2 minute read
The Prayer Chain Ministry: OPENING THE HEART OF GOD
A few years ago, Jeanette Miller’s greatgranddaughter, Eleanor, was born prematurely at only five months, weighing only 14 oz. Even though her situation looked bleak, a number of the faithful joined in fervent prayer, and their prayers reached the heart of God in an amazing way.
“We put her on the Prayer Chain, and got as many people praying as we could,” Jeanette says. “Now she is 2 years old, perfectly healthy, and can even say her ABCs! Even those working in the hospital with her at the time said that they couldn’t take all the credit for her recovery, but they had to acknowledge that God must have been helping her along.”
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This beautiful little miracle bore testimony to the goodness of God and the extraordinary power of prayer.
“It has made such a great impact on so many people,” Jeanette says. “I show Eleanor’s picture to as many people as I can. They know her story and they love to see what a healthy, pretty little girl she is now. When I saw her this summer, she wasn’t even shy of me!”
And it also showed the important role that the Prayer Chain Ministry has in our parish family and beyond. Currently, the chain is coordinated by Emily Backowski and consists of several faithful volunteers who receive prayer requests through text messages or phone calls. Upon receiving a request, the volunteers can pray however they wish for the intention.
Jeanette Miller’s great-granddaughter, Eleanor, was born prematurely at only five months, weighing only 14 oz. Even though her situation looked bleak, a number of the faithful joined in fervent prayer, and their prayers reached the heart of God in an amazing way. Now she is 2 years old, perfectly healthy, and can even say her ABCs!
“Having the Prayer Chain makes our parish feel like a family and a community,” Jeanette says.
Jeanette joined the Prayer Chain about 15 years ago when it was first initiated, and has been a faithful member ever since.
“Prayer has always been a very important part of my life, so I put my name down for this ministry,” Jeanette says. “When it first started, we had about five groups of prayer volunteers, and one of us was in charge of each group. We did it all through the phone, and I sure made a lot of calls!”
Ultimately, those who give their time and talent to the Prayer Chain are able to experience the beauty of prayer in a profound way.
“When I was growing up, my parents taught us children the importance of prayer,” Jeanette says. “I am 89 years old now, but I still remember spending a lot of time kneeling by the chair to pray. That is how we lived — if there was any struggle that came up, we just prayed about it. This has been an easy tradition to carry over into my own family. I still pray the Rosary every day, and I love watching Mass on EWTN and praying out of my prayer books. I know all of my kids believe in prayer to this day as well.”
