Please remember to keep all our seminarians and priests in your daily prayers.
Dear friends,
Greetings from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA! I just want to share with you a couple of things that have happened to me recently and ask for your prayers because I need your help!
The first is that I've been asked to translate Father Don Calloway's most recent book, No Turning Back, into Spanish. This wouldn't be my first big Spanish translation project but my timeline is tight (August 1st is the due date). I need to move fast without sacrificing quality and being faithful to his literary voice. So far my pace is on target but I could still use your prayers! :) I believe strongly that this book will also impact many souls of Spanish-speaking Catholics. I volunteered here during Divine Mercy Sunday and was selling Father Don's book. Many Spanish-speaking pilgrims came up and asked when it would be available in Spanish. The way things are shaping up it looks as though the Spanish edition will be ready in time for next Divine Mercy Sunday. Thanks be to God!
The second thing I'm very excited about but am still working through some nerves. Earlier this year, Father Don invited me to tag along with him while he did a taping of The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi, which as many of you know is a show on EWTN where converts to Catholicism are interviewed. Father Don introduced me to Marcus and his producers and they expressed interest in hearing my own conversion story. I emailed it to them and didn't hear back for months so I assumed they weren't interested. Well, right before I left for DC they emailed me and asked me to do a taping. They are flying me out to do a show with Marcus on the 22nd. If it's approved by EWTN producers in Irondale, it will air on July 5th.
I intend to share some personal things regarding my conversion that involve my historical struggle with depression and how Jesus simply eradicated it. Most of you don't know that I struggled for about 8 or 9 years with depression. I've now been free of all symptoms of depression for the last 3 years, and Jesus is the reason. I'm somewhat nervous about speaking very openly about it but I've been praying a lot about it and I feel it's what God is asking me to do. I'm hoping that by hearing my story that young people struggling with depression will turn to Jesus to ask for help, specifically through receiving the Eucharist, Eucharistic adoration and the rosary. Jesus acting through these three things simply took it away from me. He is now the only counselor and medication I will need for the rest of my life.
So far Jesus and this holy place I'm living at for the summer have been sustaining me. I'm at peace most of the day and joyful but now and again get hit with a major bout of nervousness and uncertainty. If you could say a prayer for me regarding these two things, I would most appreciate it! I feel God is stretching me with both of them but I'm very hopeful that some very good things can come from both of them as well!
Thank you so very much and God bless you!
Hail Mary,
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John N
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