I have a special prayer request. 25 years ago, when I was 10, my mother, who had had 3 girls, prayed to God and begged Him to send her a little boy to be a priest. She wanted it to be God's will, though, so she asked, if God willed her to give Him a priest, let her conceive a boy right away (she'd been trying for a long time already). Well, she immediately conceived my little brother. He was named Joseph Philomen-Marie (Philomen after St. Philomena, so three powerful patron saints!), and he was quite a spiritual little boy. We would find him praying rosaries in his room alone at 8 years old. But evil entered my home when I left for college, and my parents ended up divorcing, which brought so much suffering to our previously solid Catholic, homeschooling family. My mother left home and the faith, and Joseph and my teen sisters were thrust into public school, where all kinds of bad influences pulled them in terrible directions and threatened their faith considerably. I continued to take them to Mass with me, and one of my sisters was confirmed, but the other refused. Trying to keep them in the Faith was a constant source of prayer and tears for me. One day I was praying before the Eucharist, and I asked God about each of my siblings.. "Dear Lord, what do you want me to do for them?" I named my first sister, and felt His response interiorly, "Leave her to Me." I named my second sister. "Leave her to Me" I again felt was the response. When I named Joseph, for the first time in my life, I physically heard the voice of God: "BRING HIM TO ME" boom through the empty church. It made all the hairs stand up on my body, and I've never forgotten it. Some time later, my best friend and I decided to go to Medjugorje. I felt that I should save up and take one sibling with me, which was all I could afford. At the time, my 2nd sister was the only sibling who was willingly attending Mass with me, so I told her she could come to Medjugorje with me. To my surprise, she decided that she'd rather spend her spring break with her friends. From the back seat, Joseph, who was then 11, piped up, "I want to go... Take me!" This further surprised me, but it immediately made me think of God's words, so I said, "Ok!" (My sister regrets to this day choosing not to go, btw, poor thing.) We spent a week in Medjugorje, and on the last day, Joseph walked over to a priest and told him he'd decided when he grew up, he'd be a priest. This made me smile, because no one had ever told him the story of how my mother had prayed for a boy to be a priest. Fast forward a few years... Joseph moved away with my dad, and since I was no longer there to take him to Mass, he never went again. Without the sacraments, he slowly lost his faith and never was confirmed. I placed him particularly under the care of St. Joseph and have been praying that he will obtain conversion for my brother and perhaps reignite a calling to the priesthood. When this year was proclaimed the year of St. Joseph, I was pretty excited. Perhaps this will be the year! My brother has been in the Air Force for almost 6 years and will leave this summer. His companions there are godless...it's nothing but endless parties and drinking, spouses cheating on each other...just a terrible place to be. He's here now visiting with me, and we talked a bit about God and religion. He said, "I'm at a point where I need to just throw myself back into religion full force, or completely walk away." I asked him if he's tried, and he said he went to Mass one time on base, but felt nothing, and it was awkward going up for a blessing. I of course told him that feelings mean nothing, but told him he needs to go to confession and resolve to do what's right, then receive communion. I asked if he'd come to confession and Mass with me on Wednesday, as I'd planned to begin the First Wednesday devotion in honor of St. Joseph. He was thinking it over, and we were playfully rehearsing on how to make a confession to jog his memory... Then my sister texted him out of the blue and asked him if he'd like to go to confession with her this week! So we'll all be going together on Wednesday! In short, I'd like to beg your prayers that Joseph will indeed go to confession and Mass and experience a profound reversion to the Faith, for which I've been praying for so long... Please ask St. Joseph, in his special year, to finally obtain this grace for Joseph, and that if he does have a call to the priesthood, that he will hear it once again. He is 24 and has been single for years, after a brief failed non-sacramental marriage at 18. I am so grateful to any of you that will pray for him, and will keep you updated. (By the way, my mother has since returned to the faith and is a devout Catholic once again, praying the daily rosary with my sister and often with my brother over the phone. My other sister spent years in jail due to drug use, and experienced re-conversion in jail and received her Confirmation there at 25 years old. My other sister attends Mass with me every weekend. God is so good! My father, also named Joseph, is in need of prayers as well, as he is still not practicing since the divorce.)
From your lips to God's ears!! I pray for your entire family. May your brother experience a great calling, and maybe one of his sisters could be a nun? If he is going to answer one prayer greatly, may he bless the whole family with great things. What else can I say? It's entirely possible that even greater things will come to pass.
