Fr. Peter’s Story

In early 2004 I was a new Parish Priest in the West of Jersey Catholic Parish. I had been given this by the Bishop the previous September. I was still finding my way around and meeting all the people. At that time I didn’t even really know Colm and the Cahill family. I had been warned that one of my altar servers was likely to collapse on the floor at any time. The previous parish priest told me not to be surprised and to just ignore it someone would move him. I wasn’t even sure which one it was.

The first real contact was when I was asked to visit him in hospital. I went there to his room and saw a young boy in bed with his mum by his side. I prayed with him, anointed him and gave him some sweets. I also gave him a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I noticed in the weeks that followed he wasn’t always at Mass and had stopped serving on the altar. On one occasion after Mass I saw Mary crying with some women. I asked someone what was wrong. ‘Teenage problems’ was the reply, but I had a strong feeling it was more. I went with her and we spoke privately and she shared with me the true reality and horror of what was happening to Colm and how it was affecting the family. On that day in Mass she just lost the ability to put up a front that she coped.

One Sunday afternoon the family came to the presbytery to watch a DVD and relax. It was nearly time to go when Colm’s mood changed. He became aggressive. David was taking the first car full of kids home and would return for Colm and Mary. Colm was in the armchair dark eyed and sullen. Mary warned me he was leading into a seizure. She laid him onto the floor with my help as it began. It was horrible, but then came the hallucinations. He was full of terror. I too was terrified. As it eased and David helped him to the car Mary told me ‘that was mild’ When they left I was in tears.
I continued to support the family with prayers and for Mary as someone she could talk in confidence to about it all. They were in despair at times and seeking help anywhere they could find.

One Sunday in May 2004 I left one of the churches to go home. As I reached the junction I intended to turn left but found I had turned right! I didn’t know why. I decided that as I was heading in the wrong direction I would go and see the family. I felt as if a voice was saying ‘go to them’ I found them at home and I asked Colm to join me in the garden. It was the Sunday before I was due to go to Medjugorje with the first Jersey pilgrimage. Without ever having thought about it, I found myself asking Colm if he would like me to offer my week for him. I told him the whole seven days of prayer would be for him to ask to find a way to cope and the best treatment. He said ‘yes please’ we agreed he would pray in jersey and we would make a spiritual bridge between us. Mary found me a photo of him to take with me.

On the Wednesday I heard from Mary that he was having a horrible seizure. The fear, violence and hallucinations were terrifying.
On the Thursday I left with a group of 25 people. Only two knew the purpose of my pilgrimage. Colm’s picture was with me in my shirt pocket. Every mass, prayer, and rosary I offered for him. It was my sixth visit to Medjugorje, but I had never experienced such intensity and trust in prayer. One day we went to visit Fr. Jozo, a very charismatic priest who had been in Medjugorje at the start of the apparitions.

I asked him for a special prayer and blessing. I held the photo of Colm and he stood with one hand on it and one hand on my shoulder. We stood there for a long time as we both prayed together.
I kept in touch daily with Mary and Colm. She was pleased to say they were having seizure free days.

We didn’t know but a special day was about to come. Friday 21^st May2004 our group were invited to go to Apparition Hill to be with Ivan the visionary as Our Lady was coming. At 10pm she would come. I had arranged that at the same time (9pm in Jersey) Colm and Mary would pray. I took Colm in my heart and was there holding his photo. Colm and Mary were with me too in prayer. I held the picture in front of me and when she came I presented him to her and asked her prayers. After the apparition Ivan explained through translators what she had said. Our Lady had said that she especially was interceding for all the sick that had been brought there in prayers that night. I went back to where we were staying and found a text message from Mary to say something extraordinary had happened to Colm. There was no detail and I didn’t know Colm’s story until I returned to Jersey.

On the last day, the Wednesday I made my last act of Prayer. I was going up Mount Krizevac to pray the Stations of the Cross. I had with me Paul Le Claire and Deacon Paul Hagg and of course Colm in my pocket. It was 2pm and incredibly hot for the climb. It was an amazing prayer experience with each of us praying for our intentions and me in particular for Colm. When I reached the top I stopped at the memorial to Fr. Slavko who had died at the top. Something told me to put Colm’s picture at the memorial and leave it. I was afraid it would blow away or someone may move it so I buried it under the stones on the memorial. I felt I had to hand him to Fr. Slavko’s prayers and intercessions. On my way down I felt I had left behind someone I had become so close to in that week. But I knew I had to do it. ‘Do what you can and leave the rest in the hands of God’ This I did with enormous love and trust in God.

On my return to Jersey there was great news. He had just had the first seizure free week for months. To this day he has NEVER had another seizure.

I continued to support the family and Colm with Prayers. He started a daily rosary and personal consecration prayer to Our Lady which he still does to this day. The year was hard and he needed a lot of spiritual help and support to adjust to normal life. Coming off the medication was so difficult, but he is now a healthy 14yr old teenager. His life has changed but needs help and pray as he catches up with the gaps in his life and development. Educationally he is so behind and desperate to achieve.

My life, too, has changed. Since May 2004 I have not missed the rosary on one single day. It was a prayer I didn’t find easy before. Lots of people in Jersey are joining me for the Rosary and to be before the Blessed Sacrament for Holy Hours. I hope our story will bring hope and faith to many who have lost their way in the spiritual desert around us. May they put God into their lives. I have learned to pray and trust like a child without doubt.

I returned to Medjugorje in May 2005. This time no photo, but Colm with me in person. Mary came too. We will soon on this website share our amazing experiences there.

Colm strongly received the message there that the way is to TRUST.

As we began to share the story for the first time in Medjugorje he received a new message that he is to help bring faith and hope back to people all around the world

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