Thursday, June 9, 2011

Dear Friends,

On June 6, Fr. Bob celebrated his 56th anniversary of ordination. I celebrated a quiet Mass together with him and afterward we had a short time of singing praise and worship songs - something he definitely seems to enjoy. The previous Friday we visited Fr. Bob with a number of seminarians. He was quiet, but he did make the effort to assure Ruben Campbell that his English was improving - always the English teacher! There is little else to report on Fr. Bob's condition. Little has changed for months. He speaks very little, but when he does it becomes clear that he carefully follows the conversations of those who are visiting. We continue to thank the Good Lord for the gift that he is to us. I have no doubt that he is "filling up in his body the sufferings of Christ for the good of the Church" as St. Paul commends us to do. Thank you for your ongoing prayers! It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob. Please follow the instructions below:

In Jesus & Mary,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Dear Friends,

On June 6, Fr. Bob celebrated his 56th anniversary of ordination. I celebrated a quiet Mass together with him and afterward we had a short time of singing praise and worship songs - something he definitely seems to enjoy. The previous Friday we visited Fr. Bob with a number of seminarians. He was quiet, but he did make the effort to assure Ruben Campbell that his English was improving - always the English teacher! There is little else to report on Fr. Bob's condition. Little has changed for months. He speaks very little, but when he does it becomes clear that he carefully follows the conversations of those who are visiting. We continue to thank the Good Lord for the gift that he is to us. I have no doubt that he is "filling up in his body the sufferings of Christ for the good of the Church" as St. Paul commends us to do. Thank you for your ongoing prayers! It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob. Please follow the instructions below:

The following conditions must be observed by all who visit Fr. Bob:

1. Please keep visits to an absolute maximum of fifteen minutes.
2. Every single visit must be arranged through Mrs. Lee McCarthy. Please phone her during the day and leave a message at her home number 613-725-0233. She will get back to you that evening or the next day, and will discuss some further details with you.
3. Absolutely no food or drink is to be brought to or given to Fr. Bob. Misguided kindness could easily cause him to choke and create life-threatening situations.
4. No more than three visitors should be in his room at one time.
5. Please…please…please sign in at the front desk and sign the guestbook in his room. It is very important for us to monitor how many visitors he is receiving.
6. Please do not shake Fr. Bob to wake him if he is sleeping. At times he becomes very exhausted and simply needs to rest. If he does not rouse after you speak his name – please let him sleep.
7. Fr. Bob cannot celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with anyone. Please do not request this of him.
8. Please respect the fact that Fr. Bob cannot initiate conversations and is generally disturbed by being repeatedly asked “how he is doing”. It is best to do all the initiating and to avoid questions that would cause him to evaluate his own situation.
9. A common symptom of dementia is occasional edginess and irritability. If this happens please remember that it is the condition and not Fr. Bob.
10. Visiting times will be determined by our visits coordinator, Mrs. Lee McCarthy.

In Jesus & Mary,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, April 1, 2011

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that Fr. Bob is no longer in the hospital. He has returned to his residence and has settled back in nicely. He continues to receive antibiotics for the infection that required him to be transferred to the hospital. He is clearly tired and has less stamina but seems to enjoy short visits. He definitely responded to friendly kidding about the Senators collapse! You may visit him under the usual conditions listed below. As always, thank you so much for your love, concern, and prayers.

With Gratitude,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Dear Friends,

Fr. Bob has recently been moved back to the hospital. He is suffering from some sort of infection and the doctors are still working on a precise diagnosis. He does not appear to be in any serious danger, but the hospital is the best place to determine precisely what is happening and take appropriate action. For this reason we are temporarily suspending visits. He is very tired but communicative and seems to be taking it all in stride. As always his good humour is in evidence! Please keep him in your prayers. I will update this site should anything change.

In Jesus & Mary,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Dear Friends,

Once again I want to thank all of you for your constant prayers and love for Fr. Bob. It has been so encouraging to hear from so many of you who regularly remember him in your family prayers. It has not been an easy time for Fr. Bob. There has been a series of sicknesses that have swept through his floor this last month and a half. He is doing well but it has meant a necessary decrease in visitors in order to contain the various outbreaks. He loves the short visits he receives and so it has been a trial for him. Hopefully he will be able to receive his regular visits again soon.

Sincere thanks for all your prayers, kind visits, and concern. May the Lord return your kindness a hundredfold!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that Fr. Bob is doing very well. As I mentioned in previous updates he is experiencing a very gradual physical decline but his awareness and attention is very good. At times his dry wit and humour is very much in evidence! He is clearly praying along when Mass is celebrated or other prayers are said with him. On Christmas day he even joined in singing some Christmas carols! Earlier this month he sent along his blessing to our Executive Council as we gathered to deliberate our long term plans. Needless to say, we are very grateful that he is doing well. The Lord clearly still has plans for his life!

