Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

On November 21, 2024, Father Steven Arisman experienced a cardiac episode after attending a wedding in Florida. Initially dismissing his symptoms as minor, he realized the seriousness of his condition while traveling back to Quincy, Illinois, where he serves as pastor at St. Francis Solanus Parish.

"On the way there, I kind of had a thought in my head that I just don’t feel right," he said. Recognizing the signs of a cardiac issue due to his previous experience working in an emergency room, Father Arisman checked himself into Blessing Hospital in Quincy. Tests revealed significant blockages in multiple arteries, necessitating transfer to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield for open-heart surgery.

"I freaked a lot of people out because I wanted to make sure my funeral arrangements were prepared," Father Arisman said. "Those discussions are not easy to have."

Despite the severity of his condition, the medical team successfully performed surgery. However, recovery was challenging due to intense pain from the invasive procedure.

"They cut me open... It’s about as invasive as you can get," he explained.

Throughout his ordeal, Father Arisman leaned on his Catholic faith and expressed gratitude for surviving. "I had multiple physicians make some kind of comment about I was lucky to be alive."

Reflecting on his experience raised existential questions for him and feelings of survivor's guilt when comparing his outcome with others who did not survive similar incidents.

"The number one thing I did was trust in God," he noted. He also used his suffering as a form of prayer for others enduring hardships.

After additional medical issues were resolved, Father Arisman returned to minister at his parish by May 2025. The experience deepened his appreciation for life and relationships.

"All this has made me appreciate the people in my life more," he said, acknowledging the support and love received from family and parishioners during his recovery.