ACatholiccanonicalmissionaryserviceofevangelizationwiththepoor
consecratedtothebeatingHeartsofJesusandMary
Volume35,#2Fall-Winter,2017-2018
AccompanyingtheSufferingandDying
Normaliesinafetalpositioninbednotconnectedtoanylifesupport.Hereyesopenandcloseasifmovinginandoutofconsciousness.Hermouthopensandclosesasiftryingtoformwords,butshesaysnothing.Atherbedside,ItrainmyfullattentionuponhersothatImightnotmissanyattemptofherstocommunicatewithme.Iquietlylistentoherbreathing.Itissteady,butslightlylaboredandshallow.Itistheonlysoundintheroom.Iheareternityinherbreathing.Ibegintoquietlywhisperinanalmostchant-likemanner,“Norma,Jesuslovesyou.Norma,Jesuslovesyou.Norma,Jesuslovesyou!”Withoutlookingatme,butsensingthedirectionofmypresencefrommyvoice,herhandslowlyreachesoutlikeatendrilinsearchofthesun.Igentlyplacemyhand
inhers.Weconnectandstaylikethatforalongwhile.Sherestspeacefully,weaklyholdingmyhand,andIsenseGod’slovingpresenceinourgentlecaressinthesilenceofthehospitalroom.SheUinallyfallsasleepagainandunconsciouslyloosenshergripuponmyhand.IthankGodfortheopportunitytotrulyconnectwithHimthroughNormawhoisknockingatthethreshold
ofheaven’sdoor. Inmyhospicecareministry,IbelieveChristguidesmeintolife’ssacredmeaning,revealingHispromiseofeternallifejustbeyondtheveiloftheotherwiseseeminglyordinary,everydayeventsofdeathanddying.AsaLAMPmissionaryservinginhospicecareministryIbecomeconsciousofarealitybeyondmynaturalexperienceopeningthedoorwayintothesacred. -KevinWright, LAMPMissionary
ADoorwaytotheSacred
KevinofferscomfortashereadsGod’sWordtoadyingmanwholistens.
DearFriendsofLAMP, SincethebeginningofLAMPMinistriesin1981,wehaveoftenreUlectedonthepassageinSt.Luke’sGospelthatrecountshowJesusenterstheSynagogueinNazareth,standsupandreadsfromIsaiah:“TheSpiritoftheLordisuponme,becausehehasanointedmetobringgoodnewstothepoor.Hehassentmetoproclaimlibertytocaptives…”(Lk4:18).FromLAMP’sbeginning,“…tobringgoodnewstothepoor”,struckusdeeply-thatisLAMP’smission.Inrecentyears,particularlyinLAMP’sministriesinlargecityhospitalsforthepoor,nursinghomesinpovertyareas,parishvisitations,weseehowtheLordisusingtheLAMPMissionary“...toproclaimliberty
tocaptives.”Thosegravelyill,neardeath,oftenhaveheavyburdenscarriedformanyyears.ThroughtheprayeroftheLAMPMissionaryandtheChurch’sSacraments,manyofthoseweservehaveexperiencedtheLordgivingthemanewfreedomthathelpspreparethemfortheirnewlife.Thiseditionsharessomeofthosestories.
Thankyouforhelpingtomakethislife-changingministrypossible.
OneinthecompassionateBeatingHeartsofJesus&Mary,
Tom&LynScheuringMarybeth&EdGreeneDirectors PastoralDirectors
EveryoneonthefourthUloorknewEpifania.Shehadlost,amongmanyotherthings,theabilitytospeakEnglishandSpanish.Onecanimaginehowmuchdistressandlonelinessthiscausedher.Sometimesitbecamescreams.WhenIUirststartedvisiting,shegenerallyrecognizedmypresenceandwasattentivewhenIwouldpraywithher.Butasherconditiondeteriorated,shewasmoreandmorewithdrawn.Thescreamingbecamemorefrequent.
Thisday,shedidn'trecognizethefactthatIwasnexttoher.Istartedtoprayaloud:"InthenameoftheFather,…"Instantlyshewassilent,inraptattention.TrustinginGod,Icontinued:"OurFather...".God’spresencewassoimmenselystrong.Iwasexpressingmyheart’sadorationoftheLord,whosepresencewassoreal,IcouldbarelyUindwordstosay.Attheend,shepronouncedahearty"Amen."TheUirstintelligiblewordIhadeverheardhersayinallmytimeofknowingher.IpresentedtheHostforadoration."BeholdtheLambofGod..."ShewasentirelyUixedonadoringherLord.ItseemedlikeHewasalreadypresentinher.WhenIsaidtheresponse"Lord,Iamnotworthy...,"IfeltlikeIwasspeakingformyself.Shecouldn’treceivethehostsinceshewasn’tabletoopenhermouth.IleftfeelingasthoughshehadsharedcommunionwiththeLord.Icertainlyhad. ThenexttimeIsawher,herconditionwasmuchworse.Therewasamatbythesideofherbed,waitingformetokneel.WasIkneeling
inrecognitionofthepresenceoftheLordinmypyx,orinrecognitionofthepresenceoftheLordinherperson?Iwondered. Shewasn'tabletoremainfocusedinprayerthistime.AsIgotuptoleave,shegrabbedmyhand.Icouldn'teasilypullmyselfaway,soIkneltbackdown.Momentslater,Itriedagaintoleave,andshegrabbedmyhandoncemore,andeventuallyscreamedforamomentasIhadtoleave.Mysolacewasthatshewasn'treallyholdingontome,buttoHim,whoseministrythiswas. ThenexttimeIvisited,EpifaniadidreceiveCommunion.AfterallofthedeepcommunionwithGodthatsheexperienced,sheUinallyreceivedHiminHisfullness."Lord,nowletyourservantgoinpeace..."IfeltasifIhadbeendismissedinpeace.Apparentlyshewas,too,becauseafewdayslatershewascalledfromthisworld.Restinpeace,Epifania. -ZachYoung, LAMPMissionary
“Lord,NowLetYourServantGoinPeace....”
