SELECTION OF GRACES Received Through the Intercession of Blessed Archbishop George Matulaitis-Matulewicz
SELECTION OF GRACES Received Through the Intercession of Blessed Archbishop George Matulaitis-Matulewicz 2022
Copyright © 2022 Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M. All rights reserved. Cover design and project coordination: Andrew R. Mączyński, MIC Cover: Blessed Archbishop George Matulatis-Matulewicz, photographed in 1926, in Cicero, Illinois, U.S.A. Prayerline: 1-800-804-3823 Orderline: 1-800-462-7426 Websites: Matulaitis-Matulewicz.org padrimariani.org eDivineMercy.org Marian.org ISBN: 978-1-59614-561-0 Inventory number: 07270277 Printed in the United States of America
FOREWORD Who was that saintly bishop… Blessed Archbishop George MatulaitisMatulewicz (1871-1927) is an unconventional saint. A short pious brochure cannot possibly fully encompass his personality as an intellectual, ascetic, mystic and bishop who performed his office in extremely difficult and complex circumstances. He was sometimes the target of attacks, the object of antipathy, and occasionally even the hatred of nationalist fanatics. The stream of historical events, which formed and through which the holiness of Blessed Archbishop George shone, was exceptionally multifaceted. Faith and love of God, His Church, and other people — especially the ill-treated — inspired this bishop’s behavior and decisions, which raised admiration in some people but also awakened antagonism in others. By following this, we can learn the greatness of Blessed George. But greatness, even if it evokes our admiration, does not necessarily provide us with a sense of closeness; yet, it is only to someone very close that we can entrust our concerns and count on support and intercession. The authors of the following accounts discovered such closeness in Blessed George. 5
6 B A G M -M Perceiving the Blessed as someone very close and compassionate, with disarming trust they sought his help and the sincere and artless words of their accounts assure us that they were not disappointed. Events described in these peoples’ accounts testify that faith, prayer and hope allow us to go beyond the material order of causality and open ourselves to a different dimension, known as transcendence, or more simply: the supernatural dimension. Delivering to our readers this small collection accounting graces received through the intercession of Blessed Archbishop George, we hope that they may encourage us to seek spiritual and physical support, to commend in deep trust all our troubles and crosses of daily life to this saintly Lithuanian archbishop, and to know that our trust in his intercession before God shall not be in vain. Andrew R. Mączyński, MIC Vice-Postulator for the Marians’ Canonization Causes in North America and Asia
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 7 Blessed Archbishop George Matulatis-Matulewicz, photographed in Cicero, Illinois, U.S.A., in 1926.
8 B A G M -M Prayer for a Special Grace rough the Intercession of Blessed George O God, our Lord and Father, You surround us always by Your care; receive our humble petition, and through the intercession of Blessed George, who suffered so much for Your glory and for the increase of Your Kingdom here on earth, grant me the grace (mention intention), for which I ask You with confidence, promising to live from now on with greater fidelity to Your commandments. Amen. Our Father ... Hail Mary ... Glory be to the Father ...
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 9 Mystery doctor discovers mom’s sinus infection I would like to share a story about how Blessed George helped our family. My mother had never suffered from any mental illness — that is, until the day after her 93rd birthday. My mother woke up and was a different person. She made no sense when she spoke. We rushed her to the hospital, only to be sent home with anti-anxiety medication. That’s when I started asking Blessed George for help. Then she had what appeared to be a nervous breakdown. She was rushed to the hospital once again. After a series of tests, we were told there was nothing they could do. My husband, my sister, and I implored Blessed George to intercede. We asked for her physical and mental healing, and to let her whistle once again. She loved to whistle. But it was starting to look hopeless. We continued to pray, and that’s when this doctor appeared in the ER one day. He said he was looking at Mom’s X-rays and noticed an infection the size of a golf ball in her sinus cavity. The doctor, named George, said this could explain Mom’s erratic behavior. The infection, which had gone undiagnosed for a month, was starting to invade her brain. He prescribed antibiotics that cured the infection, and she slowly returned to normal. She is once
10 B A G M -M again the little cherub we have always known and loved — and is whistling constantly. Here is the kicker … Dr. George wasn’t a resident doctor at that hospital. He just showed up to cover for another doctor who was on vacation! And he just happened to pull Mom’s X-rays out and take a look at them, even though they were taken a month prior. — PPZ, Southbury, Connecticut Son receives favorable results on biopsy I want to thank Blessed George for his intercession. My son received favorable results on a biopsy of his intestinal obstruction. I am continuing to ask Blessed George to pray for my daughter and her upcoming testing. May she also receive good news. I will pray for Blessed George’s canonization. — RL, Old Tappan, New Jersey Back pain was gone I wanted to tell you about a grace I received from God through the intercession of Blessed George. I am 61 and work in the shipyards. The last day I worked before being laid off,
