From Fr Kimball

[Kate Jackson]

26
WILLIAM EMMANUEL KETTELER (1811-1877)
MY PRIESTHOOD AND A STRANGER

For what we are and for our vocations. In the case of the famous Bishop Ketteler,
to a simple nun, the lowest and poorest lay sister in the convent.
The year was 1869 and a German diocesan bishop was sitting together with his guest,
Bishop Ketteler from Mainz. In the course of their conversation, the diocesan bishop came
to the topic of his guest’s extremely blessed apostolate. Yet, Bishop Ketteler explained to
his host, “I owe thanks for everything that I have accomplished with God’s help, to the
know. I can only say that I know somebody has offered his or her whole life to our loving

He continued, “Originally, I wasn’t planning to be a priest.  I had finished my law degree and thought only about how to begin acquiring honour, prestige and wealth.  But God directed my life down a different path.

“One evening I was alone in my room, considering my future plans of fame and fortune.  I can't explain. Was I awake or asleep? Did I really see it or was it just a dream? One thing I do know, it brought about a change in my life. I saw Jesus very clearly and distinctly standing over me in a radiant cloud, showing me his Sacred Heart.

A nun was kneeling before Him, her hands folded in prayer.  I heard distinctly the words, ‘She prays unremittingly for you!’

“I distinctly saw the appearance of the sister, and her traits made such an impression on me that she has remained in my memory to this day. She seemed to be quite an ordinary lay sister. Her clothing was very poor
and rough. Her hands were red and calloused from hard work. Whatever it was, a dream or not but it made such an impression  in the depths of my being so that from that moment on, I decided to consecrate myself to God in
the service of the priesthood.

“I withdrew to a monastery for a retreat, and I talked about everything with my confessor. Then, at the age of 30, I began studying theology. You know the rest of the story.

So, if you think that I have done something admirable, now you know who really deserves the credit—a religious sister who prayed for me, maybe without even knowing who I was. I am convinced, I was prayed for and I will continue to be prayed for in secret and that without these prayers, I could never have reached the altar.

“Do you have any idea of the whereabouts or the identity of who has prayed for you?"  asked the diocesan bishop.
“No, I can only ask God each day that, while she is still on earth, He bless and repay her

[Benjamin Carter]

Thank you Katie, very inspiring. As Catholics we walk by faith, not by sight but it is nice to know how important our prayers are and the great results coming from them.

I guess we will only see the result when we die.

Although we are living in hard times, as regards the state of the church, it is nice to have been born at this time to play a part in the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

God bless you,

Anne

[Dawn Marie]

Thanks for fixing it.  I wasn't sure what it said before.

Great post, thank you Katie.

[Cathleen]

Thank you for sharing this with us all, Kate.  Very edifying.  I have heard of similar stories (one from a priest in Russia) but they are always so wonderful to hear about.   Deo Gratias!