Pray for Eccles!

I have been asking many priests and bishops to read Eccles Is Saved, the blog run by the Catholic Church's resident satirist.  I send them links to his blog posts.  I keep meaning to ask Eccles how many hits he gets from Rome each day... 

One of the shepherds asked me if Eccles was 'a contender' for my affections. Ha, ha! The simple answer is no.  But it's time to 'fess up and blush 'till my cheeks go postbox red. When I first started reading Eccles' blog - I thought he was a witty (and single) young man. So, that explains the time that I joked on Twitter about throwing pebbles at his window.

 
Now, I realise that Eccles ain't available, and even if he was, his hands are full with Anti-Moly and Bosco.

Yesterday, courtesy of Twitter, I learned that Eccles is poorly and suffering a bout of ill health!  We must fly to his aid!

It's time to give back. We've enjoyed many a good laugh reading Eccles' blog, and now we can return the favour by praying for him in his hour of need.

I'm already sending lots of requests to Padre Pio, so I think I had better annoy, I mean, petition another saint.

Here's what I suggest. Everyone reading this post - say the prayer below to St Raphael.  It would be nice to have some tally, so please consider leaving a comment if you are praying to St Raphael for Eccles.  We are asking St Raphael's intervention on a health matter - which is perhaps the BEST reason to pray to the Archangel.  

St Raphael is 'the saint of happy meetings', and obviously is called on by singletons to help them source other singletons. I think, however, that we would be better to pray to St Raphael for our health and well-being.  St Raphael's name means 'medicine of God', and he's also one of the patron saints of doctors and medicine.   In the Book of Tobit, St Raphael saved the young Tobias's life, and later he healed Tobit of his blindness, and having had his sight restored, Tobit had the use of his eyes again. 

Prayer to St Raphael for Healing

Glorious Archangel St Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflecited and refuge of sinners. 

I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the "medicine of God", I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body.  I especially ask of you the favour (for Eccles) and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.  AMEN

Visiting the statue of St Raphael at San Juan Capistrano, California, USA.