I do hope God has great things in store for us! Although both of my sisters have children already (one married, the other not, but is trying to get her boyfriend to attend church classes so they can marry in the Church). I would consider it an amazing miracle if my father comes back to the faith. When I came back from Medjugorje, I hung a blessed rosary on the wall in his room, and at our next family therapy session, young Joseph spoke up and said he wanted our dad to go to Mass with us. My dad agreed, though he only went once. When he received communion, he silently cried for a while afterward. But he still never went back. That was 14 years ago.
Well, we will bring Joseph to God in our prayers! How powerful is St. Joseph in this year which the Church has dedicated to him. On my beads! O ST. JOSEPH, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for me, especially pray for Joseph, whom we offer this intention for.
You, Joseph and all your family will be in my prayers this week. Thanks for sharing your faith journey. I feel God has amazing blessings in store for you all
PurpleFlower. There is a miraculous novena to Jesus, King of all Nations. My mother did it for my youngest brother and it really is powerful. Offer Nine consecutive Holy Communions in honour of Jesus King of all Nations for the intention you cherish. It can be one reception per day. One per week. One per Month. I expect you will want to make one per day for a quick outcome, and that is ok. You can ask your sister to make the novena also and double the petition on behalf of your brother. Leave the rest to Jesus, and as I warned other family stand back because you will be blown away by the powerful response of Jesus King of all Nations. And you know your mother has legal rights over spiritual favours on your brothers behalf, if she would join you that would be powerful. (According to Father Rippenger). There is a powerful Chaplet of Unity attached to Jesus King of all Nations devotion which I must look up and post on the Forum. I think I already posted it somewhere in the past. But it would blow you away too. Just never forget to thank God when He moves mountains for us. Praise and bless His Holy Name. And remember you can make the novena of Holy Communions in any circumstance; by that I mean if you can only receive twice one week and four time the next and just once a week for the remaining. It is nine consecutive Communions, they don't have to be in any exact format as in consecutive days, weeks or months. Just nine for that intention only. Hope this helps. God bless you and your family. Have you heard about the Green Scapular, you can petition for conversions using the Green Scapular. You just ask Immaculate Heart of Mary to pray for the soul you petition for conversion. I have ten cooking at the moment, have sent the green scapulars to the recipients with their Christmas Cards, just hope and pray they put the scapulars by as keep sakes. That is all that is required, and we pray Immaculate Heart of Mary to pray for them now and at the hour of their death.
PurpleFlower. Here is the powerful novena to Jesus King of all Nations. I had posted it for the days leading up to the Feast of Christ the King. It is called the Chaplet of Unity. Believe me it is mighty. Novena means saying it for nine days in a row. God bless and don't forget, once you put your hand to the plow, don't look back. Say once on the Our Father bead; God, our Heavenly Father, through Your Son Jesus, our Victim, High Priest, True Prophet and Sovereign King. Pour forth the power of Your Holy Spirit upon us and open our hearts. You could replace us with Joe's name and our hearts with his heart, to make it personal. In Your great Mercy Through the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Queen Forgive our sinfulness, Heal our brokenness, and Renew our hearts In the Faith, and Love, Peace and Joy of Your Kingdom, that we may all be one in You. Say ten times using the Hail Mary beads; In Your great mercy, Forgive our sinfulness, Heal our brokenness and renew our hearts, That we may be one in You. At the end of the five decades say; Hear Oh Israel! The Lord our God is one God Oh Jesus, True King of all Nations, may Your Reign be recognised on earth. Mary, Mediatrix of all graces, mother of all Nations, pray for us your children. Saint Michael, Great Prince and guardian of your people, Come with the Holy Angels and Saints and protect us. Amen
That's amazing and I have no doubt they have returned because of your constant prayers and faith. I will pray for Joseph and add the intention to my prayer group.. God bless your family!
PurpleFlower, I have included your family in my daily intentions for spiritual, physical and emotional healing and reversion. They are truly blessed to have a sibling who cares so much for their lives. May the bounty of your faith touch their hearts.
Wonderful post. Life can be such an adventure. Praying for that happy ending. I am sure with someone who prays like you do it will always be a happy ending. Praying with you.
Amazing story...you are a amazing person. God is hearing your prayers! I will pray for your Joseph....please pray for my dear Joseph. He needs conversion along with his brother. I’m trusting God for a miracle..... Jesus, I trust in You!
