Stories & Prayers

I just wanted to say how sorry I am for you and your family. I can’t imagine the sadness you feel. Your family and Philomena have been an inspiration to so many others. That hope will live far longer than any of us.

have been praying for Phil and your whole family since September… I really wanted to tell you how sorry I am for your unimaginable suffering and loss, and to tell you what a profound impact Phil and your family has had in my spiritual journey. I have five children and my husband, and I are raising them Catholic. We have always gone to church and said prayers, but I began praying the rosary for Phil every single night since September. My children also began praying a decade each night for her, and we did a family rosary once a week. Our relationships with each other and with God have gotten better. I saw your community and people from all over the world come together and pray. It is truly amazing what she was able to do and still can do. What an incredible little girl. I also want to thank you for raising awareness about the lack of funding for childhood cancer, especially DIPG. I now know that so much needs to be done.

Your daughter, as so unbelievably tragic and terrible the journey was, has had such an enormous impact on my life. Bringing me closer to God and being a better person… . I just wanted to thank u for everything you have done for me and my family and the whole community and even the world.

I’m sure you know already but your precious baby girl has made such an impact on my life words can’t even describe. My brother took his own life many years ago and that left me questioning my faith. My father stopped going to church. He could not understand Gods reasoning. Our family was in turmoil. We’ve muddle thru the years. My parents have since passed away. However, I believe in my heart that your angel would have brought them back to the Lord as she has done for me and so many more…. You are very blessed to have such a beautiful spirt, both in yourself and in Philomena. I truly believe that one day the Catholic Church will be canonizing her. Not only do I pray for Philomena, I pray to her. She will remain in my prayers for my life time here on earth. Love to you.

Like many others, I have followed your journey and grew to genuinely care about a family I had never met. There was something so special about the girl with the eyes and a soul wise beyond her years. When my mom was sick, I spent a lot of time at the St John Neuman Shrine and healing masses at St. Anne’s begging for a miracle. Sadly, after she passed I was angry as many are after losing a loved one. And then I met Phil.

I’m so amazed at the power one little girl’s faith had, not only on the Philadelphia community but the entire Countr

Your baby has touched so many people that I believe she was the miracle–we were praying for a miracle and the whole time we had one–people praying again–people sharing their prayers with others and encouraging them to pray…that is a miracle.

I hope you find peace in the fact that your daughter and your family brought so many people together in faith. I’m not a very spiritual person but your beautiful little girl’s strength and faith in God touched my soul! She brought people together and restored faith for so many… her spirit is still here influencing us all. “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~Albert Pike Thank you for being so strong and faithful and thank you Phil! #stormtheheaven

I just wanted to let you know how she changed my life and my marriage. Over 28 years of marriage my husband and I wondered away from our Lord. My sister was murdered in a domestic violence situation. I was so angry with God. I blamed him. I let all of this affect my marriage as well. I’ll be married 29 years in October, but if not for your precious daughter I probably wouldn’t be celebrating those 29 years. When social media blew up with prayers for Phil and the pictures of that beautiful girl went viral, I dug out a very old prayer book and I cried so hard. I spoke to our Lord and I asked him for forgiveness. I prayed that whole night. Within a few weeks I brought myself to apologize to my husband for distancing myself from him and asking him if we can mend what had been almost broken. We started praying together for Phil, we watched her joke of the day every night and began to laugh together again. We returned to mass, prayed the rosary, the Divine Chaplet. I have a whole new prayer book now. Your daughter mended so many things that were wrong in my life. We will continue to pray in her honor. I will never ever forget Philomena or what she did for me and my family.

Hello. Just wanted to tell you that I think you and your family is simply amazing. Your faith is beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed. I never prayed until I heard about Phil. Now, I pray all the time and will never stop. God bless Phil. She is a beautiful little girl.

You and you baby girl changed my life, you gave me my faith back after I lost all faith when my niece was killed… you and Philomena have taught me so much.

My son, Liam, passed away 12 years ago. My husband and I struggled with our faith after he passed. I have not prayed since…until I heard about Philomena. My family and I did come to the prayer service/block party and although I had already started praying myself, I think that day helped my four daughters and my husband, really see what faith in God and faith in your community can do. We now pray every day. Philomena was and is the miracle that brought us and so many people back to God. We will never stop praying.