Biographies

The following Catholic biographies are adapted from Jacob' Other Ladder - by Brothers of Mercy hospice, San Jan de Dios, Igulot, Bocaue, 3018 Bulacan, Philippines

Blessed Francis Coll was a holy Dominican priest who at the age of 50 became confused and irrational. The loss of his mental faculties was not total. He did have lucid moments. In these brief periods he accepted his condition as being the will of God for him. His mental darkness was accompanied by physical darkness, because the 6 years before his holy death, he was also blind. Once he said, "If it is the will of God that I be blind, then even if I could recover my sight by touching my eyes, I would not do it."

Louis Martin, the beloved father of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, suffered mental illness due to cerebral arteriosclerosis. He was called upon to sacrifice the rational use of his mind. There were moments of lucidity, as when he was brought to the psychiatric hospital and the Sister said to him, "But you can do good among your fellow patients." "That is true," he replied, "but I should prefer to be an apostle elsewhere." He said to his daughter Celine, "It is the hardest trial a man can undergo."

Jeanne Bigard together with her mother, Stephania, founded an association to assist seminarians in mission countries. After the death of her mother, Jeanne found it difficult to cope. She wisely entrusted her apostolate to others. (The association eventually became the Pontifical Society of Saint Peter. Depression, anxiety and a feeling of abandonment increased both in depth and duration. Finally, because of hallucinations and danger to herself, she had to be confined to a psychiatric institution. When she was aware of her situation, she was extremely humiliated. Her relatives took advantage of her illness, by committing her to a psychiatric institution, in order to obtain funds of her Society of Saint Peter. The family sued the Society saying Jeanne was unsound of mind and therefore incapable of administration. They lost the case, but they kept Jeanne confined and forbid visitors for the following 28 years until her death 4/28/34. Once a friend tried to visit her, but in vain. They passed in a corridor. Jeanne made a sign to her to come closer, but the nurse said sharply, "You do not know that woman." "Of course I know her," Jeanne replied. "It is Miss Saint-Legere." Jeanne called out, "I recommend myself to your prayer!" There is no record that the nuns, the Society of Saint Peter, nor her spiritual director priest ever tried to obtain her release from the institution.

Emotionally Disturbed Catholic Heroes

Saint John of God (John Ciudad of Portugal) suffered all his life from what today might be called insecurity. He suffered what appears to have been 3 "nervous breakdowns". Psychologists would trace his difficulties to his becoming an orphan at the age of 8.

Saint Gaspar del Bufalo has strong neurotic tendencies. His hypersensitivity caused him enormous and frequent sufferings. Melancholic and irascible by temperament, he was also scrupulous, anxious and depressed.
"My mind is like an ant-hill. Pray to God that He give me a little peace."

Alipio of Saint Joseph was an Augustinian friar whose conduct was so unstable that one wonders at the great patience of his superiors. Captured by the Moslems, he was taken to Africa. There he renounced Christ for Islam! Later he repented and died a martyr after horrible sufferings.

Leonie Martin was the sister of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. All the sisters in the family were like their mother: intelligent, beautiful and gracious - except Leonie! She was a slow learner, solitary, sullen, rebellious, and certainly not beautiful. Yet in time - a long time - she began to understand herself. She tried to become a nun like her sisters 3 times. 3 times she entered the convent; 3 times she left. The last time she persevered and did a holy Visitation nun.

That a great many suffer from depression is a fact. Possible cause could be chemical imbalance, psychological issues, virus/bacteria infection, nutritilonal deficit, pesticide or food poisoning, pest venom, drug/medication side effects, witchcraft &/or demonic oppression. Many servants of God suffered depression calling it the 'dark night of the soul', and accepted it as a trial sent by God. Among countless holy souls who suffered one finds some examples:

Blessed Therese Couderc, deposed Founder of the Cenacle Sisters, who once said, "I have a continuous fear.
I am oppressed by monotony. My soul is reduced to agony."

Saint John of Vallombosa was a studious monk whose studies eventually led him to become interested in necromancy and the black arts. His character changed from pious to vicious. The Abbot had him imprisoned in a monastery cell. When his imprisonment was over, he asked the Abbot to permit to be a Hermit. Later he became a friend of Saint Catherine of Siena.

