The Power of Prayer

“Avery was born 6 weeks premature with cerebral dysgenesis. An MRI was done when the baby was two days old, a videoscopy was performed when she was 5 weeks old. Avery was not able to feed, could not swallow. A tube was inserted into her stomach for gravity feeds, and she was sent home, with little hope of survival. She needed 24-hour care. A friend of the family suggested they pray for Avery’s recovery through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata. Other people joined the family in this petition.On November 14, 2001, little Avery, her parents, grandmother and friends came to pray in the novitiate chapel of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, before the relic of Blessed Josaphata. Together with Sister Theresa Matwe, the faith-filled group prayed spontaneously for 45 minutes. Avery held the relic in her hands and kissed it. They all had full faith in the healing grace of Blessed Josaphata. Shortly after, Avery began to recover. By 2004, Avery had no more need for suctioning in over a year. The doctors were amazed. The parents are convinced that Blessed Josaphata interceded for their little Avery.” (Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 2001)

“I was diagnosed with cancer and the doctor ordered a radical mastectomy. I prayed to Blessed Josaphata and asked the Sisters to pray. Now 12 years later I am cancer free. My grandson was diagnosed with diabetes at 13 months. He was near death. I prayed to Blessed Josaphata and asked the Sisters to pray. He survived that near-death crisis and is now a bouncy little boy.” (Brantford, ON, Canada, 2004)

“My teenage daughter ran away from home. I prayed constantly to Blessed Josaphata that she keep my daughter safe. My daughter returned home of her own accord. She had lived at the Home Crisis Shelter.” (Guelph, ON, Canada, 2004)

“My daughter went into deep depression. She hadn’t gone out of the house for months. Someone gave me Blessed Josaphata’s prayer card. I started to pray for her intercession on behalf of my daughter, and very soon after my daughter went out – first time in months, and is feeling much better. There is power in prayer. Please send me some prayer cards so I can give them out to my friends.” (Brooklyn, NY, USA, 2004)

“We received a prayer card of Blessed Josaphata from the Sisters and we started to pray for my sister who had been psychologically ill for several years. A miracle happened; her character changed completely. She became a normal, happy person again. We thank God and Blessed Josaphata.” (Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 2003)

“I felt a sudden acute pain in my leg. I could hardly make it to the chapel. In the chapel we had decorated an Icon of Blessed Josaphata as we always did for her commemoration on the 7th of each month. I said to Josaphata: I entrust this leg to you, do something! When I awoke from my sleep during the following night I felt no pain at all. To this day I am alright. I always pray to Blessed Josaphata in all my needs.” (Sr. Sofia, SSMI, USA, August 6, 2004)

“I was 5 months pregnant, and after a hard day at school (May 10, 2001) I felt a lot of pain. The doctor gave me three injections to strengthen the baby’s lungs and told me that I should avoid any heavy work, to try to keep the child until at least the 7th month, because it was not completely formed. However, for the next 4 days I continued to have much pain. Sr. Luiza told me about Blessed Josaphata and she had all her kindergarten children and the teachers praying for me, and told me to pray too. We all started to pray, all my family.On May 15, 2001 our daughter, Sofia, was born. She weighed 650 grams [less than 1 1/2 lb]. No one thought that she would live. We continually prayed to Blessed Josaphata to intercede for Sofia. On the third day the respirator was removed and the baby started to breathe on her own. On May 25 she started to take my milk – a drop a day. Today Sofia is a beautiful, healthy little girl.” (Llavallol, Argentina, 2001)

“We wanted to adopt a baby, but the waiting list in Buenos Aires was very long. We asked the Sisters to pray for our intention. All the Sisters Servants in Argentina started to pray through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata, and we also prayed. In a few weeks a very poor mother in Jardin America was going to have a baby, but was too poor to keep it, so she decided to give it up for adoption. The Sisters notified us, and when the baby was delivered, we officially adopted it. We called our adopted son Nazareno Emmanuel. We are sincerely grateful to Blessed Josaphata for her intercession.” (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2003)

“I woke up from a dream – two nuns were telling me that my mom would be OK. I started to pray to Blessed Josaphata for my mother. In the morning I phoned my mother. Before I could tell her about my dream, she told me of how the vehicle that she was driving could have killed her, as the column almost broke, which would have rolled the car. By the grace of God, she arrived home, travelling at 2 miles an hour. My prayers were answered through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata. She notified me to pray for my mother.” (USA, October 11, 2001)

“I am writing to acknowledge that through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata, my prayers have been answered – for the recovery from a bypass surgery of my daughter. The recovery was very speedy. Before surgery there was skepticism on the part of the doctors that her life would be threatened. We are very grateful for the intercessory prayers of Blessed Josaphata.” (USA, 2002)

