My priest and friend, Fr. Matthew Venuti, suffered a massive heart attack yesterday. He’s only thirty-three years old, and has a wife and two young children. I think his prognosis is pretty good, but it’s bound to be a difficult time. Please pray for his full recovery.
My wife and I–especially my wife, of course–have been helping out as much as we can. Between that and various other things going on, I haven’t had time to do any writing this weekend, and probably won’t for the next couple of days. There are several books I’ve been wanting to discuss. Maybe next weekend.
Prayer Request
23 responses to “Prayer Request”
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Will do. Now. And will offer my Mass tomorrow.
AMDG -
I will be praying also.
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Likewise.
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Ditto.
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Thanks to you all.
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Praying for his full recovery. And for his family. How very frightened they must be.
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I think his wife was pretty stunned and panicked yesterday. He’s better today.
This is one of the times when I put aside my gripes about modern civilization and say “Thank God for modern medicine.” Also fast emergency response. The attack happened at home and he probably would have died if the ambulance hadn’t gotten there quickly with the…whatever you call it–the machine that jump-starts your heart. -
Dear God. Prayers assured.
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Prayers offered.
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What a terrible shock! Praying.
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Sure thing, Mac. Prayers for him and his family.
I believe you were thinking of a defibrillator.
I had a pretty bad case of pneumonia in March, and although of course it was not life-threatening and doesn’t bear serious comparison with Fr. Venuti’s condition, it was extremely painful, the worst I have ever experienced. But after I took three little pills, my pain dissipated and I was on the mend. I gave thanks to God for modern medicine, let me tell you. -
I can imagine. My own moment of illumination on that score was over twenty years ago, when I had a ruptured disk. At my worst point I could only stay upright for a few minutes at a time. Surgery put me back to near-normal, and although it wasn’t a life-threatening condition I suppose without it I would have just been crippled for the rest of my life.
Pain-killers are also worthy of praise.
Thanks again to all of you for your prayers. -
You might remember that in England in 2008 I had a headache for six months. I got in here in the autumn of 2011, and they gave me an injection and it was cured almost immediately. Its due to arthritis and the disks shifting.
We have a statue of our Lady of Lourdes here, and when I get over there tomorrow I will light a candle for your priest. -
I do remember that–I remember being concerned that it sounded like the prelude to a stroke. Never knew spinal problems could cause headaches.
Thank you. He’s awake and posting on Facebook today, which may not be exactly what the doctor ordered but is certainly a good sign. -
Certainly a good sign. My father, who died in February 2013, had heart attacks pretty regularly. Obviously, he had four or five in the last six months of his life until the one which carried him off. But before that, he had had heart attacks going back to his late fifties. And he died in his early 80s. I would say overall he had at least a dozen serious heart attacks over 30 years. It was when the heart attack was followed up by a stroke, about eight months before his death, that things got serious.
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A dozen?!? Good grief. Is that, too, a testimony to modern medicine–that he he lived into his 80s? Seems like in olden days one of those earlier ones would have carried him off.
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Grumpy, I’m intrigued that you said “We have a statue of our Lady of Lourdes here….” I’ve never heard it referred to that way. I have a feeling my kids are going to be lighting candles there this week, too.
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Not dead yet!
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Glad you are still with us
Finals week in Our Ladys University -
Yes, we are glad indeed.
Finals week here, too. Glad I’m neither giving nor taking. -
Late to the game, but I will pray for a complete recovery.
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Thank you.
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What a relief you are still with us, Father. 🙂
Light On Dark Water 
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