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Dear Friends,
Goodness, the last time I made an entry, I said I would be catching up within a few days. Those few days have turned into almost a month.
The major situation filling my screen right now is concerning Dominique Green.
If you have been following my website, you will know that Dominique Green is a young man on Death Row in Livingston, Texas. We have been corresponding for about three years and I went to visit him for the first time this past January.
I didn't hear from him for quite some time between mid-February and around the beginning of May. When he did write he informed me that he had been transferred to another location for a while to learn of his execution date but that he was now back in Livingston.
The date for his execution has been set for this coming Tuesday, October 26th.
It just so happened that the Catholic Daughters of the Americas invited me to Texas for the dedication of a Habitat for Humanity house in Corpus Christi and to give a talk; they were extremely helpful in helping me get to Houston so that I could visit Dominique again.
While there, Dominique asked me to be a witness at his execution - to be there for him. I said it was a very tough request and I didn't know if I could do it but that I would certainly think about it and let him know.
That evening I had dinner with Dave Atwood who is a tireless worker for the anti death penalty cause in Texas. Dave was an executive with Shell Oil and has devoted his retirement to this work. He told me he witnessed his first execution last month and said it was, without a doubt, the most evil and sickening thing he'd ever seen.
So with Dave's words in my ear and my heart, I was very reluctant to be there. I kept thinking "I will watch for the signs to see what God wants me to do."
The first sign was the fact that a round-trip ticket to Houston without a three-week advance would cost almost two thousand dollars. I couldn't possibly spend that kind of money. Then a dear friend, Miriam, said she had thousands of extra miles with Continental and would be happy to give me a ticket!
Sign two: The Warden of the prison called to say that Dominique had requested that I be his spiritual advisor. That sort of sealed it for me - I knew I'd be going.
Sign three: My spiritual advisor and meditation teacher called and said there was no doubt I should be there.
More affirmation: When I called Dave Atwood and Shelia Murphy (who is also working on Dominique's behalf)they both said they were glad I was coming.
I know that this will be very difficult and probably a life-changing event in my life, but I also think it is an amazing privilege. I often pray with visualization that I am indeed at the foot of the cross. Now I have an opportunity to see Jesus crucified in the disguise of Dominique.
Please pray for Dominique and pray for me that I can be totally there. I want to be totally focused on Dominique and to be a clear channel for God to help steer him through this passage of his life.
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With Love,
Lorna |
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10/23/2004
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Lorna Kelly
"Write that book for the Glory of God
and the Good of people"
- Mother Teresa
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