FROMTHEARCHIVES!In1996,LAMPMissionaryEdGreene,servinginaManhattanparish,beganvisitingRose,whowashomebound,afUlictedwithmanyhealthproblems,andhungeringforfaithsupport.Foranumberofyears,EdbroughthertheEucharistregularlyandprayedwithheruntilshecrossedthatthinlinethatseparatesthoseonearthfromthoseinheaven.
DrawingbyBethanyLee
DREs,CCDteachersandparents/grandparents:
DoyouhaveaFirstCommunioncomingupthisSpring?YoumightconsidergettingEthan’sFirstHolyCommunionMiraclefor
yourclassoryourlittleonetohelppreparethemforthisencounterwiththeloving,beatingHeartofJesus.ItisalsoavailableinSpanishunderthetitle:MilagroenlaPrimeraComunióndeJulio.TheyareavailableonAmazon.com.Foragrouprate,pleasecontactLAMP:
mgreene@lampministries.org.TheselittlebookswerewrittenandillustratedbyLAMPLighterchildren,forotherchildren,soJesuswouldbemoreknownandloved!Pleasehelpusinthisendeavor.Thankyou!
“EvenThoseDifNiculttoLove”
ThisstorybeganawhileagowhenIwoulddiscussScripturewithagroupofresidentsatColerHospitalafterMass.Wefrequentlytalkedaboutlovingallpeople,eventhosedifUiculttolove,followingthewordsofJesusintheBible.Therearemanysuchfolksinthishospital/nursinghome.Sadly,manyhaveheartsthathavegrownhardandcoldthroughmuchdisappointmentintheirlife. Johnisonesuchperson.Heisanamputeeinawheelchair,hadnofriends,andwasveryangryandfrustrated.TheonlythingIwouldseehimdoisroamthehalls,sulk,andbegformoney.Hewouldapproachpeopleveryaggressivelyandwouldaskrepeatedly,evenifthepersonhadnomoneytogive.Thenhewouldgetveryangry.Hewasveryunpopularatthislarge800bedstatenursinghomeforthepoor. ImetJohnaboutaayearagoatthelunchareaofthehospital.AfewCatholicresidentsandIinvitedhimtocomeandjoinusforlunch.Hehadagoodtimewithus,andwewentoutofourwaytoincludehimandcelebratehim,tryingtofollowtheteachingofourLord. SincethenIhavenoticedaslowchangewithhim.RecentlywhenhecomesbeggingandIbrieUlytalktohim,Inoticehisfaceissofteningandheseemsmoreatpeace.AverysimplerecentexperiencegavemerealhopeforJohn.Iwasholdinganelevatoropenforsomebodyelseandhecametowardme.Iexpectedhimtobegformoney,buthappilyIwaswrong.Heputouthishandforahandshakeandgavemeabigsmile,saying,“Hi!”Itreallytouchedmetoseethechangeinhim.Itmaynotseemlikesucha
bigdealbutknowinghowcoldhishearthadbeen,itissonicetoseehimshowinghistrueself.GodissoawesometobeworkinginJohn’slife,thatnowheisreachingouttoothers! -StevePatterson, LAMPMissionary
“...Ihavenoticedaslowchangewithhim....Inoticehisfaceissofteningandheseemsmoreatpeace.”
2704SchurzAvenueBronx,[email protected]
RETURNPOSTAGEGUARANTEED
LAMPCatholicMinistriesispossibleonlybythegraceofGodandyourprayersandNinancialassistance.Pleasehelpus,bymakingadonationintheenclosedenvelope,orthroughPaypal,ifyouareable.LAMPMinistriesisa501(c)3taxexempt,notforproNitcorporation.Thankyou!
AnnouncementTheLAMPMissionarieswererecentlyinvitedbyCalvaryHospital’suniqueandinternationallyrecognizedPalliativeCareInstitutetovisitthemattheirBronxsite.LAMPisverygratefultohavethisopportunitytolearnfromtheiryearsofexperiencewiththesufferinganddying.
Wewishyouallthelove
inthebeatingHeart
ofthenewbornSavior.
BLESSEDCHRISTMASAND
AHOLYNEWYEAR!
Allmaterials©LAMPMinistries2017©©©©
Canyouhelpus?AkindFoundationhasofferedto“matchanycontributionupto$2,500,fromaneworincreasedsource,toLAMPMinistries.”AreyouabletoincreasewhatyoulastgavetoLAMP?Ifnevercontributed,wouldyoubewillingtomakeadonation?DoyouknowsomeoneyouthinkwouldappreciateandassistLAMP’smissionofevangelizationwiththemateriallypoor?Thankyou,andmaytheLordabundantlyblessyou!
(Left)Wewelcome(upperleft)Sr.FrancescaTherese(LorieCeniza)fromtheCommunityofSt.John,whoisservingwithLAMPthisyear.SheisjoinedbyLAMPMissionaries(lower)SarahMutchlerand(upperright)SamanthaChestneyincelebratingthat“YouarepreciousinGod’seyes!”
