Father Aniello Salicone

I had the privilege of attending a Catholic conference in Chicago this past weekend with two of my friends. All of the speakers were very good. It was as if I received a shot in the arm and a boost in my faith. I came away from the weekend enthusiastic and ready to again proclaim my faith from on high.

Perhaps my favorite part of the conference was the holy Mass on Sunday. The main celebrant was Father Aniello Salicone, a Xavierian priest from Franklin, Wisconsin. I had been to one of his healing services before when Karim was with our family. I took Karim to Father's healing service in 2009 because I had hope that God would heal Karim of his disease. This was not in God's plan at the time, as I found out.

Right before communion, when Father Aniello raised the consecrated host to say, "This is Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; happy are those who are called to His supper." He smiled, looking at the host and said, "I wish you could all see what I see. It is so beautiful. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you." And then he continued on with Mass. After Mass, the conference host invited Fr. Aniello back to the microphone and asked him what he had seen in the host. He replied that he had seen the holy face of Jesus in the host. It was a gift from Jesus to him. We were all amazed. This priest has received inner lucutions from Jesus since early in 2000. What great gifts Jesus gives him.

I also liked his explanation before the healing service. He explained that before his healing services, many people come excited and happy, yet he sees many go away sad and downcast after the healing services. He asked them why they are sad and they say, because they were not healed. However, he explained that they should always go away happy, even if they are not healed in the way they expected to be healed. For, if they are not healed in the way they asked Jesus to heal them, they are receiving something EVEN BETTER. For God's ways and God's time are not our ways and our time. And if God doesn't give us what we pray for in the way we pray for it, we must realize that He knows what is better for us and we must trust that He has something in mind that is even greater for us. His plan is even better for us. What He wants to do for us is best, so we should rejoice and be glad, not downcast and sad.

This was very good for me to hear, particularly with regard to Karim. I have prayed many, many hours for Karim's healing. I have asked God "why" so many times. I have doubted even God's existence because of Karim's lack of physical healing by the God that I thought for sure would hear and answer my prayers for healing for this little innocent boy. Yet, I heard what Father Aniello said and could understand now, through the gentle explanation of this patient and loving priest, that God has something even greater in mind for Karim. He loves Karim far more than I could ever love him. We will one day know what He has in store for little Karim. And we will rejoice with God in God's ways, not ours. Thank you, Jesus, for sending this good and holy priest to be your messenger to me.