The Healing Journey

June 2, 2026

The following reflection was written by Fernanda Moreira, founder and director of the Apostolate for the Dying, about her late husband Jack. For more information about the apostolate, click here: (www.apostolateforthedying.com)

After my husband was diagnosed with ALS in 2022, I began to pray for his healing. Knowing that there was no cure, I just put my trust in God’s hands and wisdom. This is the prayer I was inspired to pray: “Dear Lord, please heal my dear husband, yet not my will, but Your will be done, You know what is best for us and I trust in You.”

With this prayer, I surrendered everything to our Heavenly Father, and this was the best prayer I had ever prayed in my all life. Because of this, in my own suffering, and seeing the one I loved dying a little bit every day, I felt peace. The peace that only God can give by accepting His holy will.

Another wonderful grace Our Lord Jesus gave me through this very difficult time was to see that in my husband’s sufferings, and in union with sufferings of Jesus, my husband’s soul was being purified. It was truly amazing to understand the value of suffering. And the greatest of the blessings came at the end, through two different priests, who without me even asking, gave my husband not only once, but four times the Apostolic Blessing, the highest blessing in the Church. The last one was just few hours before his death.

Suffering is very hard and difficult, but at the same time very precious, because without climbing this golden ladder called suffering, no one reaches Heaven.

My husband passed peacefully, March 13, 2024. After his death, I had a couple of beautiful dreams, where I saw him walking with me dressed with a long white gown.

Here is a prayer from the Apostolate for the Dying booklet that I prayed every day. When praying it for my husband I would mention his name instead of “my.”

Prayer for a holy death

Merciful Jesus, I entrust to You the hour of my death.
In Your great compassion, through the intercession of
Our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, wash away all my
sins in Your Most Precious Blood. Make me clean, Lord,
worthy to look at Your radiant face. Lead me through
the gates of paradise, where I will live with You forever.
O most merciful Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
Grant me the grace of a holy and peaceful death.

Prayer in my time of suffering

Lord, help me to make this time of suffering
a time of grace.
Help me to accept Your will in peace and
love. It is in suffering that I look more
like You, and it is in suffering that my union
with You is perfected. Lord, fill my heart
with love for You. Amen

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