Hello world:
I would like to introduce you to my family. Well, actually, I’d like to introduce you to your family.
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This is Jon, Lisa, Carter and Lexi. Aren’t they beautiful? Do you recognize Lexi? She’s a bit of a celebrity. You may recall a group of handsome frat guys serenading her after responding to her desperate plea for pizza from her hospital room-with-a-view at UCLA.
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It’s no secret: Lexi has cancer. In our little corner of California’s Central Coast, this community has rallied behind her and our family (Jon, Lisa, Carter…Oh, and Paisley, the adorable French Bulldog).
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I have no flouncy adjectives, no whimsical words to describe this next part, so I will be blunt. Cancer sucks. Being twelve and having cancer sucks. And for me personally, not being able to do a thing about the situation, being unable to offer any words of comfort…sucks.
But, what I can do, have done, and will always do is pray.
I pray for my family—all of you. Those of you whom I don’t know, don’t know too much about, or I know too much about… You know who you are.
Regardless, family prays for family. When our family in Brussels, in Paris, in New York, hurts…we pray. Our family here in Santa Maria, California hurts right now and we need you to pray with us.
I am asking you, dear family, to join me in prayer for nine days. I don’t care how you pray, but this is my plan:
I ask that anyone who is willing to appeal to the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ would pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for nine days starting this Sunday, April 3rd. If you can, please pray the chaplet (below) for nine consecutive days, as close to 3:00pm as possible, through April 11th. Please ask for the intercession of St. Faustina to help appeal to the merciful heart of our Lord on behalf of our family, especially Lexi.
Not Catholic? Uncomfortable or unfamiliar with a Rosary? Pray in your own words. Offer up small sacrifices in your own way. Put down the donut, the extra cup of coffee…the extra Easter peeps bunny…whatever you can go without and show your solidarity with Lexi.
May our combined efforts bring healing and peace to our family here and all over the world.
With love,
-Jess
Jessica Sheaff
Soli Deo Young Adult Minister
St. Louis de Montfort Parish
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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Using a Rosary, first pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and the Apostle’s Creed on the Cross.
Move to the medal or bead in the center to start the five decades. On each “Our Father” bead, pray:
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On each “Hail Mary” bead, pray: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding prayer on the medal or center bead, repeat 3 times:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For additional prayers, visit USCCB.org
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“Used with permission of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.”
