On Nov. 15, two weeks after praying with Father Anthony Odiong in Luling, Andrea “Andie” Bollinger got an incredible report from one of the world’s foremost cancer centers in the world.
“I expected the tumors to be smaller,” Bollinger said. “But I didn’t expect them to be gone.”
MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas told her in writing that the malignancies in her lungs had responded to therapy and were gone. Bollinger certainly welcomes the medicine, but she believes her cure came from prayer.
“You tell me that’s not a miracle … no disease,” said the Thibodaux resident. “This never happens to them.”Bollinger’s wonderment is certainly understandable considering the report she got in September. She was told her lung cancer had spread, taking her from Stage 3 to a more advanced Stage 4. Convinced she wouldn’t live past Easter, she had spent the last three months with estate planners.
Friends in St. Charles Parish intervened by bringing Bollinger and Odiong together.
By Oct. 13, Odiong said the two prayed by the icon of the Blessed Mother in the church, and emphasized Bollinger was the first he’d prayed over at this location. The priest asked her to rise from her walker and friends accompanying her held her up during the prayer.
“I felt the Holy Spirit enter my body,” she said. “I felt like I was frozen in time … like it was just me and God. The whole time I felt his hand on me.”
When the news came that Bollinger’s cancer had disappeared, Odiong said he wasn’t surprised. He also clarified it’s a gift from God.
“She is very lucky she came on the right day at the right time and will live longer than anyone knows,” he said. “I was expecting it to happen. I’m not just praying because I’m shadow boxing. I’ve seen blind people see and lame people walk.” [pullquote]“It gives me hope and peace. It might let me live hoping and helping to spread the news.” — Andrea Bollinger[/pullquote]
Odiong said the day they prayed together was also the Day of the First Feast in Fatima, on the day of the “Miracle of the Sun.” This same date 100 years ago, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria near Fatima. In 1930, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima was initiated locally and then became part of the Church’s worldwide calendar in 2002.
“I think that Mary is trying to make a statement,” he said of Bollinger’s apparent cure.
A native of Calabar, Nigeria, Odiong came to Luling two years ago.
Word has spread about his healing masses at St. Anthony of Padua Church held on the last Thursday of each month. Many from St. Charles and surrounding parishes come to be healed both physically and spiritually.
Odiong said his gift of healing came to him in the year 2000, which led to having healing masses and his more recent decision to build a healing chapel.
Odiong feels he was sent to Luling for a reason and prayed to the Virgin Mary to clarify that purpose.
“This is what I heard one evening – ‘Why don’t you use your gift of healing?’” he said. “It all began with me kneeling and praying to the Blessed Mother … coming to Luling to give me the courage not to be afraid to use the gift.”
Bollinger said she hopes the chapel planned at St. Anthony of Padua is built because it would be important to have a place to reinforce the feeling of the experience over and over again.
“It gives me hope and peace,” she said. “It might let me live hoping and helping to spread the news.”
And, Bollinger added, “Not everybody has Father Odiong.”
Odiong is seeking evangelism rather than attention.
“I want you to believe in healing and in my life it has happened,” he said. “I believe that God can do anything.”
What a wonderful gift you have received. Praying for healing with Father Odiong, must have been beautiful and to feel the hand of our Lord and the image of our Holy mother had to be overwhelming. I am so happy for you.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Jesus is the healer is our soul and body. No where in,the bible says Mary heals.
That’s right. Mary prays with us and for us, and for that we honor her.
Have you ever had anyone pray for you? Well, Catholics know that the Blessed Mother will intercede (pray to her Son -Jesus for us on earth)just like she interceded at the wedding at Cana.She asked Jesus to intercede for the couples wedding so it wouldn’t be ruin. Our prayers aren’t as efficacious as the Blessed Mother because she was born without original sin and is the Mother of God.
My wife is a cancer survivor currently going thru her third re occurrence of ovarian cancer , I have attended the healing mass with her, and she has been twice since , we have faith in Jesus Christ and the Lord God Almighty . Father Odiong is a very passionate and powerful tool of God , I have seen people experience his touch , and it is a very powerful touch he has .
so happy , God is so great!!
Thank you,Jesus! Fr Anthony, your humble servant, is definitely annointed with Your grace of healing and through him You are helping so many. For the Glory of God. Praise you, Lord!
i wish my son in law ricky be cure of lung cancer
Praise God for your healing.
God Bless you and Fr. Anthony
I can’t wait to go to one of his healing mass.
I will be going to Father Anthony’s healing mass with my nephew this Thursday. My daughter lives in Houston and can not attend. She has had cronic pain in her back for 18 years and is only 28 years old.
Can I go to the service and pray that my daughter would be cured in Houston?
I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MIRACLE. THANK GOD FOR SENDING FATHER AS GODS INSTRUMENT! CHARLOTTE
Can u pray for my mother Michelle huff she have cancer in her body I have been praying for health to get better thank u
I attended the healing Mass light and I thank The Almighty God. It was a beautiful Mass and Father prayers and healing touch truly gives all glory to God. I was afraid to stay late because I can’t see well at night. But I stayed til late night and driving home the highway was clear as day.
Thank you for your beautiful story. I do beleave in healing mass and prayers.
I have been to many healing services in houston texas what a blessed feeling.
Thank you again
God is always at work!
He uses us simple beings to do His Work and to each He gives special abilities to Do His Will. We are Called to live by Faith not by sight. We should acknowledge We are all blessed in different ways.
I recall a man who all of a sudden began to attend church. He said he had been diagnosed with cancer, so he asked for prayers which he got. After six week, he did not come to church anymore. Running into to him, I asked why we did not see him anymore. He said his doctor made a mistake and he did not have cancer. I said,” do you realize that in a small part of a second , God can reach inside of you and take out this cancer like you never had it?” He said ,” no man, I never had it, the doctor said,”!so who do we believe God or man?
Six weeks later he was dead from cancer.