Doctor Issam Nemeh

Last Sunday, I attended a healing service by Dr. Issam Nemeh at Saint Stephen’s Cleveland. It was, the sixth, in six locations, that, I had been to. Doctor Nemeh prayed and touched people, with help from his wife, Kathy, and a religious sister, Sister Monica, and he has a crew of volunteers. He murmurs, almost silently, inviting, imploring the Holy Spirit to come and act.

He became known to me through a local broadcaster, Ted Henry (WEWS), whom first told his story on television. A fellow broadcaster, and medical doctor, Ted Castele, also testified on the man’s veracity and gift. With this public announcement, the next few, healing sessions were jammed. A private individual rented out Cleveland State University’s basketball building, for a service, as he was so impressed with the doctor, and the results.

Most, but not all, take place in Catholic churches. He has been in the Cleveland area, extending to Sandusky, Canton, Ashtabula, and onto Michigan. After the first rush of interest, the local establishment rag, which purports to be a newspaper, reviewed him badly. The Cleveland Plain Dealer has not been known to be friendly to catholicism, it was little surprise assigned reporter was not pleased with Dr. Nemeh.* The next winter, another local television station (WKYC) ran a week long morning series with a radio disc jockey, Trapper Jack, Philip Keller, who is blind and is Dr. Nemeh’s spokesman.

I look at televangelists with great scorn. That class, of so called faith healers, are confidence men on the make. The main attraction of their own traveling side show carnival. I consider them charlatans and, as slippery as, snake oil salesmen. They are vainglorious, pompous and adept and dishonest of speech. This man, Dr. Nemeh, and his organisation, Path To Faith, is none of that. The doctor is a Syrian born anesthesiologist, who now has a busy, acupuncture practice. The man is a medical doctor, he has no need to spend time doing this for money. He and those around him see this as a christian ministry, a path of evangelisation.

All the ones I attended, and at least the ones held in Catholic (Latin and Byzantine) churches begin with the regularly scheduled mass and then the service, with the good doctor, begins. It lasts several hours, a good shift, and some times longer. The lessening of the novelty, and the notoriety, and I believe the strain, have reduced the schedule. Everyone who stays, some people are frustrated by the duration, receives a blessing and prayers that invite Jesus and especially, the Holy Spirit to arrive and bestow a healing; it must be understood that the good comes through God.

Bearing on the resources of the church and people available, there are musical backgrounds and interludes of organ, singing, and other instruments, or a music disc playing. There are also: testimonials, the praying of the rosary, and other prayers by the assembly.

No promises are made. NO money is solicited. Donations for the church, and the organisation are accepted, but no requests are made, or even alluded to. There are some discs available, music, video for purchase, and this is away from the assembly.

An honest sceptic can doubt the efficacy, or even the attempt, but only an ill spirited individual can deny the sincerity. A sceptic can suggest that it is psychosomatic placebo. An alternative view, may suggest, the benefit may come from so many people praying together, that has an effect, even to the point, that some good karma, or an equivalent is produced.

A goodly number who ridicule, and cast aspersions on the particulars of this case, show anger, and even malice. I can see, and calmly accept, that some people cannot see this as being real. I cannot see, that, an honest witness would not see the veracity, and sincerity of it.

I find the experience in the assemblage, peaceful and pleasant, and I can tune out the people who grouse about the wait, and why some go before them. For as many people who do come, it takes time, period. If, they are aware, that someone is of a greater physical challenge, they and their family/group go ahead. You can see some are in sad, and even pitiful condition. They have suffered, and are suffering, some people you cannot see what condition of torment, that, they have undergone. The time spent over an individual is not the same for all. Some individuals are prayed over, by several people, and for several minutes.

Some people weep, others slouch and stagger, and some fall straight backwards. There are people to catch them, and mats for them to lie on, and if they are out — a blanket. Some fall very quickly, sometimes several people in succession. Some demonstrate no outward effects.

Some report only a feeling of warmth, or a type of rush, or current. Some say an ailment becomes better. I, the first five times, can say nothing. The last time, with my head down and eyes closed, I somewhat more than vaguely felt/saw something approaching, I can’t say that it arrived.

If you come in goodwill, patience and faith if you can muster it, you will find a good experience and perhaps improvement. In the New Testament, some are said to enjoy this gift, it may only last a season, but that aperture can help many.
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postscriptum: October 2008. I am happy to report, that, my aged mother, whom I brought six times to these events, has had a physical improvement. She has come from her biennial physician’s visit, and a kidney problem that has worried, her physician, has gone away, and this much to the wonder of that physician. Now, Dr. Nemeh, and his crew, never interviewed my mother, yet, especially during the last visit, the doctor and the Sister gave some attention to her kidneys. I am wont to believe, that, their touch, and the influence of the Holy Spirit, were active in this recovery. 

postscriptum: October 2009. I have been told (I have not confirmed this), that, the event I attended in May of ’08 was the last in that format. Now there are events, some with lectures, and tickets at $ 20; I have not been to one.

*I crossed out some text above, as seen. The management and the reporters are different groups. The management are very attentive to the establishment. Some reporters are very careful, and try to be scrupulous. Some writers are different, the reporter who wrote was no fan of his subject.