Sacrament of Penance
In most religions there are rites which convey a sense of penance and reparation for wrongdoing. These, in their own imperfect way, indicate man’s initiative in trying to find God once more and make peace.
From the time of Christ it was believed that all concrete, serious sins could be forgiven. Our Lord knew that given the weakness of fallen humanity, the Apostles would immediately need the power to forgive sins.
In the early Church, for the more serious sins, reconciliation involved a confession and then a temporary exclusion, or separation, from the Church community. During the penitent’s period of exclusion, he would pray, fast, perform acts of charity and other renunciations. After this period the penitent could request readmission to the Church community. Often the sin(s) needed to be confessed publically and much of the penance was to be performed publically before the sin could be forgiven and the person able to rejoin the parish community. (Aren’t you glad we do not do this anymore?!?)
As a result of the practice of public penance, many Catholics waited until their deathbeds to make their confession where sins could be absolved without a lengthy penance period. In the 7th century Ireland and England developed a penitential rite that did not involve a public confessing of sins and did not require a lengthy public penance. The forgiveness of sins was still the goal but could now be done privately.
The Sacrament of Penance brings about the forgiveness of mortal and venial sins. It can also bring about a peace of soul and a deep sense of spiritual consolation. Let us pray this week for the forgiveness of our sins and those of our friends and family in Christ. Let us pray for all those who are ridden with guilt over un-confessed sins and let us pray that the Lord will ease their pain. . –God Bless, Holly Clark
Source: The Sacramental Mystery, Paul Haffner
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Anointing of the Sick
May 2, 2010
Anointing of the Sick
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. James 5:14-15
Healing in the early Church was aimed at the restoration of the sick person to complete health of mind, body and spirit. As a sacrament, the Anointing of the Sick was the means by which the ill, elderly and the dying encountered God. This epistle of James became the first model for the healing activity of the early Church.
You will note that James asks “Is anyone among you sick? He does not ask “Is anyone among you dying?” There is no evidence that the early Church believed that the sacrament was only for those preparing for death… the graces of the sacrament were to be bestowed among those who were in need of healing. Thomas Aquinas, in 1274, in Summa Theologica, stated that the sacrament was only to be administered to those preparing to die. The sacrament became popularly known as “Last Rites.” This was to last until the Vatican II reforms. The Vatican II Council sought to restore the sacrament to its original purpose, to that of healing. Unfortunately, even after 40+ years, many of the faithful still hold to the Anointing of the Sick as being the sacrament of dying. Many families and ill persons wait until the last minute to request an anointing, sometimes it is too late.
Don’t wait! The graces received from an anointing are truly powerful! Anointing can bring comfort, strength and peace to those who are awaiting serious surgery or are ill, as from cancer, HIV, or other such illness. I received an anointing shortly after a diagnosis of cancer in 2007. The sacrament brought me the strength to face cancer surgery and treatment. I knew that God was with me, giving me peace ad strength when I had none. The graces I received are still with me today.
Let us lift up those who are ill in prayer. Let us pray that they will not wait to receive an anointing. Let us pray for God to bring them strength and healing. This week let us remember how fragile life is and not wait until too late to allow God into our hearts. –God Bless, Holly Clark
Source and Recommended reading:Understanding Sacramental Healing, John Kasza
Anointing of the Sick
Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. James 5:14-15
Healing in the early Church was aimed at the restoration of the sick person to complete health of mind, body and spirit. As a sacrament, the Anointing of the Sick was the means by which the ill, elderly and the dying encountered God. This epistle of James became the first model for the healing activity of the early Church.
You will note that James asks “Is anyone among you sick? He does not ask “Is anyone among you dying?” There is no evidence that the early Church believed that the sacrament was only for those preparing for death… the graces of the sacrament were to be bestowed among those who were in need of healing. Thomas Aquinas, in 1274, in Summa Theologica, stated that the sacrament was only to be administered to those preparing to die. The sacrament became popularly known as “Last Rites.” This was to last until the Vatican II reforms. The Vatican II Council sought to restore the sacrament to its original purpose, to that of healing. Unfortunately, even after 40+ years, many of the faithful still hold to the Anointing of the Sick as being the sacrament of dying. Many families and ill persons wait until the last minute to request an anointing, sometimes it is too late.
