A few days after my grandma arrived at hospice, we were told to call a priest to perform the last rites.

The priest arrived shortly after we called, and my family gathered around her to pray.

A few minutes after we started, my cousins and I heard a knock at the door. We ignored it and continued to pray, but the doorknob began to jiggle. We assumed it was a nurse trying to check in on our grandma. My cousin, Mario, opened the door, but no one was in the hallway.

He rejoined the group and continued to pray. After we concluded, my cousin shared that something strange had happened when he began praying. He said he felt a presence next to him and walk toward our grandma. When he looked down at his arm, every hair was standing up. His sister noticed, too.

The priest overheard us talking about this and said that he wasn’t surprised by what we had experienced. He shared he had similar encounters when giving the last rites, but one of his stories really moved me.

He was called to a hospital for a terminally ill patient. When he arrived, the patient said, “Of course you brought Him.” He asked her what she had meant because he had come alone, and she responded, “You brought Christ; I can see him next to you.” The priest said he could feel the Lord with them at that moment. She passed shortly after receiving the sacrament.

This served as a reminder to me that Christ will always be with us, even in our final moments. We must remain faithful because He will never abandon us during our time of need.

Written By: Paige Muttillo | Marketing Manager | Catholic Cemeteries Association