Blessed Bartolo Longo abandoned his Catholic faith for Spiritism and then Satanism. Professor Vincent Pepe and Father Emmanuel Robero were able to lead him back to Christ. Then then became the founder of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei.

Venerable Bernard Clausi was a devout Minim friar well known in Italy, but, by God's permission, he seems to have been obsessed by Satan. He asked, "How is it that I have lost my God without knowing it?" His feeling off being possessed by the Devil and of being abandoned by God persisted for years, so that he could hardly eat or sleep.
In the last moments of his life, all changed. He was tranquil and joyful.

END of Catholic Biographies

BEGINNING of Christian Biographies + Autobiographies

Edwards, Jonathan - The Life and Diary of David Brainerd - (1718-1747) - Condensation from Wycliffe Series of Christian Classics about Brainerd's ministry to the Indians. Tedious reading, but factual. Have impression that the holy lives of many of such saints was lived in dire poverty, self-sacrifice, and struggle without the anointing/baptism of the Holy Spirit, without the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit (including such things as speaking in tongues, gifts of knowledge, ease of delivery, liberty/peace to relax/fellowship with God/others, revelation of the ongoing extraordinary bridal affection God has for us/others, ability to heal in the name of Jesus, prophecy.)

There is story of a healing not occurring or manifesting due to one's negative perception or "believing is seeing" theory. During Ken Haigan's ministry a crippled child was prayed for. The pastor felt the healing flow through him from God to the Girl. The girl was not healed. The next morning the mother bathed the child in the bath tub and wept in disappointment. God spoke to her heart about doubt. She repented of her lack of trust. Immediately the child's limbs were restored. Doug Jones explains that, it is what we do with the healing that is imparted to us when prayed over, that most often releases the healing. It is usually our faith, not the faith of the pastor, that produces the manifestation for which we are looking. The scriptures verify this spiritual truth. Audio 4/26/2004 www.sidroth.org/radio = testimony

There is a girl who was severely crippled for 14 years. The mother said daily that God would heal her daughter and went to the extreme of placing a dress and shoes by the bed. The mom was the laughing stock of the family.
One day a cloud came into the girl's room. Out of the cloud stepped Jesus, Who healed the girl, Betty Baxter. www.geocities.com/bettybaxterstory/index2.html = audio autobiography

Ana Mendez-Ferrell - Her Testimony DVD - www.anamendez.org - Ana landed up in a mental institution and being diagnosed with schizophrenia, after delving into the occult in her search for Jesus (Whom she had met as a teenager).
A visiting pastor prayed with her in that hospital. As a result, Doctor Jesus healed her + many of the patients there that week.

Bob Jones had a nervous breakdown resulting in a prognosis of permanent disability, SSI and VA benefits. His Christian doctor helped him reduce his medication. God did the rest. The key was his obedience in forgiving ALL who had mistreated him. www.bobjones.org/bio_bob.htm

Allen, AA per Roberts Liardon's God's Generals - www.robertsliardon.com - Allen asked his wife to lay hands on him and pray. When she commanded, "Come out of him. I command you to go." The evil spirit left and Allen was delivered of his broken heart.

Branham, William - per Roberts Liardon in God's Generals - www.robertsliardon.com

Coe, Jack - per Roberts Liardon in God's Generals - www.robertsliardon.com
Coe's hospitalizations were the result of his religious zeal being misunderstood by the military and psychiatrists.

Roberts, Evan - per Roberts Liardon in God's Generals - www.robertsliardon.com

Semple-McPherson, Aimee per Roberts Liardon in God's Generals - www.robertsliardon.com

Basham, Don - Deliver Us From Evil - www.chosenbooks.com - Bill, Father Joseph K - Jesus Touched Me www.gissol.com http://www.gmcvision.org/ - Brief autobiography. As of 6/2006 Father Bill is aged 79 and practices as an itinerant priest, traveling 365 days a week. He was born in India and belongs to the Vincentian congregation, Kerala, India. He ministers effectively to those who have not or do not read their Bible. Many clergy have not read the entire Bible. He is especially helpful to the young adults, especially of the Catholic faith. A typical congregation consists of 100,000 attendees. His 1st miracle (where/when a man paralyzed for 3 years, walked) occurred at Mission Church, Roxbury Crossing, Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA where Father McDonough was conducting a healing service. (Father McDonough at age 85 was able to concelebrate 7 masses at the Marian retreat center, Medway, Massachusetts, USA with Father Bill. Additionally, Father McDonough celebrated his 58th anniversary of the priesthood on 6/20/2006; Father Bill shared that this year was his 48th year as priest. Both Roman Catholic priests now reside in heaven.)