Don’t wait! The graces received from an anointing are truly powerful! Anointing can bring comfort, strength and peace to those who are awaiting serious surgery or are ill, as from cancer, HIV, or other such illness. I received an anointing shortly after a diagnosis of cancer in 2007. The sacrament brought me the strength to face cancer surgery and treatment. I knew that God was with me, giving me peace ad strength when I had none. The graces I received are still with me today.
Let us lift up those who are ill in prayer. Let us pray that they will not wait to receive an anointing. Let us pray for God to bring them strength and healing. This week let us remember how fragile life is and not wait until too late to allow God into our hearts. –God Bless, Holly Clark
Source and Recommended reading:Understanding Sacramental Healing, John Kasza
Sacrament of Confirmation
April 25, 2010
Confirmation
This coming Friday Sacred Heart Parish will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for more than 80 kids in the Confirmation program here and from St. Rose. Very often Confirmation is treated as a rite of passage as if a candidate is becoming an adult in the Catholic faith. This leads people to believe that Confirmation is a “graduation” of sorts when in actuality it is a beginning of a lifetime faith journey.
The sacrament of Confirmation is really about strengthening our faith. It is a continuation of the work begun in Baptism. Confirmation should be thought of as a beginning rather than an ending (or graduation from religious ed). Confirmation brings the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to us so that we have the tools to learn in the faith, grow in the faith, and be members in the Body of Christ. In The Sacramental Mystery, author Paul Haffner believes that confirmation should be done before the teenage years (when most parishes confirm) so that they may use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to bring them through the tumultuous teenage years.
When examining the Rite of Confirmation, one will find no questions asking the candidate “Do you really want to be a Catholic?” Instead, from the very beginning, we see questions that are very familiar… such as “Do you reject Satan and all his works?” The questions in the rite are the same ones asked in the Rite of Baptism. In Confirmation the promises made at baptism are renewed and strengthened. Confirmation amplifies the graces received in Baptism.
Baptism and Confirmation are twin sacraments. They cannot be separated. When one is baptized it is expected that s/he will also be confirmed. Each sacrament fulfills its meaning in the other. This twinning is analogous to Easter and Pentecost. Pentecost completes the Easter message of hope and resurrection in Christ. The appearance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost puts a seal on the Paschal Mystery; just as confirmation puts a seal on the baptized person when the bishop says “(name) be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Let us remember the confirmation candidates in prayer this week. Let us pray that they will see Confirmation as a beginning rather than an ending and let us ALL make a commitment to lifelong learning beyond confirmation so that we may grow closer to Jesus.
God Bless… Holly Clark
Confirmation
This coming Friday Sacred Heart Parish will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for more than 80 kids in the Confirmation program here and from St. Rose. Very often Confirmation is treated as a rite of passage as if a candidate is becoming an adult in the Catholic faith. This leads people to believe that Confirmation is a “graduation” of sorts when in actuality it is a beginning of a lifetime faith journey.
The sacrament of Confirmation is really about strengthening our faith. It is a continuation of the work begun in Baptism. Confirmation should be thought of as a beginning rather than an ending (or graduation from religious ed). Confirmation brings the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to us so that we have the tools to learn in the faith, grow in the faith, and be members in the Body of Christ. In The Sacramental Mystery, author Paul Haffner believes that confirmation should be done before the teenage years (when most parishes confirm) so that they may use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to bring them through the tumultuous teenage years.
When examining the Rite of Confirmation, one will find no questions asking the candidate “Do you really want to be a Catholic?” Instead, from the very beginning, we see questions that are very familiar… such as “Do you reject Satan and all his works?” The questions in the rite are the same ones asked in the Rite of Baptism. In Confirmation the promises made at baptism are renewed and strengthened. Confirmation amplifies the graces received in Baptism.
