Andy O'Connor
Please pray for Holy Cross student Andy O'Connor. Andy will be undergoing major surgery next week during the fall break. We ask the Lord to keep him safe and provide a speedy recovery.
The postings on this blog will be lifted up by all the participating members of Holy Cross College family. We will also remember these intentions at our weekday Masses. To submit a prayer request, please email a contributor. Or email HCC Campus Ministry at apolaniecki@hcc-nd.edu .
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14)
Please pray for Holy Cross student Andy O'Connor. Andy will be undergoing major surgery next week during the fall break. We ask the Lord to keep him safe and provide a speedy recovery.
Angela Sturm, Holy Cross College student, would like the community to pray for a special intention of the Sturm family.
The father of Shane Leo had surgergy due to heart complications on Tuesday, September 8th. Please keep Shane's father and his family in your prayers.
The father of Stephen Codekas underwent brain surgergy last week for a brain tumor. Please pray that recovery from the surgery goes well and remember Stephen and his family in your prayers.
The father of student James Ross passed away last week. Please keep James and his family in your prayers.
I would request a prayer for solutions to a problem I am facing.
I would greatly appreciate if you would add a prayer for my family. My grandfather Theodore Brousseau passed away July 2 of this year. We held his funeral/memorial this last weekend. If you could pray for strength for my family to get through this hard time it would mean a lot to us.
Hello,
Please pray for HCC alum Mike Fanning's father who is very ill. His sister, Kathy, asks for prayers.
Alberto and Eva are going through a difficult time. Please keep this family in your prayers!
Sarah is a student at HCC. Her Mom has cancer again. Please pray for the both of them. They are going through a difficult time.
Alex Mihalovits, father of HCC alum Martha Mihalovits, is having a heart valve replacement on Wednesday. Please pray for him.
James Watson died an hour ago. I was with him and his father just a short while before he passed. Please pray for him and his family.
Please keep Margaret in your prayers. She is in St. Joe as of January 1st. She will be undergoing quadruple bypass surgery, Jan 3. Her daughter Barbara Cabana called me this morning. She did not have a heart attack, but instead is having this surgery at the direction of a cardiologist who was checking her for a heart valve issue.
The 17 year old son of Holy Cross College professor Justin Watson was badly injured in a car accident late last night. A surgeon has removed part of his skull and they are waiting for the swelling to subside before determining the extent of any brain damage. Please pray!
Please pray for Avery Ellis who is 3. She had surgery yesterday to remove a brain tumor after waking up and not being able to walk. Her mother's name is Amy and is a good friend of my mother's. She has 2 sisters and a brother also (and a great dad!). Please pray that their faith will remain strong and for a perfect outcome of the removal. Thank you.
Over the weekend, Owen Lambert, a 15 month year old boy in Osceola, Indiana fell into a back yard pond and was later found by a neighbor who happened to be a nurse. CPR was started immediately but he was not responsive. He remains on a ventilator but is not breathing on his own. I ask you offer prayer for Owen, his parents, grandparents and whole family so they can be strengthened for what lies ahead in their lives. I pray to God to watch over children that have a natural innocence and curiosity such as that which lead Owen to that backyard pond. May he discover God’s will be done, and may God have mercy on his soul.

Tonight, I need a special prayer, a friend of friend named Kevin Healey, who just completed his freshman year at Notre Dame, has been re-diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and tumors have been found in his lungs; this form of osteosarcoma is an advanced metastasis of the cancer, everyone from the Notre Dame community, the community of St.Ignatius High School in Cleveland, and Loyola University Cleveland-imports needs prayers, so if you have time or know people who can go to The Grotto, please offer up a prayer, I don't know Kevin personally, but to go through 4 semesters of Notre Dame while battling this serious form of cancer is a truly amazing story. His website is www.kevinhealey.com. Thank you and God Bless
In the fall of 2005, at the age of 9, Emilija was diagnosed with a very rare malignant brain tumor. At the time, she received chemotherapy and radiation to the brain and was in remission for a year and a half. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2007, Emilija experienced a relapse of the illness. This time, the tumor appeared in the upper spine. Most of the tumor was surgicaly removed and she received additional chemotherapy followed by an autologous tandem stem cell transplant. Emilija finished her second part of the stem cell transplant just over a month ago.As part of her treatment, Emilija still has to receive radiation treatments to the brain and spine. The treatments will begin sometime in May and are expected to last for about two and a half months.
