Prayer Request

Please post the following (I already posted something essentially the same over at http://JMGarciaIII.blogspot.com) on the blog, as my son will be undergoing a treatment for autism pretty soon.

AMDG & thanks a zillion,

-J.

*********

I wanted to ask (beg, plead, etc.) for your prayers. As many of you know, my youngest son Davy has autism. In the course of researching the various medical options, therapies, schooling choices, treatments, etc. we have found a very promising one. No quackery, no "silver bullet." Most children who undergo this treatment make excellent progress and some (not a majority, alas) are even "cured." There doesn't seem to be any connection (yet) to determine which sort of child makes what level of progress. Such is the way with autism.

Davy is scheduled to undergo this protracted and intensive treatment* from June 4- June 15, 2007 and as such I beg your prayers. The Carmelites Sisters and new blogging phenom Veritas are fervently on the case.

Employ whatever prayers your heart dictates. We are starting a 54 Day Rosary Novena on April 12th to wrap up on the day Davy starts (someone tell me if my math is off!!) the treatment, we would LOVE to have you join us. Furthermore, we would also beg you to please ask (draft, conscript, cajole) as many likeminded friends as is possible. Please mention it in your various blogs, etc.

To shed some light on this, here is what the catholicity.com website says about the 54 Day Rosary Novena:

"Practically everyone who prays the Rosary 'offers' the Rosary to God and Our Lady for an intention. Some people offer particular intentions before each decade. You can ask God to grant you a favor, heal a sick person, or convert a sinner. Some people offer the same intention every day--sometimes for years on end--especially when asking the Father for the conversion of a particular person. Intentions are as varied as the people who pray.

Ask for big and small gifts. Be bold! In this sense, the Rosary is an exchange of gifts between friends.

It is widely known that Our Lady answers seemingly impossible intentions to those who are first beginning to pray the Rosary. This is her way of drawing you closer to Her and to Jesus. If you are praying your first Rosary, or returning to the Rosary after years of not talking to Our Lady, ask for something big, spectacular, "impossible." She'll often surprise you."

and also:

"Perhaps the most powerful novena is the 54-Day Rosary Novena, a series of six consecutive nine-day novenas. The first three novenas are offered for the intention, while the last three are offered in thanks to God in anticipation of granting the favor."

Of course, we'll humbly and gratefully accept whatever manner of prayer to which the Spirit moves you. Pray for the intercession of a Saint, Blessed or Venerable, if your heart dictates.

We ask you to keep in mind an 8 year old boy, full of goodness and love, who is trapped and afflicted by this terrible condition; and also all the other millions of children and their families undergoing similar trials. Our Lord loves them all.

In this matter, we remain totally obedient to God's will, trusting in His goodness, kindness, mercy and providence; imploring Him to look with loving favor on our petition that Davy is cleansed completely, permanently and thoroughly** of the scourge of autism; if it be for His greater honor and glory.

Rest assured of our prayers, as well as gratitude well beyond my meager capacity to express.

AMDG,

-Joe

* Those who undergo this treatment are in no danger, thank God, but it is very intensive and time consuming and exhausting.

** It said to "Be bold!" right? :-)