Baptism and Confirmation are twin sacraments. They cannot be separated. When one is baptized it is expected that s/he will also be confirmed. Each sacrament fulfills its meaning in the other. This twinning is analogous to Easter and Pentecost. Pentecost completes the Easter message of hope and resurrection in Christ. The appearance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost puts a seal on the Paschal Mystery; just as confirmation puts a seal on the baptized person when the bishop says “(name) be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Let us remember the confirmation candidates in prayer this week. Let us pray that they will see Confirmation as a beginning rather than an ending and let us ALL make a commitment to lifelong learning beyond confirmation so that we may grow closer to Jesus.
God Bless… Holly Clark
The Eucharist
April 18, 2010
The Eucharist
In the most blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church.
-Vatican II, Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5.2
This past weekend we began welcoming our second graders to the Lord’s Table. I look into their faces and think what a gift we have in Jesus. I am also remembering Fr. Moran who would make every child feel special to Jesus and to him.
The Eucharist is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the other two being Baptism and Confirmation. In the early Church, Baptism was followed by Confirmation and then First Holy Communion. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith and is the culmination of Christian initiation. You may be asking yourselves, if this is true, why is Confirmation after Eucharist? In the early Church, the faithful would get their children baptized and then would wait for the Bishop to come around to confirm their children. This could be months or perhaps years between visits to the parish. The end result was that fewer and fewer persons were confirmed because parents couldn’t always get their children to the bishop and thus very few Catholics were receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Eventually, it was decided that to get more people to the Lord’s table that parish priests could allow the Sacrament of the Eucharist to precede Confirmation. This is where we are at today in most parishes.
At the Second Vatican Council, the bishops restored the original order of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. There is a movement in some parts of the world to restore the Sacraments into their proper order to mirror the intentions of the early Church.
This week I would like you all to reflect back to your First Communion. What did it mean to you to receive Jesus for the very first time? What was it like for you when you first experienced the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Today, as we receive the Eucharist let us thank Jesus for His Holy Sacrifice and to pray for all our young children as they encounter Jesus on a personal level for the first time. And, in memory of Fr. Moran, who so loved celebrating the Eucharist with children, let us welcome each child as he did: “Jesus loves you… and so do I.”
God Bless… Holly Clark
The Eucharist
In the most blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church.
-Vatican II, Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5.2
This past weekend we began welcoming our second graders to the Lord’s Table. I look into their faces and think what a gift we have in Jesus. I am also remembering Fr. Moran who would make every child feel special to Jesus and to him.
The Eucharist is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the other two being Baptism and Confirmation. In the early Church, Baptism was followed by Confirmation and then First Holy Communion. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith and is the culmination of Christian initiation. You may be asking yourselves, if this is true, why is Confirmation after Eucharist? In the early Church, the faithful would get their children baptized and then would wait for the Bishop to come around to confirm their children. This could be months or perhaps years between visits to the parish. The end result was that fewer and fewer persons were confirmed because parents couldn’t always get their children to the bishop and thus very few Catholics were receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Eventually, it was decided that to get more people to the Lord’s table that parish priests could allow the Sacrament of the Eucharist to precede Confirmation. This is where we are at today in most parishes.
At the Second Vatican Council, the bishops restored the original order of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. There is a movement in some parts of the world to restore the Sacraments into their proper order to mirror the intentions of the early Church.
This week I would like you all to reflect back to your First Communion. What did it mean to you to receive Jesus for the very first time? What was it like for you when you first experienced the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Today, as we receive the Eucharist let us thank Jesus for His Holy Sacrifice and to pray for all our young children as they encounter Jesus on a personal level for the first time. And, in memory of Fr. Moran, who so loved celebrating the Eucharist with children, let us welcome each child as he did: “Jesus loves you… and so do I.”
God Bless… Holly Clark
Self Discovery Through Baptism
April 11, 2010
Self Discovery Through Baptism
As I sit in my Liturgy and Sacraments class, I wish you all could be with me learning about our faith. Over the next few weeks I would like to share with you my insights into the sacraments of our faith.
The Sacrament of Baptism is about healing broken relationships. When Adam and Eve faltered in the Garden of Eden, they damaged their relationship with each other, God and the cosmos. When God gave us Baptism He gave us a way to mend these broken relationships. Christ’s redeeming action upon the cross heals us through Baptism and we are again made whole and all is right with God, ourselves and the universe.
