A Cat Like Few Others Asks for Others' Prayers

 

(Sula in the arms of Fr. Ed at her godparents' house in Hollister, godparents on the left, friend on the right, and another MSI Press author, CB Leaver, in red in the front)

Sula has been the parish cat at Old Mission San Juan Bautista for 13 years and through four bouts of cancer (fourth just starting/reappearing). With Covid-19 and the shutdown of the Mission, along with the rest of the state of California, Sula retired to live with her godparents in Hollister, where she can be watched after and can even have a visit occasionally frnom a retired priest from the parish who lives neaby. She still works on Sundays, though -- and visitors are always delighted to find her in the pews at Mass, where she goes on her own and sits with whomever seems to need her at the moment even though she does have her own pew with her name on it, and between Masses at the Mimssion gift shop.

Here is her bio:

Sula is a very unusual cat. She is the parish cat for Old Mission San Juan Bautista and, beyond being beloved by the people of the parish who see her at Mass every day and have paid for three cancer surgeries through collections (a fourth surgery was provided gratis by the vet, Dr. Theresa Arteaga of the Animal Cancer Center of Monterey), she has garnered some national attention for her miraculous understanding of who needs comfort and joy — and uncannily offering it to them at just the right time.

Her story appeared in Guideposts Magazine in December 2015, and in All Creatures in Novermber-December 2017.

She has also written 6 books, with the help of some of the parishioners at Old Mission SJB. The first book, which has garnered some fame, including totally selling out during the first hour of a Barnes & Noble book launch event, is called Surviving Cancer, Helping People: One Cat’s Story. It is recommended by US Review of Books, and was selected as a Reviewers’ Choice book for MidWest Book Review, in which the reviewer “highly recommended” the book.

Since then, Sula has produced a book for children who visit her mission home, Tale of a Mission Cat. She has also written books for Christmas, Easter, and Day of the Dead. And a special book about saints to help teens in catechism classes with insights in selecting their confirmation name.

And, even while still fighting cancer, she is not stopping. Two books are due out this year, Sula and the Franciscan Sisters and Praying with Sula.

Sula wrote a book about cancer to help other people who suffer from cancer. You can see posts about the book HERE.

Actually, Sula has written 6 books and, as you can see, has more coming. So many that she has to check inventory occasionally for visitors who drop by and want a copy of one of her books. You can find her books in English HERE and in Spanish HERE.

Now, on this Caturday, Sula is asking others to pray for her fourth bout of cancer to pass and for her to be returned to good health so that she can continue to serve the two-legged creatures to whom she brings and has brought much comfort.

For most posts about Sula, click HERE.