God is so good!

I had been praying to Saint Therese for a special favor that she would watch over my mom who was very sick in the hospital. and I asked for a special sign from St. Therese that she had received my request for help. The following day I learned that Father Justin would need to celebrate three Masses on a given day because he had the Carmelite Mass, a funeral Mass and the regular Parish Mass. It took me some time but I realized that this was my sign from St. Therese and I agreed to celebrate the 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Carmelite monastery on September 19th.

I asked the sisters at the end of the Mass to please pray for my special intention, I later that day also shared with my mom that they would be making the supplication to God in their prayers. It was a true privilege and a joy to be with the sisters in the actual monastery and to experience their closeness to Christ and to celebrate Mass with them.

We are so blessed within the Diocese of Rochester to have the Carmelites here, praying with us and for us.

In the days following my visit to the Carmelite Monastery, my mother's condition worsened and my prayer changed to that she not suffer. On September 26th, she entered into the fullness of life and passed from this world. As it would turn out, Mom's funeral Mass was celebrated on October 1st. The feast of St. Therese, the Little Flower. God is Good!

Fr. William Coffas