In Baptism we find ourselves reunited with God’s graces. God desires that all become his adopted sons and daughters, saved through baptism. In Baptism our past is washed away… what ever separated us from receiving and loving God is washed away and we find ourselves blessed with God’s graces. We are no longer blind to God’s love for us.
Our relationships with ourselves and others are also healed in Baptism. At the Fall, human relationships were broken. In Baptism we are called together to share Christ’s Mission: to bring good news to the poor, to heal the sick and the lame, to free the oppressed. We are called to be a new creation in Christ. We are ready to live a life of grace thus fulfilling our mission as priest, prophet and king. We are called to serve one another for the common good.
Through Baptism, we are now consecrated for Christian worship, ready to live a Christian life and we embark on a path of self-discovery… We ask what is God’s plan and how do we fulfill his plan of salvation for us. We ask what gifts do we have to offer God and our fellow Christians and what can we do to help ourselves and others to live a life of faith. This self discovery is rooted in Baptism… our old self melts away and new self, full of grace appears, ready to accept God’s loving plan for us.
Let us pray this week for those parents attending our Baptism Preparation Class today. Let us also reflect upon our own baptism and how we live out our baptismal promises in our own lives.
God Bless, Holly Clark
Self Discovery Through Baptism
As I sit in my Liturgy and Sacraments class, I wish you all could be with me learning about our faith. Over the next few weeks I would like to share with you my insights into the sacraments of our faith.
The Sacrament of Baptism is about healing broken relationships. When Adam and Eve faltered in the Garden of Eden, they damaged their relationship with each other, God and the cosmos. When God gave us Baptism He gave us a way to mend these broken relationships. Christ’s redeeming action upon the cross heals us through Baptism and we are again made whole and all is right with God, ourselves and the universe.
In Baptism we find ourselves reunited with God’s graces. God desires that all become his adopted sons and daughters, saved through baptism. In Baptism our past is washed away… what ever separated us from receiving and loving God is washed away and we find ourselves blessed with God’s graces. We are no longer blind to God’s love for us.
Our relationships with ourselves and others are also healed in Baptism. At the Fall, human relationships were broken. In Baptism we are called together to share Christ’s Mission: to bring good news to the poor, to heal the sick and the lame, to free the oppressed. We are called to be a new creation in Christ. We are ready to live a life of grace thus fulfilling our mission as priest, prophet and king. We are called to serve one another for the common good.
Through Baptism, we are now consecrated for Christian worship, ready to live a Christian life and we embark on a path of self-discovery… We ask what is God’s plan and how do we fulfill his plan of salvation for us. We ask what gifts do we have to offer God and our fellow Christians and what can we do to help ourselves and others to live a life of faith. This self discovery is rooted in Baptism… our old self melts away and new self, full of grace appears, ready to accept God’s loving plan for us.
Let us pray this week for those parents attending our Baptism Preparation Class today. Let us also reflect upon our own baptism and how we live out our baptismal promises in our own lives.
God Bless, Holly Clark
Monday, March 29, 2010
On the Road
Easter 2010: On the Road…
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 32
Today, as I read today’s Gospel, I picture myself on the road to Emmaus… won’t you join me? Close your eyes for a few moments and picture the scene… Jesus has just been crucified, buried in a tomb, but is no longer in the tomb. Where could He be? This is the topic of our conversation on the road to Emmaus. Rumors are abounding… Roman conspiracy, angels, grave-robbing? And lo… a fellow traveler comes along and joins our conversation… Can you imagine? Someone who has not heard the news of Jesus death and disappearance? As we fill in the stranger on the goings on in Jerusalem we feel warmth in our hearts. We do not know why but this stranger seems to know us. The stranger explains to us what was written in scripture has just been fulfilled. We are astonished… How could this stranger know?
