Many of you pray to this devoted Saint of the hopeless cases - and are not satisfied. You mumble to yourself that he is really "a hopeless case." But as you read my story to the end, you will have a different opinion of this wonderful Saint. I am sure, you will change your attitude towards him, throwing yourself fully at him in prayer.
I was working in the Railways since 1953 without blemish - as a locomotive driver. In 1967 the Railways cooked up a story against me, and in 1969, after holding enquiries, held me guilty of an offence I had not committed, and removed me from service. I appealed to all the possible authorities, even as far as the Railway Minister, but to no avail. I then flung myself before this Saint of hopeless cases, and I was prompted to file the case in a Court of Law, which I did in 1971, after exhausting all channels of appeals to the Railway administration. I kept on praying to this great Saint before his statue at the famous Shrine, kept talking to him, explaining how I was pulling along. My wife got a job as a teacher after many obstacles, and I procured a job in a small private firm, through which we could make two ends meet. My son's education was free up to Class X, since my wife was a teacher in that school and my daughter got concession in fee, because the sisters of the Convent School knew my plight.
In 1984 my case was decided from the lower Court, and I was declared innocent of the charges framed against me by the Railways. I was reinstated with all benefits. But the Railways appealed against the order of the lower court and the case was filed in the Central Administrative Tribunal. I again went to St. Jude and started fighting with him, grumbling all the time, like most of the other devotees who are not favoured by this Saint, yet I did not give up. In 1987 the case was again decided in my favour, In 1988 I was reinstated as driver with all benefits. I thanked this great Saint and apologized for grumbling at him.
In 1990 I was gripped with that dreadful disease called "CANCER" of the left nostril, and was made to rush to the Tata Hospital, Bombay, where it was decided that I would have to undergo a major Surgery. My thoughts once again flashed on to this great Saint, and along with my family implored his intercession, and once again this mighty Saint of hopeless cases came to my aid. The operation - a major of the "CRANIO-FACIAL" was a success, and today, I am as healthy as I always used to be, thanks to St. Jude.
Till this day, every time I visit the Shrine of St. Jude, I go to his altar to thank him for what I am today because of his intercession. I always make it a point to be present for the Solemn Novena and also take an active part during that time.
Now my dear friends and devotees of St. Jude, I am sure that you have realised that some day your case too, will surely be heard by this great Saint. Therefore, do not give him up as a hopeless case, but keep on praying to him always.
Oliver D'Costa
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Hymns to St. Jude