Healing Father John: A Journey of Contrariness, Connection, and Change

Caring about and for someone who has a serious disease can feel like a roller-coaster ride of hope and heartbreak. When that someone is a charismatic, saintly, yet very human Catholic priest who has always ignored his health, leaving it in the hands of the Almighty, it becomes a challenge. Not only caring about Father John, Nancy-Jo Taiani imagined she could become his personal trainer-to teach him new exercises, to change his eating habits, to get him to take responsibility for his health, and to help him to heal. He tolerated her attempts with benevolent humor-and snuck in a donut or a piece of bacon whenever he could. Meanwhile, he modeled courage, acceptance, and unconditional love. Nancy-Jo's experiences were exasperating, enlightening, fun, and life-changing as Father John launched her into a new "career" of activism. Though they learned to know each other deeply, one thing is still difficult to know-did Nancy-Jo's attempts to heal him ever have any effect? Or did he heal her? This book relives their journey together of contrariness, connection, and change.