Luke, I believe, is the first theology major to graduate from HCC.
From HCC alum Katie Robertson:
A current HC student requests prayers for her uncle who is dying of cancer. Janice Harber's uncle, Tony Strack was given only a couple of weeks to live. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated.
Sacchini Family had three family members pass away in the last 4 months. Mary Jane Feece is chronically ill.
Doug Irvine's mother passed away just before Thanksgiving.
Please pray for Carol Niemier, my wife, who is going through a difficult peiod in her life.
Please pray for Gail Miller, an adjunct instructor, and for her husband Don, who is undergoing treatment for recently diagnosed cancer.
Mrs. Schoen is a bit discouraged. She asked me to share that she had emergency surgery on her infected back on Thursday. She is now back home recuperating. But, her spirits have been dampened. Please join me in refreshing these by calling her or sending her a card. She asked that we please continue to keep her in our prayers.
Doug Irvine's mother had a massive stroke on Monday, 11/12 and is at Memorial Hospital and is unresponsive. Doug and Jan are meeting with Hospice today and do not figure that his mother will be here much longer. They ask for your prayers for her and the family.
On October 22 Sara Proctor's grandmother died after a long fight with lung cancer. Sara was very close to her. Shortly after the funeral, it was confirmed that Sara’s mother has acute leukemia and went into the hospital for chemotherapy. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.
For Julie Bennett - grandmother of a former student. She passed away early this morning. For her and for the rest of the Bennet family.
Luke is a 2007 graduate of Holy Cross College. He has recently moved to an Indian Reservation in Montanta to teach in their school. Let us support Luke in prayer as he generously follows his calling. Congratulations Luke!
Caleb Sutula (from St. Thomas in Elkhart, IN) was found dead in his apartment yesterday. Prayers for him and his family would be greatly appreciated!
I know you are pre-occupied these days, but I need some prayers. My wife and I just became pregnant with our first child. It is a welcome surprise. However, we are concerned about he health of both mother and child. My wife suffers from bi-polar disorder and the medication is not safe for pregnancies (it causes a lot of birth defects). Getting off the medication could significantly effect her mental stability. She is trying to lower her dosage, but cannot get off the medicine entirely. Please pray for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of both baby and mother. I am worried for both my wife and baby's safety. Also, if you could pray for me to receive the grace to be a great father and husband, I would appreciate it.
Reid Leazier, who just graduated from Dwenger, was at the Pro Life Music Festival in Warsaw last night, and was struck by lightening.
Sue Schoen will undergo knee surgery on June 26. Sue will then hear on July 9 whether she will require additional surgery for the cracked vertebrae and fractured bone in her back. Please be sure to keep Sue in your prayers, especially during this difficult time in her life.
Robert Kloska's battle with cancer continues.
Sara Kassen and her family ask that you pray for friend Jamie Williams who has just received a cancer diagnosis. Please pray also for Jamie's family and friends as they face this difficult time.
Please pray for Jerry Love's mother who has suffered many strokes and one severe one recently. Please pray also for Jerry and his wife Bev at this time. Both are alumni of Holy Cross College, and Jerry is serving the College as the chair of the board of trustees.
Alum Kathleen Duggan Friendshuh called from Ft Worth, TX to ask that we include the following on our prayer blog:
Greetings:
Back in September you posted a prayer request for my good friend Margo Jones who was diagnosed with Leukemia. Sadly I write to tell you that she passed away last night. She leaves behind her husband (Mark) and her 13 year old daughter Samantha. Would appreciate a posting for prayer and Gods peace for her family and friends. Thanks!
The real reason I am writing though is to inform you about
Please keep Kevin Falls and his family in your prayers. His mother has become very ill after complications from a recent surgery. He is currently in Massachusetts with his family.
