leaving behind a family of wonderful friends and caretakers just like all of you.

The cast was replaced with a Velcro brace.  The amazing thing about this brace is that it doesn’t weigh anything near what the cast weighs, but there is still a hitch in my giddy-up.  I have learned how to walk with the cast on and now I have to learn how to walk with the brace.  A whole new set of muscles and a whole new set of motions, there is much to laugh about and many great lessons to learn.  Just like in life, we learn in every direction we turn.

It is strange, because through all of this I have experienced a wonderful peace.  I am not a great patient, nor do I like being taken care of, but I have had to surrender to a process that would bring me to wellness and it was rather DIFFICULT.  Never once was I alone through all of this: from Henry and his team of physicians and nurse anesthetists, to the floor nurses and therapists who cared for me as if I was one of their children, to a team of doctors here in Grand Rapids who literally saved my leg from amputation, to all of you who lifted up my spirits and held me in your hearts.  Just like in the poem Footsteps, “…you carried me when I felt most alone.”

By the way, the new knee works just fine and I have realized I have a lot to be grateful for, God is good!  Here’s to a summer of gratitude and hopefully some golf.

Blessings and prayers, Fr. Denis

Want to sponsor a hole or be a Super Sponsor? Call Bob Thiel for all the information at 451-3043 or email stalphonsusgr@catholicweb.com subject Golf Outing.

Since PALS will be covering Br. Andy’s ministry in his absence, we are in need of people  willing to visit and take Communion to the sick and aging. If you need help or would like to help someone, please contact Ann Lepech 447-8159  lepech@sbcglobal.net or Jayne Cotten 363-8225 djcotten1@att.net.

If you cannot attend the Blessing but would still like to receive a prayer card, you can go download a copy of the prayer at the link below or call the Redemptorist development office at 303-565-5450 to request a copy. A link to a video blessing is also included below.

Video Blessing

Prayer Card

Mobile Food Pantry Tuesday August 3rd 5:15 pm – 7:00 pm: Individuals are needed to unload the truck and pass out fresh produce, dairy and bread products  to those in need in the neighborhood. Do you know someone in need? Remind them about the truck! Help us get the word out to as many people as possible.  Anyone needing food may come, there is no screening or requirements for food.

If you are interested in volunteering please contact AJ at 913-4415 or email at setteraj@gmail.com

The food and clothing pantry is in need of children’s and men’s clothing. Donations are accepted Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Need to arrange a special drop-off time? Contact AJ at 913-4415.

As July continues to fade, I think of how good God is and how He provides not only what is necessary, but lots of goodies that are extras, wrapped in beauty along with doses of nourishment.  Just look around you and see all that is in bloom, even an ugly beet; a vegetable that nourishes.  I quote a wise person, “Stop and smell the roses.” Do we? In our rush of daily activities we can plod along day after day seeing only what touches us instead of reaching out and touching.  When we reach out and connect, we become more alive. It shows in our smile and our steps are a little lighter.  Why?  We take what is otherwise just out there and add the flavor of ourselves.  Let’s not chase the seasons.  We wait for summer, and then rush through it looking to what the next season might bring. But, if we pause, we then open ourselves to the gifts that are free for the taking. It becomes the energy to get us through the rough and tumble parts of life. If we don’t accept the extras that God provides, we often sing the song, “Is that all there is?”   No, it is not all there is. Live this summer, begin enjoying the extras God is providing. When we do that we get a small but important insight into how generous and loving God is.  Let us accept his gifts and then we can give the perfect gift, our gratefulness and sharing this love with neighbors and friends.

Peace be with you. Now go enjoy, but don’t forget to share.

Brother Andy