Dear Editor,

Thank you for this wonderful article (9/24/2020) about Fr. San Juan. I didn't know him, but I was deeply touched by his story, in particular this line: "His birth was welcomed as a miraculous surprise, coming 11 years after the family's next oldest child."

This struck me because I have never thought of my birth as a miracle, although my situation was somewhat similar. My brothers were 12 and 14 when I was born, and my mom was also at what was considered an "advanced age" at that time for childbearing.

Because of her age, her doctor offered her an abortion. I know this because, when I was a teenager, she told me that she wished she had accepted that offer!

Consequently, I always had a feeling of being a "mistake," an unwanted surprise. It wasn't until reading your article just now that I realized that my birth was also miraculous. I am a miracle!

Thank you for giving me a new perspective on my history. It's a gift bequeathed to me by a holy priest I never even met!

Blessings,

Marilyn Boussaid
St. James Parish
Redondo Beach, CA