“The grace of Sister Josaphata has brought a miraculous fortune on my family. The story, although it primarily relates to business, clearly shows the influence that our prayers bring through the intercession of Sister Josaphata.In 2001, I started a company in aviation and computer technology. The September 11, 2001 tragic incident devastated the aviation industry and ruined all our prospects for contracts. The partners were unwilling to try any further. A possible legal battle was about to spring from these negotiations. The registration of my business was to expire in 24 hours. My wife and I continued to pray through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata. That day we received a call from Boeing, the largest aerospace business in the world; they wanted us to do a project for them. We renewed our registration. We thank Blessed Josaphata for her help!” (Edmonton, AB, Canada, 2003)

“I have two daughters, aged 20 and 5. The little one goes to the Sisters’ kindergarten school. I developed a tumour on my spleen and needed surgery. I was very apprehensive about the outcome of this surgery and began to worry about my little girl if I should die. My friend gave me a prayer card to Blessed Josaphata and told me about her. I began to pray fervently to her asking her to intercede for me. Thank God, my surgery was successful. From then on, Blessed Josaphata became my inseparable, heavenly friend. She is always near me.” (Argentina, 2005)

“My married son wanted to leave his wife and two small children for the sake of another woman he had met. We pleaded with him, and the children wept bitterly, but nothing moved him. One day in church, I received a holy card of Blessed Josaphata with a prayer for her intercession. We all fervently begged her to help our son overcome his temptation. In only a very short time, he suddenly came to his senses, and begged forgiveness of his wife and children, and all of his entire family. We cannot thank Blessed Josaphata enough for her powerful intercession.” (Ukraine, 2003)

“Three years ago I had a very bad car accident and was in a coma for 16 days. My friend continuously begged Blessed Josaphata to cure me. On the 16th day the doctor was ready to pull the plug on the life support system which was not giving many positive results. He had prepared my daughter for the consequences. The time set for this was 5:00 pm; at 4:00 pm I began to move my fingers and toes. At 4:45 I regained consciousness and began to speak. I know all this came about because of the holy Josaphata Hordashevska. Some time after I visited the Sisters and they told me her life story.” (Ukraine, 2003)

“I injured my back to such an extent that I couldn’t continue working as a nurse. I prayed to Blessed Josaphata to help me find a job which would not be as strenuous as regular nursing. Within two weeks I found a job – companion work – helping seniors: light housekeeping, transporting to wherever they need to go, etc. God is good.” (Rochester, NY, USA, 2002)

“I prayed to Blessed Josaphata that my son would meet a good Ukrainian Catholic girl. He is now dating a kind, good girl, whose family and she worship at our parish.” (Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 2004)

“When I graduated from High School I wanted to enter a novitiate. My parents were against it, and registered me at the university. For two and a half years I studied in law school. Then when I was 22 years old I entered without my parents consent. My Father said I was not worthy to be called his daughter. He would not answer my phone calls. My mother was also against it, but not so vehemently. When the relics of Blessed Josaphata arrived in Argentina, I was the first to hold them – I asked Blessed Josaphata that my father relent and phone me that night. When we returned home, I received a phone call from my father! My parents are now a great support in my religious life. Now I’m studying Pedagogy at the university.” (Jardin America, Argentina, 2002)

“I am a dairy farmer. We had a bad drought and my corn crop was hurting. I prayed for rain through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata. It rained for about an hour. We had the best corn crop in Orange County. The other farmers could not believe their eyes. In winter of 2002 a cow had a growth on an eye lid the size of a fist. For 2 months I prayed through the intercession of Sister Josaphata and the eye lid became completely normal. The vet said it was cancer.” (Rock Tavern, USA, 2004)

“I work contract work, and was in need of a job. My prayer through the intercession of Blessed Josaphata was answered. I received a better job than requested. I continue to pray to Josaphata.” (Toronto, ON, Canada, 2002)

“I thank God and Blessed Josaphata for answering our prayers. My husband has been offered a wonderful job after months of unemployment.” (Edmonton, AB, Canada, 2002)

“For many years we were trying to sell a home in a small rural community, left us by my mother. Two years ago, the home was acquired from us fraudulently and the action caused us extensive repairs and high legal costs. The case is now before the criminal courts. We put the house on sale again, but no one made any offers; it was then that we thought of Blessed Josaphata and began to pray through her intercession. In two days the house was sold, and we were able to pay up all our debts. We hope this information will contribute to Blessed Josaphata’s canonization and will serve as a small thank you to her from us.” (Edmonton, AB, Canada, 2003)

“I pray to the Blessed Trinity, thanking for the beatification of Blessed Josaphata, I immediately feel a strength, a warmth, a love and a help in my problems.” (Ukraine, 2005)

“I married past my child-bearing age. I wished very much to adopt a child and prayed to Blessed Josaphata to find one for me. Today, I have a lovely 13-year old girl and am fulfilling my promise to publicly acknowledge Sister Josaphata’s intercession in this case.” (Ukraine, 2003)

“Whenever I am agitated and not at peace within my soul, or when I am concerned about my children, I pray to Blessed Josaphata, and always through her intercession, I receive back my peace of soul. I believe that she is in Heaven glorifying and praising God.” (Ukraine, 2002)