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 11 I injured my lower back. The pain went from the sciatic nerve and down both my legs, making it hard to walk. I tried everything to heal my back, but the pain was unrelenting for about four-and-a-half months. The day I received Blessed George’s prayer card from the Marian Fathers, I asked him to intercede for me that God would heal my back. The next morning, the pain was gone. It has not returned. — DBD, San Diego, California ‘I was on the verge of foreclosure’ I am writing to share about a grace received through the intercession of Blessed George Matulaitis. My sister and I owned a house together. She died in 2008, and I was on the verge of foreclosure. I had to declare Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I asked Blessed George for his intercession that I would be able to keep my house. Two weeks ago, the trustee involved with the bankruptcy informed me that my bankruptcy was being discharged. I was delighted and shocked. The bank that has my mortgage also contacted me to say that they would work with me to reduce my monthly
12 B A G M -M payments to a more manageable amount. This will enable me to stay in my house. I am overjoyed, and I believe that all of this became possible through the intercession of Blessed George. — NM, email ‘My son starts a good job next week’ I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the intercession of Blessed George. After reading about graces received through the intercession of Blessed George in the Fall/Winter issue of Marian Helper, I started to ask Blessed George to intercede for my son John, who was in desperate need of a good full-time job. He and his two sons had moved back to Georgia from south Florida after he lost his job and his house. He had been looking for a job for two months. I saw the letters in Marian Helper and thought, “Why not ask Blessed George?” So I started asking him for his intercession. After about two weeks, with no job in sight, Blessed George came through. My son starts a good job next week.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 13 I will continue to pray that God makes Blessed George a saint. In my opinion, he already is one. — JL, Cumming, Georgia Negative biopsy results I am so grateful for Blessed George’s intercession for my family. I asked Blessed George to intercede for my daughter-in-law and me. We were both having biopsies tested. The results came back, and both were negative. This is not the first time Blessed George has interceded for us. I will continue to pray for sainthood for Blessed George. — RL, email Blessed George intercedes at the dentist I was at the dentist today, and in past visits, I’ve always had trouble with my gum-pocket in the area of my upper left back teeth. The hygienist would read off all 1s, 2s, and 3s (which are acceptable measurements of gum pocket depth) until she got to that area. At which point, she would typically announce numbers like 4 and 5. Recently, I
14 B A G M -M have been trying to floss before I brush to help with my gum problem. (I used always to floss after brushing.) So, as the hygienist began the measurements, I made a quick request to Blessed George, and it was all 2s and 3s in that region. Did Blessed George intercede on my behalf? I like to think so. — JM, Fort Collins, Colorado ‘My son will be starting a new job’ I truly feel that BlessedGeorge interceded for my son and me. My son graduated from college two years ago in May, and in this job market, I thought he would never find a job. After reading my Marian Helper magazine, I started asking Blessed George to intercede for my son. My request was answered. My son will be starting a new job soon that involves helping disabled young adults. — PE, email ‘I received a healing on my wrist’ I want to acknowledge a grace received through the intercession of Blessed George.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 15 I received the prayer card of Blessed George at the beginning of June. I started praying this prayer, asking him for his intercession to heal my left wrist. For many years, I had suffered with a swelling the size of a walnut on my wrist due to arthritis. During the first week of prayers, I received a healing on my wrist. The swelling disappeared completely. I was extremely happy to receive this healing through Blessed George’s intercession. I continue to ask Blessed George to pray daily for the healing of all my pain from arthritis. May he soon be declared a saint. — AV, Louisville, Kentucky ‘I will have the less invasive surgery’ I wanted to tell you about a grace I received from God through the intercession of Blessed George. I had been waiting a month for test results to determine if I would need more or less invasive cancer surgery. The night before the results came in, I read about graces received through the intercession of Blessed George in Marian Helper magazine.