As evening comes we invite the stranger to dine with us. He breaks the bread, gives it to us and provides us the blessing. It is now our eyes are opened! Jesus is with us! We also realize He was with us all along! It was He who caused our hearts to burn as He quoted scripture to us on our journey to Emmaus! As I lay myself to sleep I can’t help but think how often Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and carries us and we do not recognize Him… He comes to us in many forms… in scripture, in our family, in our friends and neighbors and in our hearts. We need only open our eyes, our minds and our hearts. The next time you feel your heart burning you will know Jesus is with you.Happy Easter to you all… Holly Clark
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 32
Today, as I read today’s Gospel, I picture myself on the road to Emmaus… won’t you join me? Close your eyes for a few moments and picture the scene… Jesus has just been crucified, buried in a tomb, but is no longer in the tomb. Where could He be? This is the topic of our conversation on the road to Emmaus. Rumors are abounding… Roman conspiracy, angels, grave-robbing? And lo… a fellow traveler comes along and joins our conversation… Can you imagine? Someone who has not heard the news of Jesus death and disappearance? As we fill in the stranger on the goings on in Jerusalem we feel warmth in our hearts. We do not know why but this stranger seems to know us. The stranger explains to us what was written in scripture has just been fulfilled. We are astonished… How could this stranger know?
As evening comes we invite the stranger to dine with us. He breaks the bread, gives it to us and provides us the blessing. It is now our eyes are opened! Jesus is with us! We also realize He was with us all along! It was He who caused our hearts to burn as He quoted scripture to us on our journey to Emmaus! As I lay myself to sleep I can’t help but think how often Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and carries us and we do not recognize Him… He comes to us in many forms… in scripture, in our family, in our friends and neighbors and in our hearts. We need only open our eyes, our minds and our hearts. The next time you feel your heart burning you will know Jesus is with you.Happy Easter to you all… Holly Clark
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Sacraments of Initiation
March 28, 2010
Sacraments of Initiation
This spring I am taking a course in Liturgy and Sacraments at St. John’s Seminary. I’ve just completed studying the Sacraments of Initiation which include Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. As I read the history and theology of these sacraments I am filled with awe and often find myself saying “just how cool is this!”
In Baptism we are healed of our broken relationship with God (caused by the Fall in the Garden of Eden). We are joined together to form a community, a Church, founded in Christ, to the benefit of ourselves and mankind. In Confirmation our Baptismal vows are strengthened with the seal of the Holy Spirit and we are given the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us to lead fruitful Christian lives. The summit of Christian initiation lies in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the ultimate sacrifice that we center our lives around. In the Eucharist we become one with Christ and share in the Paschal Mystery.
This year, at, our Easter Vigil, we will be receiving into the Church two young women, Jennifer and Robin Little. Robin will be receiving Confirmation and the Eucharist for the first time and Jennifer will be receiving Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. As we witness Jennifer and Robin receiving these sacraments for the first time let us reflect back upon our own reception into the Church. Let us recall the joy our parents, family and Jesus felt as we were baptized into the faith (and perhaps you recall your own joy if baptized as an adult.). Let us recall our awe and wonder as we received the Eucharist for the first time. And let us recall when the Holy Spirit came upon us when the Bishop proclaimed “be sealed with the Holy Spirit.” Let us pray for Jennifer and Robin as they begin their journey as newly initiated Catholics. Let us welcome them into our faith and our hearts. God Bless, Holly Clark
Sacraments of Initiation
This spring I am taking a course in Liturgy and Sacraments at St. John’s Seminary. I’ve just completed studying the Sacraments of Initiation which include Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. As I read the history and theology of these sacraments I am filled with awe and often find myself saying “just how cool is this!”
In Baptism we are healed of our broken relationship with God (caused by the Fall in the Garden of Eden). We are joined together to form a community, a Church, founded in Christ, to the benefit of ourselves and mankind. In Confirmation our Baptismal vows are strengthened with the seal of the Holy Spirit and we are given the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us to lead fruitful Christian lives. The summit of Christian initiation lies in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the ultimate sacrifice that we center our lives around. In the Eucharist we become one with Christ and share in the Paschal Mystery.
