Our 20th Anniversary
Scott is placed in a group home after 50 years of being hospitalized. We know it was through Fr. Groeschel's intercession
“The miracle we had hoped and waited for...for over fifty years!“
Thank you Fr. Groeschel
The loss we feel of our beloved friend, Father Benedict Groeschel, is not without its own reward! During one of our last visits together, Fr. Groeschel promised me that as soon as he got to heaven, he was going to pray for our Scott. Well, he certainly did!
Father Groeschel passed into Our Lord's hands on the evening of October 3, 2014 which is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi known as The Transitus.
A few weeks later, Scott was having a very hard time at Tewksbury State Hospital. I feared the worst. I was concerned that he would be transferred to a very large state hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts– facing another lifetime of locked down units. My faith was failing. Then, one day at work, I received an unexpected phone call from his social worker. The state had chosen Scott for one of its new programs called the MEMI Program. The state was building a new group home model which was for the most sick mentally ill and medically ill patients. After fifty years of hospitalizations, Scott would be transferred to his new home. Honestly, I could not believe this at first!
Miraculously , my brother Scott is now living in a group home on the south shore of Massachusetts! It is absolutely a beautiful place… Here, I can call him on the telephone, I can visit with him in the living area, I can bring him whatever food he likes, I can visit with him in his own room. He is able to go out on excursions....it is TRULY a MIRACLE!! - the miracle we had hoped and waited for - for over fifty years.... My brother is now living peacefully as a DIGNIFIED human being, living and loving with others who respect and care for him the way he deserves to be treated. And, to remind you that Our Lady never goes unnoticed: another resident of the group home has established a weekly rosary night....didn't my wife Theresa start to cry when the social worker called to tell me that one night a week, all the residents gather in the living area to pray a rosary together - with Scott able to fully participate. Praise be to God Our Father! Praise be to His Heavenly Mother! And, a true honor to my spiritual guide, Father Benedict Groeschel. May Our Lord continue to bless you, Father, and I send my prayers of gratitude to you daily. Bless our holy souls in Purgatory for their continual suffering!
We do continue with worries: Scott has been sick with pneumonia, Scott has health issues, Scott can have tough spells around his medication and has had a few admissions to the hospital. However, visiting him brings me joy and we are able to embrace and love each other - my family insists on these visits and we are slowly bringing our daughters into this experience. They are very young, but nightly, at our grace time at meals, one of them will always remind us to: "Pray for Scott!".
How beautiful to model for our children the importance of suffering, the VALUE of suffering, and, teaching them the importance of praying for others; of intercessory prayer; of how we might "offer up" something so others might not have to do without. (Scott’s story is on our web page)
We hope this news of Scott brings you JOY and HOPE!!!
Our Lord is never to be outdone!
In You, O Lord, I put my trust! (Ps. 25)
Message From The Founder
I can hardly believe that it has been twenty years since my mother and I founded the apostolate. She is now 85 years old and lives with her other sons. I have since married my beautiful wife Theresa and this year we adopted two beautiful daughters to start our family.
Life is never what we plan but what we are lead to experience with all of the graces God gives our state in life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I had to take a leave from the Guild for a time to be present with my family. But I am happy to report that now we have two more beautiful helpers that are eager to help us with the Guild mailings.
It is our hope that the Duff family journey offers hope and healing to those who are also touched by the “illness of the human mind” as Pope St. John Paul II has called it. Please feel free to contact us for questions or support.
We rely on your donations to help with the spread of the Guild.
Be assured of our prayers always!
Timothy Duff and the family