16 B A G M -M I asked Blessed George to intercede for me. The next day, I was told that I will have the less invasive surgery. I am thankful to Blessed George. I will continue to ask him for his help as I go through this difficult time. — NT, Norwalk, Connecticut My son didn’t want to work I was praying for our son to find work as a carpenter when I received a Blessed George prayer card. When I found out that my son didn’t want to work, I turned to Blessed George to intercede for this father of three teenage girls. I asked that my son would change his attitude and not only want to work, but find work and excel at his carpentry. He is now working, running his own business. — RM, Clayville, New York ‘She got called back to work’ I would like to tell you about how my daughter has received several graces through the intercession of Blessed George. I get many prayer cards in the mail. I often go through them and leave them out in our church. I was doing that when I came
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 17 across one for Blessed George. My daughter was havingahard timeatworkwithacoworker, so I was inspired to keep the Blessed George prayer card and ask him for his intercession on my daughter’s behalf. I would ask Blessed George for his help daily. About two weeks later, I asked about the coworker, and my daughter said the woman had a complete change in attitude and things were much better at work. I thanked Blessed George because I believed it was through his intercession that this had happened. A few months later, my daughter was let go from work. She was very stressed because she needed her salary to pay her bills. I turned to Blessed George again, and soon she got word that she was approved for unemployment benefits that would be enough to pay the bills. Meanwhile, I continued to appeal to Blessed George about her job situation. Then, a week before her benefits were to run out, she got a call back to work. — VS, Mableton, Georgia Teenage son has a change of heart I wanted to write to tell you about the intercession of Blessed George for my son.
18 B A G M -M I always have a Blessed George prayer card under my pillow and ask for his intercession every night. This particular time, I asked for his intercession with my son. It is not easy to raise a teenage son alone. Last November, my son asked me if he could go for three days to an event in another city with his girlfriend. I was certainly not comfortable with this plan. He told me that he was a senior in high school with a part-time job to pay for the trip, so he was not going to listen to my objections. I asked for Blessed George’s help every night, and the week before his trip, he told me that he had texted his girlfriend to tell her he wasn’t going. He was going to focus on schoolwork (which is another area I need Blessed George to intercede for) and work at his part-time job instead. I said nothing, but I silently thanked Blessed George for his assistance. I will continue to ask for Blessed George’s help that my son understands the importance of his schooling and realizes that if he is irresponsible, he will fail. He is currently failing his U.S. History class and is close to failing his English and American Government classes. — MR, Roseville, California
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 19 New job leads to engagement Last February, we received the Spring issue of Marian Helper. I was praying for a special intention, and my husband showed me the “Graces Received” article in the magazine and how Blessed George had helped people get jobs. Then, he suggested I ask Blessed George for his intercession. I asked Blessed George to help my daughter’s boyfriend get the job he wanted as a customer field representative, which was not an easy job to get. My husband and I prayed for this intention and lit candles daily. Within two weeks, he was called to take the test for the job. After another two weeks, he was called for an interview. Then the hiring process slowed down for him while others were being hired. I worried that Blessed George had forgotten about me or maybe I had bothered him too much with my daily prayers and candles. It took eight months, but he got the job. Once he got this job, he asked my daughter to marry him! They will be married next October. Even though it took a long time, I am grateful to Blessed George for his intercession. — GG, Bronx, New York
20 B A G M -M Son gets good job I received the Spring issue of Marian Helper magazine, and as I read a letter written by a mom who had asked Blessed George to intercede for her son to get a job. I thought, “OK, Blessed George, you found a good job for her son — please, my son needs a good job, too!” Imagine how I felt when my son called to say he had a good job offer. He had been looking for several months and is married with a family. He is now working and quite happy. Soon after he took the job, another company called to say that if it didn’t work out with his new job, to contact them. I have since called and ordered Blessed George prayer cards for my family and to share with others. — DB, Brockton, Massachusetts After months, husband gets job I am writing to tell you about a favor I believe I received from Blessed George. My husband is a computer consultant and works on a freelance basis.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 21 Usually, when he finishes a job, another comes pretty quickly. But in 2015, months went by and nothing was happening. We have a lot of debt, so we both need to be working. (I got downsized out of my job of 14 years last year and was able to get another one, but at half the pay!) I had read about Blessed George in Marian Helper magazine, and the prayers he answered happened to be about needing and getting jobs, so I thought I would pray to him and ask him to help us. I started, and about three weeks into it, I came home, and my husband told me he had a new assignment starting that Monday. I’ve been praying for months, and now right after I started praying to Blessed George, my prayers were answered. I believe that God wanted him to be the one to intercede for us. I am so relieved and grateful. — LC, Woodlyn, Pennsylvania Brother’s kidney can be saved Last November, my 60-year-old brother was told he would have to lose a kidney due to infection. I told him to carry the Blessed George prayer card with him wherever he went, as a reminder to pray. This week his