MY NIECES NAME IS TAYLOR STORY AND SHE IS ONLY 13 ..SHE HAS VERY LOW BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE VANDERBILT CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN NASHVILLE TN PLEASE ALL PRAY IN AGREEMENT WITH ME THAT GOD WILL REACH DOWN AND HEAL HER COMPLETELY IN JESUS NAME AMEN. Ron
Dear Lord,
Please pray for my friends father-in-law, Mr. Tomaski. He was just diagnosed with secondary liver cancer. They are awaiting, more news and information from test results.
My cousin, Sue Praytor, has been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma and will learn more next week regarding treatment options and procedures. Thank you very much!
Pray for my father who is having bone lesion reviewed next week to determine whether it is malignant or benign. Let's pray with God's grace that it is benign and can be simply removed.
Rick Adams, my brother, has lost ground after a couple of infections. One nearly took his life over the Thanksgiving weekend. This week he will be going to a nursing home because he isn’t well enough for physical therapy. He doesn’t have any use now of his right side and is still not talking. Thank you for your continued prayers. It is hard on everyone especially his two sons who are shouldering all of this. Pat
Please Keep Jodie and her whole family in your prayer as her grandfather just passed away.
Rick Adams has lost ground after a couple of infections. One nearly took his life over the Thanksgiving weekend. This week he will be going to a nursing home because he isn’t well enough for physical therapy. He doesn’t have any use now of his right side and is still not talking. Thank you for your continued prayers. It is hard on everyone especially his two sons who are shouldering all of this. Pleasse continue to keep them in your prayers.
I just wanted to give a brief update on Kaitlin
My brother Rick is slowing beginning to use his right side. He is up with a walker and starting to feed himself. The good news is that even though he still isn’t talking, that area of the brain wasn’t affected. So once the swelling goes down, he should regain his speech. Thanks for all your prayers – it is helping greatly. Pat
Prayer Request:
While I'm not anything to do with Holy Cross, nor is my sister I happened upon this web site. I would so appreciate you're praying for her.
Please guide me as I go through a tough time. Please give me hope on the things to come. Lord, please hear my prayer regarding my relationship with Vincent. You know how much I love him. You also know the desires of my heart. Please hear my prayer.
Dear Holy Cross Family,
Let us keep in prayer Pat Adam's brother, Rick, who is 54. He suffered a stroke last night, affecting his right side and his speech abilities.
Please include our dear friend, Bill, his wife Barbara and family, in the prayers at H.C.C. and Notre Dame. Thank you, John Foley
Dr. Patrick and Liara Holly are some friends of ours in Ft. Wayne. They are expecting a baby but Liara's membranes ruptured last week at 24 weeks and she's been in the hospital on bedrest and meds ever since. She's now at 25 weeks and they at least want to get her to 27 weeks and then as far along after that as possible. Every day the baby remains inside increases the chance of survival by 4%. Dr. Holly is one of the only Indiana physicians trained by Dr. Hilgers at the Pope Paul VI Institute out in Nebraska. They are a great Catholic couple assisting dozens of couples dealing with infertility to go about it by the Church's teachings. My prayer is that the blessings they have given so many others would extend back to them in the safety and health of this baby.
Update: I just wanted to say God Bless you all for praying for my Aunt Marlene these last two days. We found out today her ct scan showed her very aggressive lung cancer is totally gone!!! Actually it is a miracle. The oncologist said this would never be cured, just possibly put into remission with a lot of prayers and luck. Well after all the 40 radiation treatments and 8 weeks of very aggressive chemo, it is Gone! We are not quite sure what that means in the long run, and either are they, but they are calling it a Cure for now!! Unheard of. Usually if they can get rid of the cancer in the lymph nodes of each lung, they can sometimes go in and surgically remove the tumor, and if so they call that a Cure! That is what they considered their best shot, and a long shot at that. But the tumor has disappeared on its own and only scar tissue is left. Very highly unusual in her type and stage of cancer.
Please pray for my Aunt Marlene who is suffering from stage 3b lung cancer. (She is a non smoker). She has gone through 8 weeks of chemo and 40 radiation treatments which burned her esophagus to the point she had to be hospitalized and a feeding tube put in until it healed and she could swallow again. She is 70 yrs young and was full of vitality until this happened. She is a fighter and has been all her life.