It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob. He does enjoy visits provided they are not too long. Please do not visit if you have a cold - it is the last thing he needs!  Once again I want to thank all of you for your prayers and loving concern. We are so very grateful! May the Lord reward you all for your prayers and kindness to His faithful servant.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Dear Friends,

I am happy to report that we have had no significant setbacks for a while! Fr. Bob is doing well. In general I would say that his physical condition is experiencing a very gradual deterioration, but he is mentally alert and engaging. He is often hard to hear, but his wit and humour are as sharp as ever. Once again I thank all of you for your loving and persevering prayer for Fr. Bob. It means more to us than I could ever hope to express. It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob, but please follow the directives below. It is also important not to visit him if you have any inkling of a cold. It would be a great suffering for him to get sick on top of all his other challenges.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Dear Friends,

I apologize for the lengthy delay in posting an update on Fr Bob. It has been a hectic few months for me. I am happy to report, however, that Fr. Bob is doing well. He still has his bad days but by and large he is attentive and healthy. We are incredibly grateful to the Lord for this and for the time we have with him. After consulting with those overseeing his care it has been decided to allow visitors once again. We just ask that all visitors keep their visits short as per the instructions (on the main page of the website) And that anyone who has a cold or any other contagious condition refrain from visiting him until they are completely recovered – it is just too hard on Fr. Bob in his weak condition.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Dear Friends,

It seems the Lord has more for Fr. Bob to do yet! As you know we were very concerned recently. He was rushed to the hospital with pneumonia and we later discovered that he had also suffered a minor stroke. At the time things did not look promising and we were told to prepare for the worst. That was well over a month ago. Since then Fr. Bob has defied the odds again and rallied amazingly. He was recently discharged from the hospital and is back at a long-term care facility.

It is worth noting that Fr. Bob has been quite a witness to many nurses and doctors about the dignity of life and the importance of providing the basics of physical care – namely nutrition and hydration. People in his condition are sometimes deprived of both. Even in his weakened and dependent state he is still preaching the Gospel.

Thank you so much for your generous prayers! We want to give Fr. Bob more time to rest before opening things up for visitation again. I will notify everyone on this website when it is once again possible to visit with him.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Thank you so much for your prayers and constant support. I need to inform you that Fr. Bob has had a fairly serious setback. He is being treated for pneumonia and upon examination it was discovered that he has recently suffered a minor stroke. Please keep him in your prayers.

Fr. Bob is presently receiving treatment in hospital, and under these circumstances it is not possible for anyone to visit him.

Once again, the Companions of the Cross and the Servants of the Cross thank you with all our hearts for your love and prayers. I will provide regular updates regarding Fr. Bob’s condition.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Monday, March 8, 2010

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your ongoing prayers and support! We could never hope to express how much it means to us. Your love and concern for Fr. Bob continues to be incredibly edifying.

I am happy to report that Fr. Bob seems to be doing well. I am sure that by now most of you know that he has been definitively diagnosed with dementia. He resides at a long term care facility where he can receive the very best care. It is expected that his condition will continue to deteriorate. We really have no way of knowing how quickly that will happen. What we do know is that we have him with us now and are trying to enjoy our time with him as much as we can. He has good days and bad days, but for the most part he is comfortable and seems content in his surroundings. When he is doing well he almost seems like his old self. These visits are incredibly consoling and hopeful. On other days it can be a very difficult and sad experience to visit him. But the Lord obviously still has plans for his life, and we are grateful for the time we have with him.

Each day a priest or seminarian of the community or a sister from the Servants of the Cross visits him and brings him Holy Communion. Occasionally we are able to celebrate Mass at his bedside. It is truly a joy to do so – especially when he is able to enter in to the celebration knowingly and attentively.

Once again I want to thank all of you for your love for Fr. Bob, your generous prayers, and understanding. It has been incredibly comforting to see the solicitude of all of you for him. I know he deeply appreciates your prayers, your friendship, and your visits to see him. Thank you!

It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob but only under certain conditions. We need to keep these conditions in place in order to properly care for him. For so many years he took care of us. Now it is our turn to take care of him.

(Please see most recent message for updated visiting conditions)

Again, we thank you for all your prayers and support. It means so much to Fr. Bob and to all of us. May the Lord reward all your generosity and kindness!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Dear Friends,

This past week all of the priests of our community gathered for our professional training days in Houston. It just did not feel the same without Fr. Bob. He was, however, very much in our thoughts and prayers. Slowly we are adjusting to not having Fr. Bob present with us as we seek to live out the mission the Lord has given us through him. Recently one of our priests was telling Fr. Bob about some victories in ministry and Fr. Bob related how much he wants and needs to hear these stories – only now, from us. This priest related how much he felt that Fr. Bob has handed the torch now to us. Please pray that we may be faithful and zealous in the cause.

