A desperate woman wrote to the famous Bishop Fulton Sheen begging him to visit her brother William, a terminally ill cancer patient. The man had developed a deep hatred toward God and had already driven ten priests out of his room. Far from giving up, the prelate accepted the challenge of keeping him company.
Fulton Sheen went the first night, simply gave him a brief greeting, and closed the door. He repeated this gesture for 40 consecutive nights, attending in silence without mentioning a single word about religion or attempting to convince him by force.
On the last night, given the man's impending death, the bishop frankly asked him if he wished to be reconciled with God, to which William responded with a resounding refusal. Facing this refusal, Sheen knelt beside the bed and made a solemn promise to the Lord: if the sick man showed the slightest sign of repentance, he would build an entire church with his own resources.
Before leaving, the bishop leaned down gently and whispered a final plea into his ear: to simply say the prayer “My Jesus, mercy” before drawing his last breath. Although the man refused again at that moment, divine grace was at work in the depths of his soul.
At four in the morning, the call arrived confirming William's death. The nurse related that, just ten minutes after the bishop departed, the man began to repeat unceasingly: “My Jesus, mercy,” maintaining that continuous prayer until his very last breath.
This touching story reminds us that patience, humble prayer, and pastoral perseverance can break the chains of the most hardened pride. God’s mercy is an infinite ocean waiting lovingly until the last second to save a soul.
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