Are These Miracles?
"Retired Cardinal Roger Mahoney of the Los Angeles Archdiocese said Mass in front of and facing Sophie's crypt on November 2, 2012, All Souls Day. After Mass Maria Konopka, Sophie's mother, and I were walking in the cemetery when Mr. Hugo Morelli and his wife Ewa approached me and asked me to pray for his daughter. He told me she was 28 years old, had severe multiple sclerosis (MS), and was bedridden. He said her name was Christine. I told him I would pray to Sophie for her. I began to pray the Sorrowful Mystery of the rosary every day for Christine, asking Sophie to intercede on her behalf. I also visited Sophie's Crypt and prayed the Divine Mercy for Christine many times. I did not see Hugo Morelli again and often wondered how Christine was doing. On July 27, 2014 I was leaving the 11:00am Mass at St. Rose and saw Maria and her husband Michael talking to a couple with a young boy. Maria reminded me of my conversation with Mr. Morelli at Assumption Cemetery. I told the couple I had been praying for their daughter Christine and asked how she was doing. They said she had not had an attack for over 18 months and this is her son Josh. Ewa said that they had been very concerned about Christine's ability to give birth. Is Christine Sophie's miracle or is it Josh? Thank you Sophie." May 8, 2016 I saw Hugo Morelli after 11 am Mass and asked about Christine. He said she has not had another episode of MS and had another child today on Mother's Day. Josh is doing great.
Tom Lafferty
"We could not have a child. We went to the fertility doctor but with no results. Then we read Sophie's book and we went to her crypt and began to pray for a child. Now we have Jessie, a beautiful baby girl. Thank you, Sophie. We take flowers to her crypt all the time and tell her all about Jessie." In September 2014 Lucy and Jason are anticipating the arrival of Jude, their second child.
Lucy and Jason Bolognino
I was so moved by their story that I wrote
"Jessie's Song A Celebration of Life"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVpRNQptyFA
"It was July 15, 2014 at 11:15am. I had just finished a holy hour at St. Rose Catholic Church and decided to stop by the rectory. While I was there, Carmen Gonzales, the secretary, came out to talk to me. She looked visibly shaken. She told me she had been on the telephone for a long while with a grandmother from our parish who begged that we pray for her new grandson, Liam, and his mother, Desiree. Liam was born 6 weeks premature and was in the ICU at the hospital. His chance of survival was not good. He could not breathe on his own or take nourishment. He also had many other complications associated with premature births. Carmen asked me to pray for them and I said I would. I sent an e-mail to many others asking them to pray. I went to Sophie's crypt with my wife, Julie, and prayed the Divine Mercy several times and talked to Sophie everyday about Liam. On July 24, 2014 the rectory called me. The grandmother had called and said Liam began to breathe on his own the day after her prayer request. The doctors and nurses told them that they had no idea what caused his condition to improve as it did. They now call him 'The Miracle Baby.' He is home now with his family. Many of those I e-mailed have told me they also prayed to Sophie"
Tom Lafferty
"My friend George had cancer, an inoperable brain tumor. I read Sophie's book and began to pray to her. I also asked Tom Lafferty to pray to Sophie for him. His brain tumor disappeared that very week." ( I saw Maureen again on July 27, 2014 and asked about George. She told me he is still cancer free after two years. Tom Lafferty)
Maureen Whalen
"The nurses found a lump in my breast and I was told I needed to see a surgeon. I was so afraid as I had no money or medical insurance. I was so worried about my health. I prayed to Sophie and when the surgeon examined me, he said that I had no lumps in my breast."
Beth Morta
"I am a librarian at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, Simi Valley. I was given a copy of Sophie for our library and I read it. I went to her crypt and began to pray, and I was overcomed by an intense aroma of roses. It lasted for only a moment but it was so intense. Their was no smell of roses before or after that moving experience. "
Maria Strickland
"It was November 23, 2014 after the 11:00am Mass at St Rose Church. Martha Miller, a fellow parishioner, approached me and asked me to pray for her friend Beth Arleige (?) who had been rushed to Cedar Sinai Hospital . She is 50 years old and had suffered Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma for 15 years. Martha feared Beth would not live . I said I would pray for Beth and talk to Sophie for her. December 4, 2014 after morning Mass Martha approached me with tears in her eyes. I told her I was still praying for Beth . She smiled and said that she saw Beth the other day and she was sitting up in her bed smiling and her hair was combed. She looked great. Beth, who is not religious, said ,' It is a miracle. I can't remember ever feeling this good. It is a miracle!' I said I would continue to talk to Sophie and pray for Beth. Martha said Beth has now started praying".