This year, at, our Easter Vigil, we will be receiving into the Church two young women, Jennifer and Robin Little. Robin will be receiving Confirmation and the Eucharist for the first time and Jennifer will be receiving Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. As we witness Jennifer and Robin receiving these sacraments for the first time let us reflect back upon our own reception into the Church. Let us recall the joy our parents, family and Jesus felt as we were baptized into the faith (and perhaps you recall your own joy if baptized as an adult.). Let us recall our awe and wonder as we received the Eucharist for the first time. And let us recall when the Holy Spirit came upon us when the Bishop proclaimed “be sealed with the Holy Spirit.” Let us pray for Jennifer and Robin as they begin their journey as newly initiated Catholics. Let us welcome them into our faith and our hearts. God Bless, Holly Clark
Power of Prayer
March 21, 2010
Power of Prayer
Every week in our parish bulletin we publish a list of names of people who are ill and have asked for our prayers. Do you wonder who these people are or how they are doing? Do you have faith that our prayers help the sick and dying?
This week we received an e-mail from Jesse Heikkila’s mom. Jesse is a little boy we have been praying for, for nearly a year. Last April, at about his 3rd birthday, Jesse was diagnosed with “High Risk Neuroblastoma,” a stage 4 cancer throughout this body, head, adrenal glands, and bone marrow. Chemotherapy was started two days after entering the ER of Children’s Hospital. For the first month it was touch ad go as Jesse endured endless treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. Jesse’s parents stood by his bed broken-hearted as they saw Jesse lose vision in one eye, and his hair would fall out onto his pillow. As Jesse’s mom says…” During this time, our faith was shaken but not lost. We decided to do whatever it took to get our son back. And we did. Jesse endured an intense schedule of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow harvest and transplant, more radiation, many blood transfusions, an antibody treatment and now he is on Accutane.”
During this past year we, at Sacred Heart, along with Jesse’s family and friends, have been praying for his recovery. Jesse’s cancer responded well to his treatment and now he is cancer free and ready to celebrate his next birthday. Jesse’s mom, Suzzanne, states, “Our goal is to prevent relapse and we will. Because with faith, hope, and love for Jesse… anything is possible.”
The Lord has done great things for us;we are filled with joy. –Ps 126
God Bless, Holly Clark
Power of Prayer
Every week in our parish bulletin we publish a list of names of people who are ill and have asked for our prayers. Do you wonder who these people are or how they are doing? Do you have faith that our prayers help the sick and dying?
This week we received an e-mail from Jesse Heikkila’s mom. Jesse is a little boy we have been praying for, for nearly a year. Last April, at about his 3rd birthday, Jesse was diagnosed with “High Risk Neuroblastoma,” a stage 4 cancer throughout this body, head, adrenal glands, and bone marrow. Chemotherapy was started two days after entering the ER of Children’s Hospital. For the first month it was touch ad go as Jesse endured endless treatments of chemotherapy and radiation. Jesse’s parents stood by his bed broken-hearted as they saw Jesse lose vision in one eye, and his hair would fall out onto his pillow. As Jesse’s mom says…” During this time, our faith was shaken but not lost. We decided to do whatever it took to get our son back. And we did. Jesse endured an intense schedule of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow harvest and transplant, more radiation, many blood transfusions, an antibody treatment and now he is on Accutane.”
During this past year we, at Sacred Heart, along with Jesse’s family and friends, have been praying for his recovery. Jesse’s cancer responded well to his treatment and now he is cancer free and ready to celebrate his next birthday. Jesse’s mom, Suzzanne, states, “Our goal is to prevent relapse and we will. Because with faith, hope, and love for Jesse… anything is possible.”
The Lord has done great things for us;we are filled with joy. –Ps 126
God Bless, Holly Clark
Monday, March 15, 2010
Jesse's Story
Jesse’s Story
by Suzanne Heikkila
Jesse is a wonderful blessing to my husband Jeff and me. Our entire lives we wanted to be parents, and we overjoyed when Jesse was born. Jesse instantly became the center of our universe. We lived to make him happy, and loved every thing about him. Jesse is very sweet, compassionate, yet has a very strong and brave side. He loves Cars, Super Hero’s, playing with his cousins, and outside in his Power Wheels trunk. However, last April, Jesse complained of a headache during his 3rd birthday party. It was intermittent, but with each day, his pain increased. At first, we were treated for a sinus infection. When the pain increased and Jesse reported he could not see, we headed to Children’s Hospital Boston. A CT Scan was ordered after initial tests did not show any infections. My husband Jeff went into the room with Jesse, while I waited outside of the scan room, 8 months pregnant. I became nervous when they wanted to rescan Jesse. Once the second set of scans was completed, we were ushered back to the room with the doctor.
