This will go in the Prayer Room as well, but I wanted to put it in the Vocation Station because this is where I post most often and I want it to be seen by as many people as possible.

On Thursday a close friend of mine is being taken to a 'safe house' to give a video interview to the police. She has a long and painful history of sexual abuse, beginning when she was seven years old. It drove her to self-harm, chronic anorexia, and attempted suicide. She's now been in a psychiatric hospital for over a year. She's fifteen years old.

Now her doctors have judged her well enough to talk to the police, and God has blessed her with the courage to do it. She's going to tell them everything about her rapist if she can manage it. This will be difficult for her, as he was a trusted family friend and he manipulated her so badly that she came to believe that a.) she deserved the way he treated her and b.) he is the only one who cares about her.

Please pray that my friend has the courage to say everything to the police. Pray that this man will plead guilty, as it will spare her the ordeal of a long, drawn-out trial. She really doesn't need that on top of everything else. Pray that she recovers mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Pray for her family to be strengthened, especially her little brother.

It would be nice if you could say the Divine Mercy Chaplet, as this is the devotion I use most often when thinking of her.

I'll definitely be praying. That's horrible what she's gone through. She must be very close to the heart of Jesus.

Jesus loves her so much. We'll be praying. Thank you for telling us.

Rosary and Chaplet for her AND you today

oh goodness. she most certainly has my prayers. what a horrible thing she's gone through. i'll have others pray for her too. God bless.

Oh I will definately be keeping her, and all in her family and those working with her case in my prayers, may our dear lord comfort and help them all through this most difficult time!

God Bless you!

Prayers for your friend!

Prayers heading her way. May Jesus give her strength and comfort

I hope she gets the help she needs.

I wil certainly do this. May God grant her courage and strength!

God Bless,
Rachel

oh no ... ... ..

Prayers for you both.

That is a shame. I will keep her in my constant prayers. God Bless her!
-uruviel

I will keep her in my prayers also, as well as everyone else including the assulter, that he may come foward and addmit guilt.

God Bless you for being a good friend to her.

Thank you so much, everyone

Last night I managed to get her to say she would read Psalm 23 this morning - this was her favourite psalm when she used to believe in God. I hope that she really has done it and wasn't just promising to keep me happy. She was scared last night, as you can imagine.

Her police interview is in half an hour. (10.00am British time.)

My friend, whom I will call Sophia (not her real name), took another overdose last Saturday - not quite two days after she gave a video interview to the police. I still don't know how she managed to get hold of the tablets - possibly when she was home on weekend leave. She was released from intensive care and transferred back to the adolescent psychiatric unit yesterday afternoon.

This is her third serious suicide attempt, and her intensive care stays are getting longer and longer. Her liver is damaged badly. If this happens again, I don't know whether she will be able to survive.

I spoke to a twenty-year-old woman who has also been hospitalised on numerous occasions for similar reasons to Sophia, asking her for advice. She said, "Sophia doesn't want to die. She just wants the pain to end."

I don't know how I can help her. I feel so powerless. Please pray.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

I will pray. I know others who have come through this, too. I pray for her to experience God's healing in this. And for the person who abused her, that that person may come to God. And may God give you wisdom, and peace in this, too.

You expired, O Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, empty yourself out upon us and envelop the whole world. O Blood and water which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I place my trust in You.

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Mother of Sorrows, your heart was pierced by a sword of sorrows as you gazed upon the suffering and death of your beloved Jesus. I come before you with confidence that you will help me, for in your wounded, sorrowing heart I find a place of comfort and peace. I beg you, Mother of the Savior, to listen to my request: ...

For to whom shall I have recourse in my needs if not to you, Mother of compassion and love? As you gazed upon your dying Jesus, you united your fiat to His cry of surrender, "Father, into Your hands, I surrender my spirit." I unite myself to you, Mother of mercy and beg you to unite my sufferings with yours and offer them to Jesus. For you are our life, our sweetness, and our hope. Amen.

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Praying for your friend, you, and all concerned. God be with you.

I heard from her today. She sounded resigned to life, but not in a good way. She just remarked that she is being kept under more or less constant observation by no fewer than two people at a time. I know her well enough to tell that she is just biding her time until she gets another chance to make an attempt on her life. She puts all her hope in the suicide attempt around the corner.

How wonderful it would be if she could only put that hope in Christ.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

St Therese of Lisieux, pray for her.