Fr Seamus Maguire

This is a series of short stories by Fr Seamus Maguire that have been inspired, for the most part, by his experiences as chaplain at the San Fernando GeneralHospital.
Fr Seamus hopes that this series of anecdotes may help to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Fr Seamus served the San Fernando Parish between 1995 and 2006. He has since returned to West Virginia, USA.

We, of the Fraternity of P riests in Trinidad, were having our usual Thursday meeting, when Fr Cutty (now Monsignor Alexander) suggested that we priests should be more forceful in witnessing to our faith. We should not be half-hearted or apologetic, but confident that God will work through our prayers.

I waited until he had completely finished speaking and then I said “I believe I showed that confidence you are calling for, when I was called out to an elderly lady at Gulf-City Clinic a week ago.” I could see that all the priests were waiting to hear what happened at the clinic, so I went on.

I was called to a lady, let’s call her “Nora” since that is a common name in Trinidad. At the bottom of the stairs at the clinic, I met a man who asked me, “Who are you visiting?” I told him, and he said “Oh she is very ill. She had serious surgery but she continued to hemorrhage after it, and they don’t want to go in again at her age. She is in bad shape”.

I was at the top of the stairs by now and there I met three young nurses behind a desk. I asked them “May I see Nora please?” They looked at each other then looked back at me and one bravely said, “Nora is in extreme danger, as they still cannot stop the hemorrhaging. They continue to give her blood.

“May I see her, please?” I asked. “Oh, of course, the nurse said. “She is in the first room – right beside you on the left.” As I opened the door, I felt that all odds were stacked against poor Nora. She was the “underdog” as we say, and I am always for the underdog. I was determined to be strong and aggressive in the power of Jesus in the sacraments and in prayer. So I introduced myself in a strong firm manner.

“Nora”, I said, “I am your priest. I have come to anoint you and give you the sacraments.” Then I added these completely unprepared words, “I don’t know what your chances of recovery were before I came in that door, but I do know that they are 80% to 90% better now that Jesus Christ, in Holy Communion, as well as the holy oils to anoint you, has come to your aid.” “Jesus has the power to heal,” I said. “We all know this – you and I”.

I then prepared her for the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, and finally she received Jesus’ body and blood in Holy Communion. After some prayers I left her.

 I looked at the priests gathered around me at the Fraternity meeting and said to Fr Cutty, “Isn’t that what you mean Fr Cutty?” Fr Cutty looked a little confused. I knew that, what he really wanted to know was, if dear Nora had suddenly got well or had she died in a day or two.

Eventually Fr Cutty winked at the priests and said, “Well, did she get better or not?” “Oh, let me finish,” I said with a smile. “The next day I went back to see Nora and found that the hemorrhage had continued to weaken her, but she received Holy Communion with great piety.”

On Saturday I was engaged with Mass, confessions, and in preparing my sermon, so I went to see her on Sunday afternoon. She had gone home.

“Yes,” Fr Cutty said, “Now that is what I was talking about – rely on the power of God more.” We all laughed.

A word about the “Fraternity of Priests”. It is so important to meet socially, but when we do, there has to be prayers to our God, study, reflection and some discussion and encouragement for the weak of heart. Yes, as a priest you will need this support as a platform to express what’s troubling you and what are the many joys that the Lord sends you daily.

PS I heard Nora died about two months later.