Catholics with breast cancer

marie1220
marie1220 Member Posts: 5
edited July 2014 in Prayers and Spiritual Support

I want to start a discussion with Catholics who have breast cancer and who continue with the help of the Faith and Catholic spirituality.  At the groups I attend--open to all faiths--no one ever mentions God or how the cancer affects their prayer life.

In all the stories handed down about Mary and Jesus and Joseph, there is no mention of any physical disorder.  I presume they were a healthy holy family.

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  • SeattleMama
    SeattleMama Member Posts: 147
    edited November 2012

    Hi Marie, there are 2 linkies that were started this one has prayers/novenas and petitions   http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=38&id=738190&page=1

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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited May 2013

    hello I am Catholic born and raise, attended 12 yrs of education in the Catholic school system, and I have always been into prayer and faith, but my faith increased when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I knew it was my Trial and that I was being tested, lots of people say they have faith as long as all is going well, But the real test is when you go thru your Trials and they do come, and are part of life on this Earth, But God promises to go thru with us and not leave us nor forsake this and I know some of you don,t want to hear this cause (YOU ARE GOING THRU IT) But HE is here with you ALWAYS, take it from a 19 yr SURVIVOR, I believe all that I said here and HOPE you do too. msphil(diagnosed then called and said it was a mistake, then called again, all while making wedding plans) I need my Faith thru ALL this) then expander had to be removed cause it hardned and gave me infection near Holidays, my Faith came into play again. msphil(idc,stage2,0/3 nodes,L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen) and a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted 2007, and HE is still with me and my Faith and HOPE are as strong as it was back in 1993. God Bless

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2013

    Hi Marie and Group! I am a "BC newbie" - recently DX with DCIS and IDC in my L breast. Had a BMX on April 25, and am currently in recovery. Had 1 of my 4 JD drains removed last week by my BS; awaiting (prayers!) remaining 3 removal maybe 3 days from now! :)

    Being a fervent, faithful Roman Catholic, I am deeply devoted to The Divine Mercy and also, recently with my DX, to Blessed Zelie Martin. Zelie Martin is the actual mother of the great "Little Flower," St. Therese of Lisieux. Many Catholics do not know it, but Zelie Martin died of BC, at about when her little daughter (St. Therese) was only 3 or 4 years of age!  I told my priest night before my BMX about her (he administered The Sacrament of Anointing to me) that I vowed to Zelie that, IF no BC was found, I would write to the Postulator of her Cause (for Canonization) to advise a "favor received" (e.g., "evidence" of prayers heard through her intercession before God; a very powerful factor in getting Zelie "raised to the Honors Of The Altar" - e.g, full Canonization in the RCC). :) And also, wouldn't it be GREAT to have our Holy Father, Pope Francis, designate Blessed Zelie Martin as THE patroness (for women) with Breast Cancer?? :)

    I meet with my Onc and BS this week, but BS gave me final path report. Report states ZERO BC in the 1 sentinel lymph node removed just prior to my BMX; however, a very small micro-amount (about 1.5mm) of invasive BC was found within the DCIS (NOT found in my March 19 stereotactic core needle BX). My BIG prayer is hoping to avoid all chemo - IF I can do so, I would consider that a (small) miracle, indeed!

    One more note: I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND to all Catholic BC patients/survivors (and their loved ones) to read the book, "Divine Mercy Triumph Over Cancer" by Ronald Sobecks, M.D. (who, btw, is a GREAT fan, as am I) of The Divine Mercy. This book was given to me as a gift by med worker/friend - priceless! You can find it at value pricing at Amazon.com. GREAT reading! :) On May 1, I went to morning Mass (to honor Feast Day of St. Joseph The Worker - my fave saint!). As I sat in the pew, praying, my eyes caught sight of nearby Station 1 of the Cross... I was feeling very down, anxious (no path report yet), in pain (those d**n JP drains again!), and I kind of felt/herd the voice of The Lord Jesus within me, saying like, "yes, I, TOO, ALSO, had a pain in my side." WOW! Just at that moment, put ALL my suffering a new perspective! Like my DH tells me, (and I agree!) I'd rather opt for the "non-stop" flight to Eternal Life upon leaving this world - vs. any "stopover" (Purgatory - which, with all of the BC stuff I've been through past few months, has surely "knocked off some time there" for me!) :)

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  • DC197
    DC197 Member Posts: 371
    edited May 2013

    I do not want to offend anyone with what I am about to say, but here are my thoughts on the subject.  I have been a Roman Catholic all my life and also had 12 years in the Catholic school system.  My mother, grandmother, and all maternal aunts and uncles have died from some form of cancer, although none had BC.  For this reason, knowing that someday I might face the same fate, I always prayed to God to give me strength whenever I had to face an illness.

    I had been blessed with 63 years of mostly good health before I was diagnosed with stage IV BC, and I have prayed not that I should live a long life, but "Thy will be done".  I feel that sometimes people pray only to ask for their own needs, for example, that their cancer be cured.  It's fine to pray for that, as long as you can accept that sometimes the answer to your prayers is not what you expect. Only God knows what we really need, and there may be a purpose that we cannot fully understand on earth.  I've known a few people who have lost their faith because their prayers were not answered the way they wanted them to be.

    My heart goes out to all the younger women on this board who are dealing with BC, and I ask God to give them more time with their families, if that is His will.

    Again, I apologize to anyone who is offended by this.  This is only how I feel.  God bless us all.

    Diane

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