The doctor told me to sit down, and I knew in his young eyes, this was not going to be easy. All I heard was, “a large mass was found in his head”. Teams of doctors entered the room, gathering to do whatever it took to help Jesse. Over the next few days, another tumor was found in his adrenal gland, leading to the diagnosis of High Risk Neuroblastoma. It was Stage 4, a very aggressive cancer. It was in all of his bones and bone marrow, and his biopsy showed the DNA of the tumor was unfavorable. Chemotherapy started in the ICU just two days after walking into the emergency room.
That first month we stayed at Children’s; I did not know what would happen to my son. The pain the tumor in his head caused was intense, and he lost vision in his right eye as the tumor compressed his optic nerve. He was sick all the time from the chemotherapy and I watched his hair fall into his pillow, broken hearted. We would share a bed and he loved to lean in close to his unborn baby brother, Colton. Moments of comfort were short lived as Jesse would vomit every 15 minutes despite medication to help control nausea. Radiation started as well, to stop this aggressive tumor from growing in his head. During this time, our faith was shaken but not lost. We decided to do whatever it took to get our son back. And we did.
Jesse endured an intense schedule of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow harvest and transplant, more radiation, many blood transfusions, an antibody treatment and now he is on Accutane. Jesse’s cancer responded well to his treatment and now he is cancer free. Our goal is to prevent relapse and we will. Because with faith, hope, and love for Jesse… anything is possible.
Jesse is a wonderful blessing to my husband Jeff and me. Our entire lives we wanted to be parents, and we overjoyed when Jesse was born. Jesse instantly became the center of our universe. We lived to make him happy, and loved every thing about him. Jesse is very sweet, compassionate, yet has a very strong and brave side. He loves Cars, Super Hero’s, playing with his cousins, and outside in his Power Wheels trunk. However, last April, Jesse complained of a headache during his 3rd birthday party. It was intermittent, but with each day, his pain increased. At first, we were treated for a sinus infection. When the pain increased and Jesse reported he could not see, we headed to Children’s Hospital Boston. A CT Scan was ordered after initial tests did not show any infections. My husband Jeff went into the room with Jesse, while I waited outside of the scan room, 8 months pregnant. I became nervous when they wanted to rescan Jesse. Once the second set of scans was completed, we were ushered back to the room with the doctor.
The doctor told me to sit down, and I knew in his young eyes, this was not going to be easy. All I heard was, “a large mass was found in his head”. Teams of doctors entered the room, gathering to do whatever it took to help Jesse. Over the next few days, another tumor was found in his adrenal gland, leading to the diagnosis of High Risk Neuroblastoma. It was Stage 4, a very aggressive cancer. It was in all of his bones and bone marrow, and his biopsy showed the DNA of the tumor was unfavorable. Chemotherapy started in the ICU just two days after walking into the emergency room.
That first month we stayed at Children’s; I did not know what would happen to my son. The pain the tumor in his head caused was intense, and he lost vision in his right eye as the tumor compressed his optic nerve. He was sick all the time from the chemotherapy and I watched his hair fall into his pillow, broken hearted. We would share a bed and he loved to lean in close to his unborn baby brother, Colton. Moments of comfort were short lived as Jesse would vomit every 15 minutes despite medication to help control nausea. Radiation started as well, to stop this aggressive tumor from growing in his head. During this time, our faith was shaken but not lost. We decided to do whatever it took to get our son back. And we did.
Jesse endured an intense schedule of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow harvest and transplant, more radiation, many blood transfusions, an antibody treatment and now he is on Accutane. Jesse’s cancer responded well to his treatment and now he is cancer free. Our goal is to prevent relapse and we will. Because with faith, hope, and love for Jesse… anything is possible.
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