A Miracle for Peter

On January 7 two years ago Peter Solanus Casey was born.

He was born with a large midline cleft lip and palate.

Though he fed well from a bottle, he did not grow.

At two months old he was hospitalized.

After much searching and a full genetic screening, we learned he has a SPINT2 genetic mutation which causes him to lose sodium all the time (this is the reason he did not gain weight). Through IV Nutrition (TPN) infused through a permanent central line catheter (Broviac) Peter is alive and thriving.

But he cannot digest food normally and has developed an oral aversion from his early experiences. Because of the central line catheter, he is at risk for blood infections. Every time he has a fever, even from a cold, he must be admitted to the hospital and put on antibiotics while they rule out a blood infection.

Despite all this, he has never lost his joy and resilience through serious illness and surgeries.

Our goal has always been to accept what God gives us, whether that meant perfectly imperfect family moments, separation or grief.

Thanks to the doctors at UCSF, Peter has gone long periods without being hospitalized (two and a half months is the current record). In some ways, what more could we ask for?

But the risks remain.

Fr. Solanus Casey was born November 25, 1870, in Wisconson. The short of it was he was a simple man, with a deep love of God, who became a priest after much struggle, and had significant health problems. He was a doorman at the friary, and many came to him for spiritual counsel. Many miracles are attributed to him. To read about his life, click here.

Every person in Heaven is a saint. Through a formal process, the Catholic Church examines the lives of exceptional persons brought to her attention, and with discernment and the meeting of particular steps, declares knowledge that particular individuals are saints. This is done by first thoroughly examining known facts about the person’s life and acknowledging the person lived with heroic virtue, then he or she receives the title of Venerable. If a miracle occurs through the person’s intercession, and no natural cause can be found to explain it (often a kind of physical healing), the person in question may be beatified and called “Blessed.” Another miracle opens the door to canonization and the person is then referred to as “Saint X.” Depending on how much is known of the person, the process may be short (John Paul II) or slow (hundreds of years).

Fr. Solanus Casey is on that path. On November 18, he will be beatified and raised to the level of Blessed.

October 9, we reserved our tickets for the beatification mass in November. On October 10th, we bought our plane tickets.

Please pray for us on this pilgrimage as we take our little guy (Peter Solanus Casey) to pray for whatever the good Lord has in store for him. We are praying for a miracle, in whatever form that might take. Please journey with us in spirit to pray for Peter.