Bonnke, Reinhard - DVD 4/19/2006 TV broadcast - www.bennyhinn.org - Shares testimony of Bonkee where he received the healing mantle of George Jeffreys in London the day before George's death. Christ for All Nations or CFAN, Orlando, Florida, USA - Africa missions headquarters - www.cfan.org info@cfan.org
Bonnke, Reinhard - http://livingalifeoffire.com/exc.pdf autobiography book preview -
Chapter 2 shares Bonnke’s spiritual heritage beginning with the healing of his grandfather's pain.

Branham, William (1909-1965) was a pauper who was ordained in the Baptist church and later baptized by the Holy Spirit. Owen Jorgensen has written 6 marvelous books of Branham's amazing life. God created Branham to be a second John the Baptist announcing His son's second coming. Branham was given a marvelous healing ministry with visions and the gift of knowledge. Branham teaches us to take scripture literally, to take Jesus at His word and NOT to doubt. A speck of dust in a clam creates a pearl. A speck of doubt prevents healing. A speck of BELIEF is an open door for Doctor Jesus to enter into our bodies with His healing power. Tucson Tabernacle, Tucson, Arizona, USA 1-520-623-0381

Carothers, Merlin (deceased) tells us that praise makes the insane well again. An amazing true story about praise causing deliverance and healing is published by the Foundation of Praise. Contact www.foundationof praise.org or call 760-741-2755 for this free brochure of Marilyn Foglio's biography A Most Amazing Story of a mentally ill patient locked up in a hospital - until her father began to praise God. Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praise of His people.

Coe, Jack (deceased) as cited in Roberts Liardon's God' s Generals had numerous imprisonments in mental hospitals.
He was labeled as having a condition called psycho-neurosis because of his religious fanaticism. Each time the military sent him to be confined in a mental ward, he would be eventually released, because he was not dangerous or because someone went to bat for him.

DiOrio, Father Ralph A. and Gropman, Donald - The Man Beneath the Gift - Autobiography of Father DiOrio, Catholic priest, who has a healing ministry.

Hagin, Kenneth E in God's Medicine shows us by his own example that God is in the business of healing.
The Kenneth Hagin Ministries was an outgrowth of God's healing bedridden Hagin, a Baptist, at the age of 17.
Hagin teaches us to only BELIEVE scripture and NOT doubt. No one taught Hagin, except the Holy Spirit.

Hammond, Frank and Ida Mae (deceased) - The Breaking of Curses - www.thechildrensbread.net -
The Hammonds share a story of a healing of mental illness in chapter 3 Personal Sin Curses. A farmer as a youth had committed an act of bestiality, which he believed to be an unforgivable sin. The guilt had driven him insane. The Holy Spirit revealed this act to the pastor, who counseled the man to share/confess his secret, to repent, to receive God's forgiveness, and to be delivered from the curse of mental illness. He became free.

Hinn, Benny - Good Morning Holy Spirit - www.bennyhinn.org - An autobiography of the entrance of the "nondenominational" Holy Spirit into Benny Hinn's life 12/22/1973. Benny was 21. He had just returned from attending a Kathryn Kuhlman healing service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA where God had spoken to him. "My mercy is abundant on you." At 1st Benny experienced much opposition to his newfound "Protestant" associates and ideas from his Greek Orthodox family who had immigrated from Israel to Toronto, Canada.

John G Lake - www.kcm.org - Kenneth Copeland shares sermons and stories of John G Lake (1870-1935). Lake lost 8 of his siblings before realizing that the enemy, Satan, wants us to be like himself, while God wants us to be like Himself. We choose.
John G Lake, The Complete Collection of His Life Teachings by Robert Liardon - www.robertliardon.org - John G Lake is the father of the Healing Rooms Ministries. Actually there are 2 such. Both with power, but one seems to adhere to Lake's and the Christian Science teachings that hold to the concept that if you rely on medicine or doctors you have left your allegiance to God. There is a lot of merit in Lake's thinking, for 3 reasons. Many miracles occurred at the hand of Lake by the power of God. Second, in the absence of medical assistance due to poverty or location, one needs to be able to have recourse to a healing god. Third, one seldom develops his spiritual muscles and maturity by having every medical need taken care of by modern science. A highly recommended book for those looking for a challenge and those looking for miracles..