22 B A G M -M specialist called and said his kidney could be saved. My brother now keeps the prayer card in his room. Also, my sister didn’t have a job for months. I asked Blessed George to intercede, and two weeks ago she got a job she loves. I pray for his intercession and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory daily. — AT, Cambridge, Massachusetts Son gets the right job I promised Blessed George that I would write to you if my son received a job that was good for him. One day I read the Spring 2016 issue of Marian Helper. I saw Blessed George’s face, and I felt his eyes looking directly at me. I read three stories about sons finding good jobs, and I asked Blessed George to help my son get the one that God had chosen for him. A few hours later, my son called me and told me that he had had interviews with two companies that visited his college. His interviews took place about the same time I first made my prayer. A few days later, my son told me that another company had called him for an interview. They flew him in and paid for all his expenses. They offered him a position.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 23 And another company also did the same. Both offered him a generous salary. I believe that my son will be doing the work that God created him for and will allow him to be economically self-sufficient after years of hard work. — DG, New York, New York Niece overcomes complications I want to thank Blessed George for interceding for my niece’s health. My niece (who is partially paralyzed from polio) developed a kidney infection due to two kidney stones. The infection went into her bloodstream and caused a fever of 107. Her blood pressure dropped substantially. Because of the fever, they could not remove the stones. She was rushed into surgery where doctors put a stent in her kidney. It took hours to stabilize her. The high fever and infection weakened her heart, so the doctors couldn’t remove the kidney stones until her heart was stronger. Once doctors were sure her arteries were not clogged, she was given medication to strengthen her heart so she could have the surgery. I prayed to Blessed George throughout this ordeal.
24 B A G M -M I continued to pray to Blessed George as my niece finally underwent surgery, but again she developed a fever. After recovering from her fever, she developed an abscess in the hip area requiring a special procedure since the antibiotics were not working. Again, I turned to Blessed George praying that the procedure be successful, and the antibiotics could do their job. All went well, and she is recovering nicely. I will never stop thanking Blessed George. — NM, email Sister-in-law gets job My sister-in-law had to resign from a teaching job six months ago due to a hostile work environment. It was difficult as she had poured all of her efforts into her work with little support from her superiors. She applied to several teaching positions, but younger, less-qualified applicants seemed to be hired. Since she was working at temp jobs, her finances were strained. I asked Blessed George to intercede, using the prayer card the Marian Fathers sent. I am happy to report that my sister-in-law started her new teaching job today that’s only a short drive from her home. — JP, Lewiston, Maine
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 25 Husband offered job without applying I amwriting to let you know about what I believe to be graces received through the intercession of Blessed George. I had no knowledge about Blessed George until my friend sent me “Graces Received” from the Marian Helper. Our friend knew that my husband had lost his job last August, so she gave us the article and told us to pray to Blessed George. Daily, we called upon him to intercede for us. After almost three weeks, my husband was given a job. Although the job is not in his profession, my husband happily accepted this welcome surprise from God. We did not see it coming because my husband did not apply for this position. Instead, it was offered to him. Now we pray that he will find joy in this job. — DD, Toronto, Canada Good news after delaying tests I had delayed going to the doctor for some tests, fearing the worst. Before finally going to the doctor, I asked Blessed George for his intercession, and my prayers were
26 B A G M -M answered. It turns out that my diagnosis and overall health can be positively affected through diet and exercise. — ML, Collingswood, New Jersey Fiancé gets two jobs I was flipping through the 2016-17 Winter issue of Marian Helper when the eyes of Blessed George caught my attention. I decided to ask Blessed George for his help. My daughter’s fiancé needed to find a job as a respiratory therapist. He had been without a job for six months. He had depleted his savings, and his unemployment benefits were to expire soon. His daughter, her husband, and their two children live with him, and she was expecting a baby in a few weeks. The pregnant daughter’s part-time job was supporting the family. I had prayed to Blessed George for only one week when my daughter’s fiancé received an offer for a part-time job. It was something! Two weeks later, he received a full-time job offer and is now working at two hospitals until he can catch up on past-due bills. Working 60 hours a week, he now needs prayers for good health. — AC, Humble, Texas
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 27 Two intercessions in one year I want to thank Blessed George for interceding for my family twice over the past year. First, my son has worked for a company for about 12 years. He is often praised for his work. He had always gotten along well with all his co-workers until a new worker was transferred into his unit. This worker made life very difficult for my son. He was making many errors and passing the blame onto my son. I prayed to Blessed George to intercede for my son and relieve this stress in his life. Soon, my son was given a promotion and transferred to another division within the company. The second grace we receivedwas when I prayed to Blessed George for my daughter’s boyfriend to get a job. He hadn’t worked for about a year. Blessed George interceded, and within two weeks, my daughter’s boyfriend was hired and is still employed after nine months. — JS, Saint Michael, Minnesota Grandson gets job after two years My grandson had been trying for two years following college to get a job in the
