FEAST OF SAINT JUDE, THE APOSTLE

Patron Saint of Hope and Impossible Causes

October 28, 2018

 

As we honor Saint Jude the Apostle on his Feast Day, I'm reminiscing about last year's Cursillo Women's Weekend. I was on Prayer Team, and spent much of the three days praying in the chapel. I had been keeping a prayer journal up to and throughout the weekend. There is much I could write about the Cursillo Weekend. But if nothing else, one incident stands out that I'll never forget.

During Mass on Saturday, October 28, I was sitting in the balcony overlooking the chapel of the Holy House at the Blue Army Shrine. We all heard it - the loud grunting noise that became constant. All of us in the balcony looked around, bewildered, trying to figure out what it was. This went on for several minutes but the Mass continued in spite of the noises.

Cathy went downstairs to investigate. It turned out to be a 22-year-old boy with autism. There was a woman with him; perhaps it was his mom, I'm not sure, for she looked so young herself. They were standing just outside of the chapel. "He has to use the bathroom," she explained to Cathy, "but they're occupied".

Cathy motioned for them to follow her through the door which led to the meeting rooms of the Holy House. She took them to the bathroom in the back. The woman was grateful yet astounded. "People are not usually receptive," she told Cathy. When the boy was finished, Cathy told the woman, "There is a healing service going on right now, would you like for him to be anointed?"

The woman's face lit up and she replied, "Yes!"

Cathy looked at the boy and said, "You have nice eyes. What's your name?"

The woman answered for him. "It's Thaddeus Jude."

Cathy told her, "Well, it's his Feast Day today!" (Saint Jude Thaddeus is the Patron Saint of impossible causes.)

Cathy led the boy to Fr. John, who was going row by row with Deacon Phil to anoint those who were present. Without being told, Fr. John immediately understood what was happening.

I couldn't see all of this from where I was sitting up in the balcony but later on I was told by my sponsee, Margaret, what happened next. She would have been next to receive the anointing, but Fr. John turned toward Thaddeus Jude and he and Deacon Phil laid their hands on him. "At that moment when he was anointed, there was a big smile on his face," Margaret said. "And he stopped making noise." After the anointing, they left the chapel and walked out of the Holy House, never to be seen by us again.

Fanciful person that I am, I wondered, is Thaddeus Jude a real person, or was he an angel sent by God? Either way, it was a powerful moment. Initiated by Cathy's kindness... when she saw Christ in the boy; and then she became Christ to the boy.

 

Chapel in the Holy House

National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Washington, NJ


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