Jean reflects on when John first informed his family that he was thinking of testing his vocation to the priesthood. ‘We all felt so proud of John and had a great sense of privilege and real gratitude to God for this calling.’ John joined the seminary in 1997 and enjoyed immensely his time there. He thrived at Oscott and made a great contribution to the life of the college. He was a popular student both with his fellow seminarians and college staff. After his ordination on 12 July 2003 he was a curate at Christ the King and Our Lady of Lourdes Coventry and then St Georges, Worcester.
God had clearly called John to the priesthood, he was happy and content in his vocation and just setting out on his priestly life. He had everything to live for and everything to look forward to.
However shortly after his time at St Georges his health began to suffer. He was eventually diagnosed with Pick’s disease, a rare form of frontal lobe dementia.
John now lives in Scotia House, a nursing home in Stoke on Trent. He is blessed with a loving and supportive family and his parents Wilf and Jean are clearly devoted to him.
The care John receives at Scotia House is the very best and his parents could not speak more highly of the staff and facilities.
However despite this it is clearly heartbreaking to see their son suffer. Wilf says, ‘People are so kind, they always ask me how John is and I know people are praying for him. This makes such a difference. People say to me, ‘How have you kept your faith?’ But you know if I hadn’t got a faith I could not get through without it. It’s very difficult to know why God let this happen to John, but we believe there is a reason, I may not know what that reason is in this life. I just think that sometimes we have to say to God, ‘Not my will but your will be done. Sometimes I am fine and cope OK but at other times I just turn the taps on because inside I am torn to bits and that’s the truth.’
Jean says, ‘I remember how wonderful it was when Archbishop Vincent came here to say Mass. That meant such a lot to us. It means a lot too to know that people are praying for John and us.
Wilf and Jean do worry about John’s future. John has two brothers and two sisters: Edward, Anthony, Mary and Angela and Wilf and Jean say how comforting it is that they are always there for him. Also Fr Dave Cain, the Vocations Director of the Nottingham diocese, who went to Oscott with John and is a very good friend organizes visits throughout the year.
We ask how is John in himself? Jean says: ‘Well he’s well in himself and sometimes think he’s getting better. He says his prayers but is not able to go out to Mass. He receives the Eucharist but it’s hard to know if he knows what he is receiving. I say prayers with him and he can speak the words and he will sing hymns or songs but he has no conversation he’s sort of enclosed within himself.
Wilf and Jean were delighted to hear of the fundraising initiative between Catholic Today and the Johnson Fund taking place on March 10 (see overleaf)
Jean says: ‘I think you are so very brave and courageous. I can’t thank you enough for being so kind and generous to do something like this. Good luck to you all and all the best on the day.’ Wilf adds his own support: ‘I tell you for nothing I couldn’t do it and like Jean I think you are all so courageous and generous. It is so comforting to know that our priests can be supported from the Johnson Fund in the way that they are and have the peace of mind that they are being looked after. I think Catholic Today is truly wonderful in organizing this fundraising initiative and we are so grateful.’
Fr John Bentley now resides at Scotia Heights, a residential home for young adults in Burslem, Stoke on Trent. He is happy there and has his own ensuite bedroom. He has resigned himself to and accepted his illness, which is a type of dementia. Staff say prayers with him and love looking after him, they are so kind and caring. He goes for walks and plays football, he also likes to read and play his guitar and sing and listen to music. Many of his friends visit him which he enjoys. Fr McInerney, visits him regularly and Fr Farrelly from The Sacred Heart Church, Tunstall who takes him Holy Communion for which his parents are very grateful.
Written by Jean Bentley