Just wanted you to know that Chuck went up to Chicago for a check up at the Rehabilitation Institute. His doctor there said he was doing really well, but he needs to walk a little more for exercise (don't we all!) and that he will see him in 6 months! This is really great news. He goes back to the Neurologist that first treated him here in Chicago next month. He had to have an MRI done on his back, he seems to be having more pain there then before. But he is doing fine. He is going to take his first solo drive today, just a few blocks to the pharmacy and back.
Also include in your prayer list Holy Cross Father Bob Kramer, who is now at Holy Cross House. He is an old friend and classmate of mine.
My sister, Mary Katherine Foley (Lexington, KY), just learned that she is suffering from Lymphoma. She has been very active in her cathedral parish and a friend of the Holy Cross community. Please remember her in your prayers.
For Richard Ginther (my best friends father). He had cancer 16 years ago and has been cancer free since. He recently had some tests done and found out there is a large mass in his abdomen. He has a biopsy on Tuesday and goes to the cardiologist on Wed. to find out how he's doing since he had his heart attack in February. Please also pray for the entire Ginther family. They have had a lot suffering recently - starting with the death of Adam, Aaron, and Allen on 8-14-04; Joanie Cassella (Mrs. Ginther's best friend) died back in June, and now Mr. Ginther may have cancer.
Shane Heirman's grandfather, Bill Sexton, just called. Shane and he are on their way to the northside of Chicago to the hospital. Shane's father is in critical condition. They will keep us posted. Please pray for Shane's father and the family.
My friend, Lisa, and her husband currently have 2 foster children. Their 15 year old son was playing with the 1 yr old (Trey) this morning and accidently dropped him on the cement. They are at the hospital right now. There is a fracture and bad bruising on his head/face. Please pray for Trey's total healing as well as for Jeff and Lisa and their son. Of course he feels horrible. Thank you!!!!!
Please post on the blog a prayer request for my brother-in-law, Dan Manion. Dan is in the hospital having suffered a stroke on Monday. From what I understand, he has regained all mobility, but there remains a clogged artery in the brain which is of concern. Please keep Dan, my sister Ann and their four children in your prayers.
I have a prayer request if you wouldn't mind putting it up. I'd like the Ginther Family to be prayed for because this is the 2 year anniversary of Aaron, Adam, and Allen's death. They were tragically killed in a car accident and I know this is hard for the family.
If I may trouble you, can you please post a prayer request for my dad to the blogsite? He had to go back in the hospital for a few days to correct an irregular heartbeat. In addition, he was potentially diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease (with symptoms similar to Parkinson's); it can be controlled to a degree with medication, but it already has and will continue to create many challenges for him.
I am writing to ask you to say a prayer for comfort for my Dad, Chris "CBF" Fagan, as he finishes his battle with cancer over the coming days and weeks. Last year, CBF was diagnosed with prostate cancer of the bone, essentially cancerous prostate cells that metastasized in his bones following the removal of his prostate in 1999. A year of chemo and radiation wasn't successful, and about 3 weeks ago Dad had his entire left knee and 14 inches of his diseased femur taken out and replaced with an artificial joint and bones. Unfortunately, it has proven to be too little too late as the folks at the Cleveland Clinic have now determined that there is nothing else they can do to prolong his life. Cancer has spread to many other areas of his skeletal and nervous systems. He has lost a lot of weight and now has delirium (which actually makes for some hilarious conversations... :-)
I have an super big prayer request. One of my best friends Margo Jones was just diagnosed this morning with A.M.L leukemia. She is at Memorial and will begin the intense 7 day Cemo today! She is married (husband is Mark( and they have a 10 year old daughter names Samantha. I am headed up to memorial now to pray with them. Please also pray for me and for His Spirit to move thru me in however he wants me to serve! Thanks
lord, please guide vincent in his journey. may he find the purpose for the things that are coming his way. please help him surpass all the trials that mya come his way while he is in the US. lord, also please give me hope in the midst of all the confusion... lord, i am praying that you will still will that vincent and I will spend our lives together
Please pray for the Przybylo family in Poland (fr. Lukasz's family). I received a letter from Mrs. Przybylo today asking for prayers. Mr. Przybylo is in the hospital needing heart surgery today or tomorrow. They are also out of money and so Mrs. Przybylo will be leaving in 2 weeks for Germany to work (probably as 'house help') for 6 weeks to get enough money to pay their bills. The doctors told Mr. Przybylo that he is too late for surgery to really help his heart (he should have had it months ago), but they will try anyway. When I was there in March he was having heart problems, but he also had fallen and broken his leg so he could not complete the tests (when you run and they monitor your heart) for his heart. Unfortunately waiting has worsened the problem.