Tom Lafferty
"January 11, 2015. Today after the 11am Mass at St. Rose Church, Joanie Hickerson approached me and told me that she had just finished reading Sophie Simi's Little Saint. She said she has a back pain problem that has made it hard for her to work and she never gets a good night's sleep. Therefore, she is always so very tired. She prayed to Sophie to please let her have a good night's sleep. That night she had the best night's sleep she could remember and when she awoke, her back pain was gone. Joanie said, " I have been able to do all the chores that used to bring me pain. I feel I was healed because Sophie answered my prayer and made my life good again." Joanie Hickerson
Please pray for Sabrina Lee Milligan daughter of Davy Lee Milligan.
"I was notified on December 22, 2014 at 11:00 am that a friend of mine’s 15 yr old daughter was on life support and needed our prayers desperately. She had emergency surgery for lung failure intestinal failure and other unknown problems. She was in a coma and had no brain function. I asked 4 priest friends of mine and a convent of nuns plus the 200 members of our daily Mass group to pray for Sabrina and I began to pray to Sophie. On December 26, 2014 I was told she came out of her coma and her brain functions all returned. She was in critical condition but better. By the end of January and after 14 surgeries she was able to take 4 steps. She later had a set back of a hole in her lungs and could not talk .
Today April 2, 2015 her father wrote to me thanking me and telling me Sabrina was home but still needed our prayers. He thanked me for a copy of the book "Sophie Simi 's Little Saint " and the CD "Sophie's Song " which I sent to him. He told me Sabrina loved to go to the music room in the hospital called "Sophie's Place" what a coincidence. I believe all our prayers were heard and answered especially the ones to Sophie. I think she is a saint for children." Tom Lafferty
The Sophie Konopka Memorial Fund Has donated $1000.00 to Sabrina's family to help them care for Sabrina. Please go to the link below if you would also like to donate. Go to the bottom of the 75 Days page.
"It was midyear 2014 when Christopher and Ana Zawitkowski, Sophie's grandparents, asked my wife Julie and I to pray for a young girl named Agatha who lives in Poland. They said she had a very painful disease that could only be treated with birth control medication. She and her husband desperately wanted a child. The doctors told them that because she was taking birth control pills, she could only have a child using in vitro fertilization. Because they are good catholics, this was not acceptable. Christopher and Ana asked us to pray to Sophie that Agatha would conceive a child naturally. We agreed to pray. My wife said to me later, ' Tom, how can she get pregnant while she is taking birth control pills everyday.' I said, 'Julie, Sophie is only 5 years old; she doesn't know anything about birth control.' We began to pray the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary every day for Agatha to conceive a child and said the Divine Mercy in group adoration every Tuesday at 3pm in front of Jesus in the monstrance in the chapel. On April 5, 2015 after Easter Mass, Christopher told me Agatha had also been praying fervently to Sophie. Agatha told him she is now 6 months pregnant and believes Sophie interceded with Mother Mary to Jesus. Agatha's pregnancy is truly a miracle. Today July 17, 2015 Chris wrote me from Warsaw Poland that Agatha and her husband had a little boy named Peter. " Tom Lafferty
" On March 6, 2015 Chris Revak, who donated the money to have Sophie's picture painted in our church (See Sophie in Heaven page) wrote me this e-mail. He had previously asked me to pray for his friend Bill Korbuch who had cancer and I said I would pray to Sophie.
'I just talked to Bill this morning and got some good news, they said that his cancer is stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, so they are optimistic that they should be able to cure him. the doctor said that it has about a 90% curable rate, so that was very encouraging. its a very aggressive form of lymphoma, but based on its aggressiveness, it is very treatable. he starts radiation treatment on March 24th. thank you so much for your concerns and your prayers and I will keep you updated if I hear anymore news.' Today April 13, 2015 I received this e-mail. 'I just wanted to share this update, Bill is about to begin his second round of chemo tomorrow. the tumor's reaction to the chemo has been good as it has shrunk to the point of not even being noticeable. his doctor was caught off-guard since he didn't think this would happen so soon. they are happy with the progress so far, but he still has more treatments to go. thank you for all your prayers and I will keep you updated when I have more news to share.' I wrote him that I would continue to pray to Sophie but I feel Bill is already cured of his cancer. " Tom Lafferty
On Mar 27, 2015, at 10:34 PM, Lucy (See her story above) emailed me " Dear family and friends, We need urgent prayers for this beautiful brand new baby. He was born at 1:30 p.m. and by midnight, he was placed in ICU and was later flown to UCLA because he is having heart and lung problems. My friend's family would appreciate all of your prayers and please share this with your prayer groups too! I have faith that baby Ian will thrive and overcome this with the Lord's loving hand. Thank you! Lucy. I began immediately to pray for baby Ian Alexander Espana to Sophie and asked many others to do the same. In mid April I wrote to Lucy and asked about baby Ian. She said he had a tumor in his liver and it was removed surgically and he is home now." Tom Lafferty
I met Lou Tagliani on a cruise of the Holy Land 2010 we became friends but we never kept in touch after the cruise. He wrote to me on Feb 7, 2016 asking for my prayers as he was very sick and in terrible pain with leukemia. I sent him Sophie’s book and said I would be praying to Sophie for him. He wrote to me again.
