Friday, April 3, 2009

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that it has been almost three months since I first drove Fr. Bob to the hospital. Since then it has been a veritable roller coaster ride! There were more than a few times we were filled with tremendous grief - certain that we would lose him, and other moments of great hope. All in all it has been an emotionally grueling time for us. Happily, the worst seems to be behind us. We are constantly cautioned by the doctors that though he is stable and recovering steadily, if slowly, his condition is such that he could face more difficulties. So we continue to ask for your prayers. At present he is battling an infection. When this has been dealt with it may be time for him to move to other living situations. We are still unsure at this point of what that might be. I will update this site if anything happens or there is further clarity regarding his situation.

Yet again I will speak for the whole community in thanking all of you for all your prayers. May God reward you for your love and generosity!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Dear Friends,

Fr. Bob's physical condition is stable and seems to be slowly improving. He is still very exhausted most of the time and tires very quickly. This, of course, is very understandable considering all that he has been through over the last two and a half months. When we tell him how many people are praying for him it always brings a smile to his face. We brought someone in to give him a haircut yesterday and he seems genuinely relieved! His signature Fr. Bob humour is definitely surfacing more and more.

We thank you for all the prayers and urge everyone to continue to remember him in your time with the Lord. Fr. Bob has come a long way but he still has a long way to go.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers. Fr. Bob managed to avoid the flu epidemic, which also seems to have passed. Fr. Bob continues to make gradual improvements. We are very encouraged, but it is still unclear how fully we can expect him to recover.

We deeply appreciate all of your generous prayers and sacrifices. We simply cannot thank you enough.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Dear Friends,

A serious flu outbreak has hit the facility where Fr. Bob is staying. He had his shots so we are not too worried, but we would appreciate prayers that he will not get it. It's one more thing that he just doesn't need. Because they have been sequestering the area he is staying in I have not seen him for a few days, but I am told that he is doing about the same as before. He does get tired quickly, so we are praying for greater strength to return. But considering all he has been through these past few months it is more than understandable!

Again I thank you for all your generous prayers and sacrifices. We are so grateful!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Dear Friends,

Fr. Bob has had several ups and downs during the last week but his situation is generally unchanged. Thankfully, he is in stable condition. His various doctors are still unsure about how much improvement we can expect. Please continue to pray for him.

Once again I want to thank all of you for your generous prayers and sacrifices. Fr. Bob reacted with a big smile and a "thumbs up" when I told him that groups are praying for him all through Canada and the United States, East and West Africa, the Philippines, England, and Peru! It also continues to be a great source of encouragement and consolation for all of us!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, March 6, 2009

Dear Friends,

Fr. Bob's condition appears to be about the same. He is continuing to show small signs of improvement, but still has a very long way to go. We ask you to please continue with your prayers. It is our hope that it will not be very long before we have a more firm idea of what the next step will be.

Again I thank you with all my heart for all your generous prayers and sacrifices. The whole community is humbled and grateful.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Dear Friends,

It has been very difficult over the last few weeks to know how much detail to share regarding Fr. Bob's condition. It is something that we have truly agonized over. We appreciate the desire of those who love him to understand the exact nature of what he is suffering. But we also want to respect his dignity and provide him with the same privacy that any of us would expect. It is true that he is a much loved public figure, but he is also a private person – one who would not appreciate an indiscriminant sharing of the intimate details of his health. Up until now those closest to Fr. Bob have felt that sharing his general condition was sufficient. We also didn't want to fuel a certain unhealthy curiosity and the proliferation of rumours. Finding the line between respecting his privacy and informing those concerned is a fine one and we sincerely hope that all of you understand our decision.

That being said, however, we do feel that we can share a few more details now that his condition seems to be stabilizing. Fr. Bob has experienced a combination of serious health problems. To begin with he recently contracted a virus, which attacks the nervous system. This is being successfully treated. Over the course of the past year Fr. Bob has had several serious falls that have caused damage to his head. This is a significant factor at this time. He also has ongoing heart and respiratory issues, which complicate matters a fair bit. And all of this has happened amidst a general physical and cognitive decline due to the natural aging process. At present he is awake and conscious for only very brief periods. The degree to which he is aware of his situation and surroundings is unclear. He is undergoing observation to determine this.

Please continue to pray for him. As I mentioned before it is simply not possible to visit him. I will continue these updates on a bi-weekly basis for the time being as there is little or no change in his condition from day to day. Again, I simply cannot thank you enough for all the prayers and outpouring of support. It means more to us than we could ever hope to express.

Sincerely in Jesus & Mary,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, February 27, 2009

Dear Friends,

It is with much relief and gratitude to God that I can announce that Fr. Bob's condition has been downgraded from "critical" to "chronic". He appears to be out of imminent danger of death, but has a very long and difficult road ahead of him. I should note, however, that he is still dealing with serious health issues that still present significant risks to his life. There are also serious questions about how much he will be able to recover. He is presently being observed by specialists to determine the best course of action. Unfortunately, it is still not possible to visit him.

We are all so incredibly grateful for all the prayers. Please continue to pray for him. He has come a long way, but in many ways a new journey seems to be beginning. He could use all the prayer support he can get! May the Lord bless you for all your kindness to our beloved Founder.

Sincerely in Jesus & Mary,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that Fr Bob continues to make small but important improvements. He is still deemed to be "critical" and is very much in need of our prayers but we are more hopeful than we have been in weeks.

Once again I thank you for all of your prayers and outpouring of support. May the Lord be glorified in Fr Bob's life and may His perfect will be realized.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, February 20, 2009

Dear Friends,

Once again I thank you for all of your prayers and concern. Fr. Bob continues to make small but important steps towards recovery.

We continue to urge your prayers for him.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Dear Friends,

Fr Bob's condition is improving in small ways very slowly. He remains in very serious condition with multiple health issues. We are so grateful for all your prayers and urge you to continue. We trust the Lord's perfect plan is being worked out in his life. We entrust him to the loving arms of Our Lady.

May God reward your kindness and your prayers.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Dear Friends,

I would like to thank you again for all your prayers and outpouring of support. It is wonderful to see how much Fr Bob is loved. There is very little to report today. His condition remains about the same. We continue to see small improvements but, as I said yesterday, his condition remains very serious. Please continue to pray for him. Again I thank you for all your prayers.

May the Lord bless you for the kindness you are showing to Fr Bob.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)