Dear Friends,
Sharing a parishioner’s story about the power of prayer and the hope such power proclaims.
Peace,
Fr. Damian
As many of you know, intercessory prayer has been a huge part of my family’s life in a very special way over the past few years. In October of 2023, my sister Carly, who was pregnant with twins, began having contractions. She was only 20 weeks along, so her having such intense contractions so early in her pregnancy was particularly alarming. My family reached out to whoever we could think of to request prayer, many of you in the Cabrini Community responded to that request. The doctors kept the contractions at bay for a week or so. Ultimately Baby A, Wesley Theo, was delivered at 21 weeks. He was baptized and spent a short time in his mom and dad’s arms before passing. He is our little saint who intercedes for us (I know he’d love to pray for you too). After Wesley’s delivery, Baby B was still holding tight, and the doctors were able to stop contractions. This in itself felt like a miracle. We prayed that Baby B would remain in utero at least until viability (24 weeks). It again felt miraculous when he reached and exceeded that milestone. Banks Griffin was delivered at 35 weeks and 3 days, perfect and healthy. It was such a unique juxtaposition of the beauty of both life and death. We grieved the loss of Wesley, but rejoiced in the gift of Banks.
As Banks grew, Carly and Brady began to notice his coloring seemed off. He appeared jaundiced, and after running some tests they discovered he had biliary atresia which caused irreversible damage to his liver. The doctors told Carly and Brady that Banks would likely need a liver transplant before he turned 21, but a procedure would be performed in hopes of delaying that reality. At four months old, Banks underwent a Kasai procedure. Again, we prayed. The procedure went well, and Banks seemed to be improving. Unfortunately, that was short lived. At five months old, it was determined Banks would need to be added to the liver transplant list. I can remember going to bring Carly and Brady food at the hospital after they found out, and when I hugged Carly she said to me in tears “I knew this day would come, I just wasn’t prepared for it to come so quickly.”
As we waited for Banks to get a liver, we watched him quickly decline. We felt helpless; all we could do was pray. Again, we were asking for a miracle. So many of you prayed for Banks, encouraged me when you saw me, and shared stories of hope where you or someone you loved had received a transplant and were living a happy, full life. Those interactions got us through what felt like an impossible time.
Our God is big, and He answered our prayers. One of my sister’s coworkers, Bethany, signed up to be a donor almost immediately after hearing of Banks’s need for a liver. After what felt like an eternity, she finally finished the evaluation and was determined to be a match. When the doctors completed the transplant, they shared that it was as if Bethany’s liver was made for Banks. The nerves and valves they needed to connect couldn’t have been more perfectly matched. We can only attribute that to God’s hand in all of this. Banks is thriving and healthy today, and continues to be such a gift.
Looking back, we can see all the ways God answered prayers. One thing that has continued to stick with me is how many people have shared that praying for Banks was the first time they had prayed in years. The Divine Mercy Chaplet was a prayer we often prayed and asked others to pray at 3 pm every day. Many had never prayed the chaplet, or even heard of it, but had expressed gratitude in having had the opportunity to join in prayer with everyone who was praying for Banks at the same time around the world. Now, while I wouldn’t wish for anyone to go through what Banks went through, I am so grateful for the way it presented an opportunity for others to connect to God, even if only for a brief moment.
Lauren Manley