“Thank you for remembering me in your prayers… I made a novena to St Peregrine patron saint of cancer patients. Thank you for your concern. I have the best hematologist in New York at N.Y. Presbyterian hospital. I am now taking chemo and have seen the priest Father John, a Franciscan who gave me the rite of those who are ill. My best to you and I shall be in touch Lou Tagliani “. On March 1, 2016 I was in Puerto Vallarta praying for Lou in the chapel of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. While praying I smelled the strong aroma of roses. I knew God had heard my prayers and would send me an answer. I wrote to Lou on March 5, 2016 on my return home and asked how he was doing. He wrote back to me at 4:44 am this marvelous report.
“It appears that all our prayers are beginning to work. When I started treatment in December my leukemia level was at 83 % leukemia in my bone marrow from the bone test. After receiving two chemo treatments I had the bone marrow test and it revealed only 6 % leukemia. I just got out of the hospital having the third round of chemo to clear any leukemia that might be around. I must wait a couple of weeks for another bone marrow test to see if I am in remission. All the prayer and Masses said on my behalf are working. I receive the body and blood of our savior on almost a daily basis. A Dominican priest, Father John comes to see me in Presbyterian. Thank you for prayers because I know they are from the heart. I also pray to little Sophie. So far all is positive. The doctors at Presbyterian are very pleased with my progress for an 82 year old. I may be sticking around a few more years which I will consider a special gift. Praise God! May my progress continue. God Bless and thanks for everything. Lou” Tom Lafferty
Recently, I had some vision problems and I was sent on June 28, 2016 by my doctor to be evaluated by Dr Kim a Neurologist. He said it is probably migraines but let’s do an MRI to make sure. I won't call you unless it is bad news, then he called and said I had an aneurysm in my brain. He said it was 3 cm and that I have had it for awhile. A MRA test was done on July 16 and on July 22 I saw Dr. Kim again for the results. He walked in the exam room and sat down and said to me and my wife Julie, “The aneurism is gone, I can show you what you had but it is not there anymore. Your brain is 100% healthy”. He then showed us the MRI pictures and pointed out the aneurism and the damage it had done. Then he showed us the MRA photos and showed us my brain was perfectly healthy. I talked to Sophie during those weeks that I had the aneurism and told her I was not asking her to intercede because I wanted to be like her and only pray for others not myself. But I think she did an intercession anyway without my permission. Tom Lafferty
I was recently asked to pray for Kaitlynn Joy a pre born girl who would be born in Michigan University Hospital as she needed special care. Kaitlynn Joy had been diagnosed with Hypo-Plastic Left Heart Syndrome, her heart was to small and she would need heart surgery at birth. I asked many to pray with me for her and I prayed to Sophie who always prayed for children. Before birth one of her heart valves began to work which increased her chances of survival for the up coming heart surgery. She did not have the heart surgery as planned as the surgeon felt she was strong enough to live and he wanted more time for her lungs to develop. She went home after a short stay in PICU. But recently she took a turn for the worse and was rehospitalized. On February 2, 2017 I went to Sophie's cryprt with roses and prayed the Divine Mercy. Today February 3, 2017 I received this e-mail from her father whom I have never met.
Journal entry by Charlie Bolognino
She's a spunky one. Within 12 hours yesterday, Katelyn went from headgear breathing mask down to nosebuds all the way back to the naturally breathing smiley girl in the attached picture. Sure enough, after an uneventful night, we were dismissed this afternoon! Thank God!!! No surgery date set, still hearing two weeks out.
" It was April 15, 2014 and Kelly Ann Cross telephoned me, she had seen my you tube video on Jessie and wanted to know more about Sophie. After I told her the story listed above she asked me to pray to Sophie for her friend Finley who had 5 or 6 miscarriages and was very depressed. I agreed to do so and started that very day to pray for Finley. Kelly married and moved to another state and we never talked again. I prayed for Finley and also for two others, Agatha and my daughter in law Jenny to all conceive a baby. Agatha, (her story below) and Jenny are now both pregnant and today April 25, 2015 I was wondering what happened to Finley. So I wrote Kelly Cross's mother and asked if she had any knowledge of how Finley was doing because we pray to Sophie everyday for her to have a baby. She called me in tears saying I did not know you were praying to Sophie for her. She had a little girl yesterday named Reagan Zertier, 7lbs and 12 oz. and Finley and Ian, the parents, are all doing fine. 'She said thank you God for Sophie's prayers." Tom Lafferty