First this: Chuck's surgery went fairly well on Wednesday. He had an abscess on his colon so they took care of that and he lost a little more blood than usual and so he was given some. He is quite sore but got up yesterday and walked down the hall and back and then this morning before I came to work he and I walked down the hall and back and down the other way and back. He is still on a liquid diet and until things start moving they will not give him any food. And he has to eat regular food before he gets to come home.
Please pray for Blaise Voita in Arizona. She was born with a very rare defect in her lymphatic system. The doctors have not been able to treat her condition very effectively and she is in need of a miracle. She has a central IV catheter on one side of her chest and a port on the other, in which we insert a needle every five days to drain the excess fluid from her body. This has wreaked havoc with her immune system, so she is always sick. We pray for God's will everyday. We pray specifically, that she will be able to eat, so that the IV can be removed; for a fully developed lymphatic system; and for a cure for her swelling/lymphedema.
My friend Catherine's 5 year old son Luke is in the hospital. His kidneys and/or liver are not functioning properly. He was admitted on July 4th and then released on the 5th with medications. He is retaining water in a big way. The meds are not working and so now he has been readmitted. They have not discovered the source of the problem yet. Thank you for your prayers.
We are leading our 4th year of marriage life having successfully completed the first 3 years of marriage. We are yet to be blessed with a child. I request the lord to shower his blessings on us.
Please pray for Regina Doman, author of several Catholic young adult and children’s books, including “Angel in the Waters", and the mother of six kids.Husband of Alice (Lohrer) Waverly, a friend of Robert Kloska from their days at Notre Dame. Braden just recently underwent heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.
I know I have done so many times, but I want to thank everyone,again, for all the prayers over the last few months. (As a quick reminder my husbands twin 16-year-old cousins were in a car accident in late Jan. claiming the life of one and putting the other in a coma for about 2 weeks.) Kaitlin spent over a month at Mary Free Bed rehabilitation center in Grand Rapids. She went home a month ago and will continue with out-patient therapy. Kaitlin is a amazing young women. She is swimming again (she is a competative swimmer) and also running. She ran with a friend for three miles at a 10 minute pace. (I would just like to remind everyone that Kaitlin has only been walking for about 2 1/2 months.) Keep Kaitlin and her family in your prayers. There can never be too many! Thank you!
Yesterday was Chuck's follow-up appointment in Chicago at the Rehabilitation Institute. Dr. Kim was quite surprised on how well Chuck is doing and I quote "You have come a long way. A lot further then we thought you ever would." He was able to see most of the Therapists and Nurses that worked with him. We spent about 3 hours there. It was a long day, but great to see everyone's surprised looks! He still has about a year they say until they are sure what will come back and what will not, but we are positive that he will be able to function at least at 90% of what he did before the accident. Thank you once again for keeping Chuck in your thoughts and prayers. Without you praying for him I don't think he would have come as far as he has!
Submitted by Dorene:
From Sherry:
Update: Mary Patrice Hope Kauffman was born at 3:26 PM. Incredibly, she was 1 pound, 12 ounces. One of the doctors couldn't believe the spirit of peace in which she was born. He was also shocked that a baby that small could have her lungs developed enough to cry. Mary is doing superb and is a 9 on that one ten point scale after 5 minutes. Bridget still needs prayers for the next 12 hours. After that the doctors will give her super blood thiners which takes her risk down substantially. Praise God. The power of prayer!!!!