28 B A G M -M technology field but was having no luck. I read about Blessed George in Marian Helper magazine and how he interceded for others looking for work. I sent for a prayer card and had said the prayer to Blessed George for two weeks when my grandson got the call for an interview. He got the job that day and started the following Monday. — EF, Lake Charlotte, Nova Scotia, Canada Son finds new job quickly My son lost his job due to the company being sold. We received Marian Helper magazine in the mail, and I started reading the stories about loved ones getting employment. I started praying that day to Blessed George that he might intercede for my son. It was not long before my son applied for a job and received the gift of employment. —JK, Tinley Park, Illinois Operation goes well for niece My niece (who is paralyzed from polio and confined to a wheelchair) developed a wound at the top of her paralyzed leg. Visits to doctors confirmed it would not heal without an operation, and even then there was no guarantee.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 29 I prayed to Blessed George that the operation would be a success (it was quite an operation) and that she would heal. I am happy to report that not only was the operation a success, but she has started to heal. — NM, Syosset, New York Able to avoid a fourth surgery I had open-heart surgery about two years ago. Six months after the surgery, I fell and injured my shoulder. While at the hospital, I underwent routine tests. The tests revealed that I needed a pacemaker. As I was recovering from the surgery for the pacemaker, I had to undergo abdominal surgery. Through all this, my shoulder continued to give me problems. My doctor wanted to do surgery to repair it. At the time, I felt I was not able to undergo yet another surgery. I prayed to Blessed George to intercede and allow me to avoid the surgery ... and he did! Within days my shoulder began to feel better. Since then I have had minimal problems with it. I believe that without his intercession I would have had to endure a fourth surgery — or not have use of my shoulder. — LO, Rensselaer, New York
30 B A G M -M Found the perfect house Thanks to Marian Helper magazine, I read about Blessed George. We desperately needed to buy a house, so I prayed to Blessed George using the intercessory prayer. Before long, I saw an ad for a house that had just come on the market. In the photo of the kitchen there was a large Divine Mercy Image. I knew that this house was the answer to my prayers. And to top it all off, the house was right next door to my son who had newborn twins! I pray daily to Blessed George, and he always comes through — from the birth of healthy twins to a new house. He has become a dear friend. — MD, Dracut, Massachusetts Our son was healed In January, our teenage son was diagnosed with sphenoid sinus polyps, possibly due to cystic fibrosis relatedmetabolic syndrome (CRMS). We took him into Boston where the polyps were surgically removed. However, at his three-month follow-up, it was discovered that his polyps had grown back. We were beside ourselves, especially when the surgeon said he and his colleagues had never seen polyps return so quickly.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 31 A family member sent us a Blessed George prayer card and suggested we pray to him to intercede for our son’s health. He also arranged several Masses, including a healing Mass at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. During the healing Mass, Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, asked everyone attending to pray to Blessed George that he may intercede for our son and others who were in need of healing. About a week later, we returned to the surgeon to discuss the next steps. He was amazed to report the polyps had disappeared. We thank Blessed George and everyone who brought our son’s problems to the attention of our Lord, through whose grace our son is well again. — LL, North Attleboro, Massachusetts Son gets job My son has been without a job for a long time after moving to a new city. I picked up a copy of Marian Helper (Winter 2017) and read about Blessed George. Then, I went online to your web page [Matulaitis-Matulewicz.org], found a prayer for his intercession, and prayed to Blessed George to intercede for my son. A minute later, I received a text from my son that he got the job he had interviewed for weeks ago. Blessed George works fast! — JK, email
32 B A G M -M Success at job after tough times I am writing to inform you of the special graces I have received through Blessed George’s intercession. I have been in the same industry for 20 years, recruiting clinicians for hospitals, and I have always been successful. For one of the first times in 20 years, I went four months without hiring one provider and was concerned for my job security. I had requested prayers from my parents. My mom saw an article on Blessed George stating that he was an intercessor for struggles with employment. Along with my parents, I began praying to Blessed George that I would be able to locate physicians to care for patients. I ordered a Blessed George prayer card, and within a month I began hiring providers. I am on my way to having a successful year, and it’s with certainty that this is because of the intercession of Blessed George! — JBM, Traverse City, Michigan Son gets two job offers My middle-aged son has lost two jobs and quit several others due to various
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 33 circumstances, none of which looked good on his employment history. He had been out of work for more than seven months, receiving more than 100 rejection letters and going on dozens of interviews. He has two small children and was in despair by the time I learned about Blessed George in Marian Helper magazine. I began to pray daily to Blessed George for his intercession. On Easter week, my son got two offers for very high-paying executive positions with full benefits. His new job began on May 1, 2017, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I have no doubt about the loving, effective intercession of Blessed George. — CH, Fair Oaks, California Blessed George heals family rift I write to thank Blessed George for interceding for my friend Sergio and his son Jose. José was involved with a group of friends who allegedly were into drugs, including his 15-year-old girlfriend. Sergio had given his son strict instructions that his friends were not allowed in his house. Then Sergio got a call from the girl’s father telling him that he had found José with his
