FR. TOM UPDATE: From Steve

Jesson Mata, Director of Liturgy and Music, just sent out this message written by Steve Kraft, Fr. Tom's brother. Please continue to keep both Fr. Tom and Steve in your prayers as they journey from Mexacali to Arizona. Please pray, too, for Fr. Tom's healing and strength. For those of you who would like to join us in asking Bl. Teresa of Calcutta to intercede for Fr. Tom's health, a copy of the prayer can be found here.

And don't forget Fr. Tom's birthday party, this upcoming Sunday, December 21st from 3-5pm. Please bring a dessert to share and come, come show one of our very favourite Dominicans just how much we love him!

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Here is the note from Steve, passed along by Jesson:

Today we visited the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in a convent that´s on the edge of Mexicali. It used to be alone in the middle of the desert but with the development of that area, it´s hard to recognize the entrance. My family will remember this is where we stayed in 1999 and where mom and dad stayed the times when they came to visit Tom.

The adorable sisters have not changed except with the addition of 3 more. Their JOY at seeing Padre Tomas was great. They all sat around us and happily asked about everyone including Tom´s Dominican brethren and my kids Olivia, Alexandra, and John whom they´ve met, and Christine and su sposo Jeff and Annelise.

The sisters big news is that the founder of their order, Madre Maria Magdalena (Mother Mary Magdalene of the Incarnation) was beatified this summer by Pope Benedict in Rome, and that 6 of the sisters got to join the worldwide gathering of their sisters in Rome! They suggested that we join them in prayers for the intercession of their founder for Tom´s healing. They believe that since Padre Tomas has always had a devotion in his priesthood to the Eucharist as the living presence, that a novena to her might be especially fitting. I´ll get Tom to translate and I´ll post it soon.

Meanwhile I will try during this time of Advent to await my own homecoming on Wednesday night before I devour the delicious honey crisps that the sisters made for Tom and me and to bring home.

Helpful traveling tip: Also may I recommend that whenever you´re traveling in Mexicali, that if you truly wish to be free from police harassment just because you missed another useless, misplaced, half the usual size, and behind a tree stop sign (alto), then you should have Padre Tomas in the front seat with his Dominican habit on.

After we came back to the house for a quick rest and an anti-nausea pastille, we ventured forth to the old centro of town to visit his friend the Bishop of Mexicali, who would often call Tom up to have him lead the procession on one of the many fiestas where the mayor and all were present. The mutual respect was impressive to see. The Bishop said Tomas looks much more Mexican than I do. Well one thing is sure, mi hermano habla mucho mas rapido. Really I´m very impressed by my brother´s command of Spanish, especially after a 3-and-a-half year lapse.

Later we went shopping at a grocery store for queso tipo cottage (handy next time you want cottage cheese in Mexico or other Spanish speaking pais) and a few things I hope to bring for Xanthe´s and Yvette¨s Spanish class. After dinner we watched the conclusion of the Bells of Saint Mary´s, then Tom said mass for us, in which we prayed for all of Tom´s Dominican brethren, especially Fr. David Bello, Fr. Bartholomew de la Torre, and Fr. Martin Walsh and Brother Boniface who are visiting here, as well as for his brethren in Seattle at Blessed Sacrament.
Tom also prays at mass for everyone who has asked him to pray for their needs down here and elsewhere. Then he prays for all those who are praying for and supporting him during this trip and during his infirmity. Then it hits you: we did a lot of visiting today and kept up a schedule fitting a stronger person than Tom is these days, but we always took time to rest when Tom needed it and bringing forth the high protein foods. And yes Tom is praying now while I´m writing this!

Please pray for us on the rest of the trip. We leave tomorrow for Tempe, about a 5 hour drive, on which we will go the pace that fits how Tom feels tomorrow. Please keep up your prayers for Tom´s complete healing too, and that the cancer is kept at bay in preparation for a complete cure. I know Tom would in turn like to come back here or in Guatemala.

Tom sends his blessings this Advent to all.

Steve