Fr. Bob’s condition continues to be stable. He has suffered from a nasty cold and was a little overwhelmed with visitors over the Christmas season. Unfortunately some visitors continue to stay too long and over the course of a day Fr. Bob becomes utterly exhausted. Some days he is alert and attentive and seems very much himself. On other days he is almost non-responsive. We have been told that this is to be expected. We continue to pray for him and entrust him into the hands of the Lord.

Unfortunately the news isn’t all good. He has been definitively diagnosed as suffering from dementia. His condition is expected to continue to deteriorate. It will affect both his mental and physical health. There is no way of knowing how quickly the condition will progress, but we are praying that Fr. Bob will enjoy a significant amount of time wherein he is lucid and is able to converse with us.

Each day a priest or seminarian of the community or a sister from the Servants of the Cross visits him and brings him Holy Communion. Occasionally we are able to celebrate Mass at his bedside. It is truly a joy to do so – especially when he is able to enter in to the celebration knowingly and attentively.

Once again I want to thank all of you for your love for Fr. Bob, your generous prayers, and understanding. It has been incredibly comforting to see the solicitude of all of you for him. I know he deeply appreciates your prayers, your friendship, and your visits to see him. Thank you!

It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob but only under certain conditions. We need to keep these conditions in place in order to properly care for him. For so many years he took care of us. Now it is our turn to take care of him.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Dear Friends,

Once again I want to thank all of you for your concern and prayers for Fr. Bob. It has been incredibly edifying to know that large numbers of people have been praying for him as far away as Kenya and England. We could never adequately thank you!

Fr. Bob continues to enjoy relative stability in his physical health. He is still somewhat frail, but thankfully the litany of medical concerns that kept us all in a state of constant worry is in the past. We are also very pleased with the quality of care that is being given him. The staff has taken a genuine interest in him and treats him with great love and respect. He is very comfortable and at home in his environment and seems genuinely happy.

Unfortunately the news isn’t all good. He has been definitively diagnosed as suffering from dementia. His condition is expected to continue to deteriorate. It will affect both his mental and physical health. There is no way of knowing how quickly the condition will progress, but we are praying that Fr. Bob will enjoy a significant amount of time wherein he is lucid and is able to converse with us.

I must admit that the diagnosis of dementia was not unexpected, but it did hit us hard just the same. We continue to pray for God’s holy and loving will to be done. As Fr. Bob so often reminded us – it is the only thing that ultimately matters and the only thing worth doing.

It is still possible to visit Fr. Bob but only under certain conditions. We need to keep these conditions in place in order to properly care for him. For so many years he took care of us. Now it is our turn to take care of him.

Again, we thank you for all your prayers and support. It means so much to Fr. Bob and to all of us. May the Lord reward all your generosity and kindness!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dear Friends,

We are happy to report that Fr. Bob’s condition has stabilized a great deal over the last few months. Physically he is still relatively frail – though much improved since his most trying days! He spends the better part of the day in bed, but his caretakers are able to get him into a wheelchair for certain hours of the day. At times he is very sharp and able to converse extremely well. At other times, however, he grows confused and forgetful. He still needs a great deal of rest. We continue to pray for him and entrust him into the Lord’s loving hands.

Fr. Bob is residing in a long-term care facility and is receiving wonderful care. In consultation with his health care providers we have decided to allow visits to him under certain conditions. We will evaluate how well this is going in the near future.

Again, we thank you for all your prayers and support. It means so much to Fr. Bob and to all of us. May the Lord reward all your generosity and kindness!


United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Monday, June 15, 2009

Dear Friends,

Once again I would like to thank all of you for your generous prayers and support. Last week Fr. Bob received an assessment and it was determined that he is need of a very high level of ongoing care. He has short periods where he is very lucid and communicative, but he is still very confused and "foggy" the majority of the time. This past Friday he was moved to a long term care facility in town. After over six months in the hospital this comes as a relief to all of us. He is in a far more comfortable setting and is receiving very good and thorough care. We give thanks to God for this blessing.

We are giving him some time to adjust to his new surroundings before we discuss how available we should make him for visits from his many friends. We will obviously be relying heavily on the advice of his health care providers to make this decision. We will keep you posted. In the meantime we appreciate your continued prayers!

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your continual prayers and support. Very little has changed regarding Fr. Bob's situation. He remains in the hospital and we are still unsure of the degree to which he will recover. He is not in any physical pain but there is a real frustration involved in his confinement and the lack of clarity regarding his recovery. His lack of clarity in memory and thinking is certainly a suffering for him. We expect that he will be moved to a long term facility sometime in the near future. We will definitely keep everyone informed if there is any change in his situation.

Again I want to thank all of you for your generosity in prayer and support. It has been, and continues to be, a real source of strength and encouragement for us all.

United in prayer,

Fr Scott McCaig, CC
Moderator (General Superior)