Liardon, Roberts - God's Generals - www.robertliardon.org - Liardon of Roberts Liardon Ministries, Irvine, California, USA summarizes the lives of J A Dowie, M Woodworth-Etter, E Roberts, C Parham, W J Seymour, J G Lake, A S McPherson, S Wigglesworth, W Branham, J Coe, A A Allen, and K Kuhlman.

MacNutt, Francis is an ordained priest who married and now has a healing school in Jacksonville, Florida. www.christianhealingmin.org See 7/2004 www.charismamag.com for Heroes of Faith editorial on MacNutt entitled
The Priest With Healing Hands.

Prince, Derek (deceased - A man through whom God delivered many evil spirits) was bedridden and about to die in Israel.
Larry Huch wanted to pray with him. Prince, then in his 70's, said he wanted to praise before he prayed.
They sang and worshiped, before Prince gave his bedside blessing to Huch (who now has a deliverance ministry).
Our praise is a hello kiss, a greeting of joy, to God. www.larryhuchministries.com/about/vision.cfm
Derek Prince - a Biography by Stephen Mansfield @ www.derekprince.org

Roberts, Oral (deceased) author of Seed Faith, began a healing ministry after God healed him, as a youth, of tuberculosis, and later, after attending one of William Branham's services.

Solanus, Father (1870-1958) was a simplex priest, meaning he was not permitted to preach doctrinal sermons nor hear confessions. A diabetic child was brought to Father for his prayers. After prayers, he offered the child candy, which horrified the mother. However, the candy did no harm, for the daughter was healed. www.solanuscasey.org

Goldsmith, Barbara - The Inner World of Marie Curie - Obsessive Genius - www.wwnorton.com - Marie was born in Poland, graduated from the Paris Sorbonne, and stayed in France during world war 1. She married Pierre in 1895. Together they discovered radioactivity, radium and polonium, which eventually killed them both, plus a daughter and son-in-law (who both won a 1935 Nobel Prize for creating artificial radioactivity). Marie won the Nobel Prize twice (1903+1911) and her husband once in 1903. Nonetheless, Marie had a bipolar illness with bouts of depression and a nervous breakdown.
We now know that many bipolar individuals do their best work during the manic stage, before it peaks, before exhaustion.
Also see 1943 USA film Madame Curie with actors Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Thomasma, Kenneth - Naya Nuki - Shoshoni Girl Who Ran (secular children's book)
Biography of 11 year old American Indian girl who escaped and ran home. Chapter 8 Burial Platform shares that the tribe was aware of and subservient to evil spirits. They were also aware of The Great Spirit. She was a friend of the American Indian, Sacajawea, who married Lewis and Clark's French guide, Charbonneau. This is one of an American Indian series of children's books.

Journaling is a must for many people.

The Autobiography of George Muller is a diary or journal. www.whitakerhouse.com
He wanted it to be a tutor for subsequent missionaries.

Others urge/admonish us to have a question and answer book for God, what others call a prayer request/testimony book; however it is quite different, sort of an inventor's how/when/why/where book.
For instance, we can ask God, "What is the root cause of this problem?"
Then He will reply something like this, "The root cause is a spirit of rejection caused by a high school girl named _______ who rejected him at such and such a time at such and such a place."
Question #2 What should I or he do about this information?
Figuring out life is often like putting together a puzzle, one piece at a time. Sometimes we have all the pieces, but we cannot connect the dots or find the right spot in which to place the puzzle piece which we hold in our hand. Each time the Holy Spirit reveals one solution/answer/reason/invention, it is a eureka moment.

Please note that many above are OLD posts. Nowadays there is an sunami of biographies of healings/miracles/ deliverances, which our predecessors now mentor us to do for ourselves, with God's indwelling Holy Spirit empowering us. Ministry and miracles are for the children nowadays to do, not only adults or clergy. Lovely opportunities.