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Testimony of Favors Received Through the Intercession of Paul M. Murphy, MJ
It was in the late summer of 1999 that i contracted Valley Fever; a fungal infection that sometimes attacks the lungs in people residing in the southwestern part of the United States; where the fungus is always present in the soil. Although i had symptoms from that time it was several months before it was diagnosed after a lung biopsy that showed an advanced case of Valley Fever with a secondary infection in my right lung which had already created a cavity about the size of a silver dollar in my lung. In spite of treatment and medication, my condition continued to deteriorate; and although i had always been a healthy energetic person; all of my activities had been curtailed and i was still totally exhausted.
One day in the midst of the very worst time of it, i went to confession to Fr. Foeckler, MJ. Although i had been active up until a month or so before this in helping provide food and/or meals for the members – i had not been able to continue with it at this point. Fr. Foeckler suggested i pray to Paul Murphy; and in my ignorance i asked how you pray to someone you don't know, is not a recognized Saint and therefore no formal prayer or petition is available to use. He suggested i simply talk to Paul as i would to him. And so i did, mentioning how much Miles Jesu had come to mean in my life; and that he pray for me for an increase in my energy so that i could continue to come to the Center in Phoenix, and be of some help to them. The change was immediate; i had an infusion of energy - so much so that when i left the center i drove to another part of the city to have another chest X-ray that my doctor had asked for and i simply could not find the energy to do; and had thus been putting it off day after day.
My condition also improved and i was able to keep participating in a limited way. But after i had completed the course of medication the disease worsened; and again after the second round of medication my specialist told me that i probably would continue to simply have recurrences as the cavity in the lung was not healing and this meant the germs were still present and every time i got sick, too tired or pushed myself too much it would reoccur; in other words i was facing a chronic condition for the rest of my life. It was at that point that i started praying daily to Paul Murphy and asked that he pray for a healing for me. At this period of time when the disease was not active i was still having repeated infections in the lung.
My condition started improving and we were finally able to diagnose why the infections were taking place; but the chronic condition was still present and a big concern to my doctor. Although it did not show immediately in the X-ray i could feel the improvement in my lung; i was not getting short of breath, my energy level continued to improve and i knew i was healing. Although my doctor could see the improvement; he was not optimistic about the lung healing. It was in Sept 2002 when he again had an X-ray made, that he said to me "You have a miracle, because your lung has healed; there is no evidence of any cavity or disease remaining; and this doesn't happen. I have never known it to happen." He requested that we do another X-ray in the fall of 2003 which i had done in October; but i have had no problems or any need to see him this past year. Praise God!
Needless to say i pray to Paul Murphy daily; he helps me through little things and big things. I have a great devotion to him and would encourage anyone and everyone to ask him for his intercession.
Even more important that my healing was an intercession by Paul for my younger brother who had cancer and had been away from the church for a number of years. When Jim first developed cancer i prayed for a healing for him if it was God's will and put him on the Queen Isabel prayer list. For a short time after surgery and treatment the doctors thought that Jim's cancer was gone. Meanwhile we kept praying for Jim's return to the Sacraments - and it wasn't happening. Then the cancer returned with a fury; every day new problems and cancers were showing up and neither chemo nor radiation was helping. At this point i was begging Paul's help for Jim to be anointed. Four days before his death, Fr. Foeckler, MJ as able to anoint Jim; and he died peacefully on Feb. 10, 2002 - the anniversary of Paul's death. This was the biggest miracle i could ever ask Paul for, and he interceded; that my dear Brother could go peacefully into eternity in the hands of God.
Several members of my family now pray to Paul Murphy, especially when there is a crisis in their family. My sister-in law has been asking Paul's intercession for a new granddaughter that contracted viral meningitis within twenty-four hours of her birth. It has been very serious; but despite all the odds Caitlin is healing and we're hoping for another miracle through Paul. She is five weeks old now; and still very ill but is off the heart-lung machine and the ventilator, and now off oxygen, and slowly making improvement; we are praying and very hopeful. Amen.
P.S. An X-ray in September of this year showed both my lungs to be perfectly normal.
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