‘A miracle in my life was performed’

MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN  Father Leonardo Jaramillo, pastor of St. Paul Parish in Clifton, with his family on the Feast of Pentecost after recovering from COVID-19. From left: Jairo Jaramillo, his nephew, who is a diocesan seminarian; Laura Jaramillo, his mother and Carmenza Jaramillo, his sister.

CLIFTON  On Good Friday, Father Leonardo Jaramillo, pastor of St. Paul Church in Clifton, said he experienced a miracle. In great pain as he struggled to breathe suffering from the coronavirus, he thought that evening would be his last on earth. He even accepted the fact that if death came to his door, it was his time to return home to God. Instead, the Colombian-born priest believes he received God’s mercy and that allowed him to survive that night.

Father Jaramillo wrote a testimony about his near-death experience, which was published in the May 14 issue of the Beacon. He wrote about testing positive for COVID-19 and the dark days he faced. His ordeal of experiencing this disease’s unrelenting symptoms began on Holy Thursday. He wrote, “I believe that through Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, his mother and the ministry of the Catholic Church and the Holy Father, Pope Francis, a miracle in my life was performed. They are continuing to make me stronger. I am indeed a witness of their love, mercy, compassion and healing.”

It seems providential he experienced the worst of the coronavirus during the holiest days of the Church’s liturgical calendar. He suffered alone since he had to be quarantined and no one could see him. His doctor advised him to go to the emergency room but he was afraid to go so he stayed in the parish rectory. He watched the Stations of the Cross led by Pope Francis at the Vatican on television that Good Friday night and received some consolation because the Pope recited special prayers for those suffering from the illness. He believes that with the help of the Pope’s prayers and intercession he received his miracle.

Father Jaramillo wrote, “I carried Jesus’ cross for a short time and I could not imagine how our Lord suffered when he carried his own Cross for us. It was so painful and I felt abandoned as tears rolled down my cheeks.”

Faithful from all over the Diocese sent Father Jaramillo letters after reading his story in The Beacon. “Many have said it inspired them and I was touched by that. I wanted to share my testimony to help people get through difficult moments in life,” said the Clifton pastor. “We should never lose our faith and I think it’s so important for people to believe in God, trust in him and know that he performs miracles.”

Three months later, Father Jaramillo is still recovering from the virus that almost took his life. He has trouble breathing at times and has back pain, something he experienced during his worst days with the virus. “I’m doing better and my doctor said everything is working well but I do need rest at times,” he told The Beacon.

After a month of not celebrating Mass while recovering, he celebrated Mass for the first time again in mid-May. When churches reopened in the Diocese on the Feast of Corpus Christi, he was happy to celebrate Mass with his parishioners. He is grateful to the many priests from around the Diocese who celebrated Masses for him during his convalescence, which were livestreamed for the parish community. One of the priests was his own brother, Father Misael Jaramillo, who was recently named administrator of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish here. Father Jaramillo’s nephew Jairo Jaramillo, who is a diocesan seminarian, also helped during Father Jaramillo’s illness by assisting visiting priests, setting up the livestreaming of Masses and taking care of the parish.

Father Jaramillo said, “I was in tears to be with the people again. Even with the masks on, we were reunited. I received so many get-well cards, calls to the parish and those who sent food or other things. I am also grateful to Bishop Serratelli, who called me almost every day and left messages for the times I could not answer the phone. I really appreciated that.”

Within his parish community, many parishioners have been infected, most have since recuperated, but some parishioners have passed away from the virus. He received one message on the St. Paul Parish Facebook page from Betty High, which read, “Father, may God continue blessing you. Thank you for your prayers for my beloved husband, Richard High, and for my health as well. I am a survivor of the COVID-19 but my husband lost his battle. May he rest in peace with Our Lord in heaven.”

As he continues to recover, the priest hopes his message on miracles touches all. “We need to continue to trust in God and his Church. I realized that God does perform miracles. We just need to believe and he will be so generous to us,” said Father Jaramillo.