34 B A G M -M daughter and not in school. The father said José had knocked him down, and the police were called. The police arrested José when they discovered he was on drugs. Jose and Sergio eventually were not on speaking terms after Sergio took measures to separate his son from his friends. It was at this same time that I read about Blessed George in Marian Helper magazine. I prayed to Blessed George for his intercession with Sergio and José. After two weeks of daily prayers, my prayers were answered. Sergio said his son was back to normal and their relationship had been healed. — EP, Forrest City, Arizona Our Easter ‘miracle’ I am writing to tell about a grace we received through the intercession of Blessed George’s during Easter. My father had been very ill and was put on the heart transplant list in January. A heart became available, but it was not a match. His health was not improving, and the doctors said all we could do was pray. A few weeks before Easter, a friend gave me the Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed George. I prayed this prayer several times a day.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 35 On Good Friday, a heart became available. On Holy Saturday, the doctors successfully performed the heart transplant on my father. He is feeling wonderful. I wanted you to know of our Easter “miracle” from God through the intercession of Blessed George. I will continue to pray to Blessed George for my father’s recovery and new life. I ask other Marian Helpers to join me in this prayer. — DE, Oakville, Connecticut Granddaughter buys home I have been praying to Blessed George for my granddaughter to be able to buy a home, and she was able to purchase a house for her and her two small children, ages 5 and 7. Many thanks for the graces received through the intercession of Blessed George. — HW, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada Son-in-law finds a new job I wanted to tell you about a grace my family received through the intercession of Blessed George. My daughter called to tell me that my son-in-law had lost his job. It was totally
36 B A G M -M unexpected, and they were in shock. The next day, I received a copy of Marian Helper and read the letters about Blessed George and graces received. I knew that was a sign that I needed to pray to Blessed George for my sonin-law. I began praying that day, and I also ordered the prayer card. Within two weeks, he had an offer of a new job, which he gratefully accepted. I have no doubt that God granted this grace through the intercession of Blessed George. — SG, Smithfield, Rhode Island Suddenly ill on vacation While on vacation in Florida, my husband suffered a serious illness and was hospitalized. I remembered reading about Blessed George Matulaitis-Matulewicz and the many graces received through his intercession. I prayed to Blessed George to get us home safely and to help us find knowledgeable doctors to assist us with the problem. After two months at home and with the right doctors, he completely recovered. I thank Blessed George for his help. — EG, email
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 37 Sons stop fighting I said a novena to Blessed George for his intercession to bring peace between my two sons. The very next day after my novena, my two sons did not fight nor argue. What a blessing. I prayed this peace between them would be lasting. Now I am praying for healing of vision for my daughter, son, son’s father-in-law, and myself. I believe everything is possible with God. Everything. I will continue to pray to Blessed George to intercede for our healings until my prayers are answered. — CD, email Found new job In February 2019, I encountered some difficulties at work and began searching for a new job. I was unsuccessful. A friend told me to start praying to Blessed George as he and his family have received graces from Blessed George in the past. He also prayed to Blessed George on my behalf. Once I started this daily ritual, I began going on interviews and then ultimately landed a position in September 2019.
38 B A G M -M I continue to pray to Blessed George and am grateful for his intervention on my behalf. — ARSB, Westchester, New York No cancer found My daughter had breast cancer two years ago. She has had 25 radiation treatments. On an average of every three months, she has to undergo a CT scan. Last month, the scan showed swelling in the lymph nodes, and she had to have a biopsy. I prayed to Blessed George for his intercession every day. The test results came in, and no cancer was seen, but the doctors want to keep monitoring these lymph nodes. Thank you, Blessed George, for your intercession. — AM, Dix Hills, New York Loved ones find jobs My daughter is a registered nurse and wanted a weekend position so she could spend time with her 9-month-old baby boy during the week. I prayed for her to Blessed George after reading about people who received special graces for employment struggles through his intercession.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 39 About one month later, she obtained a weekend position, and it is on the maternity ward. Shewas so thrilled, as thiswas her favorite place to work in nursing school. Then, I started praying for her husband who had been trying for two years to get into a pharmaceutical company well known for being good to their employees. About two weeks after my daughter got her new job, my son-in-law got a call from the pharmaceutical company. Now, my daughter works Friday and Saturday nights, and my son-in-law works Sunday through Wednesday. Now they don’t have to worry about a sitter. More importantly, they can attend Mass as a family. — SF, email I’m able to drive again I first learned of Blessed George through Marian Helper magazine. On Feb. 2, 2019, I had two cerebral strokes. Needless to say, I went through a lot of rehabilitation, and I made some progress, but I was far from being 100 percent. After my rehabilitation, I had a true desire to drive a car again, but first I needed to pass the road test at the local DMV.
40 B A G M -M I turned to Blessed George for his intercession and prayed to him very hard, along with an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be that he would help me be successful. At the end of it all, I did pass. One of the first things I did was to offer prayers of thanksgiving to Blessed George. — FR, Billerica, Massachusetts Daughter gets new job Since giving birth to her first child, my granddaughter, who is a nurse, had a hard time looking for a nanny. She was unable to practice her profession because she had to look after her daughter. She began feeling depressed because of this. I always read Marian Helper magazine, and I know Blessed George helps people who are in need. I began praying to him to intercede for my granddaughter to overcome her depression and hopefully find work as a nurse. Before Christmas, one of the best hospitals in the area offered her a job. She is now on her third week of pre-job training. Thank you, Blessed George! My prayers were answered. You were a big help to her sagging career. — EA, Philippines
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 41 A job where I can glorify God I wanted to share the graces received through the intercession of Blessed George. I have been a medical assistant for over 24 years. Prior to the pandemic, I accepted a new job. After a couple of months, I discovered one of the doctors in the facility performed abortions. I quit immediately. Unfortunately, now I was out of a job at 50 years old and COVID was spreading across the country. I sentmy resume toasmanyplaces as I could but received no responses. One day, a few weeks into my search, I received a Marian Helper magazine. I found the “Graces Received” page and two stories about Blessed George helping with jobs. I started praying to Blessed George to intercede for me. Within the hour, I got my first call for an interview. I went to three interviews, but I didn’t get any of those jobs. Fortunately, three more places called me. One wanted to hire me on the spot. I ended up accepting a job that was in my hometown and down the hill from my church. I was offered better pay and benefits than I had had before. I had prayed to Blessed George to help me find a job where I can glorify God. Now
42 B A G M -M I have time to drive to my parish at lunch to spend time with Jesus. — LC, Moorpark, California Sister finds a new job My sister has spent the previous year looking for a new job. Although she liked the duties at her job, the environment was very anti-Christian, especially antiCatholic. She dealt with many negative comments and immoral behaviors on a daily basis. After receiving my Fall issue of Marian Helper, I decided to ask Blessed George for his intercession on her behalf. During this pandemic, I have been teaching myself to pray the Hail Mary and Our Father in Latin. To strengthen my prayers for my sister, I prayed my novena in Latin. On the seventh day of my novena, she was contacted regarding a new opportunity. On the ninth day of my novena, she was offered the position. Not only is she starting an exciting new job, it is in a Catholic hospital! Thank you, Blessed George. I am extremely grateful for your intercession. Thank you, Marian Fathers, for introducing me to Blessed George. — CH, Cincinnati, Ohio
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 43 On the road to recovery My brother had a brain aneurysm due to high blood pressure. Since the bleeding was at the center of the brain, the doctors told us that he wasn’t going to live. My family and I immediately reached out to many people for prayers. My best friend told me to pray to Blessed George since she had received a special blessing through his intercession. She sent me the novena to BlessedGeorge. She and I started to pray on behalf of my brother. My brother is alive and he’s going through physiotherapy every day to strengthen his right side. We continue to pray for my brother’s complete recovery, and we are so grateful for Blessed George’s intercession. — SAJO, Parsippany, New Jersey Granddaughter spared from illness My granddaughter, age 7, suffers from CVS, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, which causes her to have cycles of intense vomiting that continues for about three days. I prayed to Blessed George for a special grace for her to be free of this forever. The cycle was scheduled to repeat this past
weekend, but it did not occur. I know this is because of the intercession of Blessed George. — ML, email e miracle of a granddaughter I want to share the story of an angel born Aug. 21, 2021, because of a plea for the help and intercession of Blessed George. My son and daughter-in-law had been trying to have a baby for four years. They had been to multiple physicians, endured operations, therapies, comments, and speculations, and through each frustration wondered more and more if they were worthy to be parents. In September of 2020, I began praying every morning to Blessed George and requesting through his intercession the gift of a baby for my family. By Thanksgiving, it looked as if pregnancy was highly unlikely. I, of course, had no clue and just kept praying and asking Blessed George for his assistance. It was late Christmas morning when my son and daughter-in-law arrived for the day. They asked if we would open their gifts for us first and handed us a little red box that contained a pacifier. They were expecting! 44 B A G M -M
With odds so slim, there is little medical explanation for why this beautiful baby girl was born. When I looked at Blessed George’s picture on the day of her birth, I was certain he was smiling. —JR, Wilmington, North Carolina I found the perfect job for me Since early October, I had been unemployed when my contract job expired. I had applied for many opportunities, often several a day, without success. One morning, I glanced at the recent Marian Helper magazine and noticed a letter in “Graces Received” that told of people who had prayed to Blessed George for employment. So I offered the prayer printed on the page. Upon saying the last words of the prayer, my phone rang. It was a job recruiter. The young man was insistent that I apply for this position. He expressed unusual confidence that the job was perfect for me. We spoke for only 10 minutes. When I hung up, the thought came in my mind: “This is the job I’ll get.” I was even a little troubled with how powerful and direct the results of the prayer had been. G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 45
46 B A G M -M As a couple of weeks passed, I even had to cancel an interview with that company, but they calmly rescheduled. And sure enough, I am now employed by that very same company. Work hours begin late enough that I will be able to attend Mass in the mornings. After being graced by multiple little miracles, I now encourage others to turn to Blessed George for help. Thank you, Blessed George! —WB, Rochester, New York Daughter regains joy and happiness Earlier this year my daughter found herself in a serious personal crisis that caused her so much distress and anguish, to the point of her contemplating suicide. I prayed toBlessedGeorgeupon learning of him from Marian Helper magazine. Thank you, Blessed George, for interceding because my daughter was saved from self-harm and able to regain joy and happiness in her life. Blessed George also helped a young man who suffered from a severe self-inflicted accident that left him with a broken pelvis, broken back, and arm, as well as bleeding into the brain.
I prayed to Blessed George daily for this young man. Through his intercession, he recovered almost fully within just a few months! Thank you so much, Blessed George! — AT, email ‘I asked for his help, and the pain ceased’ I was reading Marian Helper magazine and came across letters about graces received through the intercession of Blessed George. That same day, I was having bad pains in the left side of my body. I asked Blessed George for his help, and the pain ceased. I was able to continue my daily work. I want to thank Blessed George for his intercession. — TL, Oxford, Connecticut Son finds a good job with good people I read about “Graces Received” through the intercession of Blessed George MatulaitisMatulewicz in the Fall 2021 Marian Helper magazine. G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 47
48 B A G M -M My son graduated from Belmont Abbey College in May 2021 but had not found a job. I was saying prayers for him to find good work and then read about Blessed George. I made a nine-day novena to him, requesting my son find employment that would enable him to continue practicing his faith. Blessed George found him a good, entry-level position with a company owned by oneof theparishionersatourchurch.Hissecond day there, he ran into another employee with whom he had attended some youth programs. He was contacted for an interview for a state position after he started work but declined it, realizing he had good employment with good people. Thank you, Blessed George, and thank you Marians for all the beautiful work you do for us. — KS, email A job offer beyond expectations In March of this year, I left my employment. I knew the time for departure was approaching about two months in advance, and although I had years of experience and many contacts and friends, it was an anxious time.
G r a c e s R e c e i v e d T h r o u g h H i s I n t e r c e s s i o n 49 It was preceding my imminent departure that I began to pray to Blessed George and ask him for guidance. I put my trust in him to help me find my way. On March 5th I left my employment and had no certain employment arranged, but fortunately had some good conversations going on. On March 11th (the anniversary date of my mother’s passing) I received an offer beyond my expectations, both financially and otherwise. In fact, another opportunity also presented itself, and although busy, I am now managing full- and part-time jobs. I directly attribute this to Blessed George’s intercession on my behalf. He heard and understood my predicament, and I just know he will hear and understand yours through prayer. — EF, email If you have received graces through Blessed George’s intercession, please write: Br. Andrew Maczynski, MIC, Vice Postulator of the Marians’ Causes of Canonization, 2 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262. Or you can email him at [email protected]
View of the chapel with the sarcophagus of Blessed Archbishop George Matulaitis-Matulewicz in the Marian Fathers’ Basilica in Mariampole, Lithuania.
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