Thus he asked his bishop for permission to quit, for some time, his parochial responsibilities in order to recapitulate his course of life in meditation and prayer and to resume his academic studies and complete his doctorate. His request was granted. On August 20, 2001, by way of personal recollection, he accompanied from Rome a group of Italian disabled in pilgrimage to Notre - Dame of Lourdes (France). There, and while he attended a physical handicapped , he felt a sharp pain pounding at his back that he attributed at first to a false movement. On September 8, 2001, he left Rome, in pilgrimage to Notre - Dame of Medjugorje (Bosnia). The backache persisted, but it didn't hinder him from continuing his meditations and his prayers intensely and preparing his conferences due to take place during the recollection days of the vicars of the Maronite diocese of Byblos from September17 to September 19, 2001, the day following his return to Lebanon. As his backache worsened, he finally trusted the advice of his friends and agreed to undergo a medical exam, which revealed a metastasis.

Father Simon was admitted to the Saint - Louis hospital in Jounieh on October 10, 2001. A fourth stage of life had began, a stage so rich in spiritual maturity, so intense in personal conversion, that he wanted to live it in his very core and was keen to testify to his parishioners, his scouts family and his family circle. He systematically asked his parishioners, friends, priests, laymen, scouts, guides, young and old, all stricken by the news and who hastened to offer their help, to live with him this event as a "sign" of the divine proximity, a "call" to the conversion of souls and consciences, and forget what he called in a terse style, the "accident" of his illness. In his intention, chains of prayer were formed. They included believers from all countries who took turns on the prayer day and night. Regularly, Masses were said almost everywhere to implore his recovery. Circles of prayer and reflection were formed. On the instigation of father Simon who accompanied them from his hospital bed, they displayed a strong will to incite their members to a spiritual quality leap in order to reach an evangelical fidelity much more committing. The Scouts family of the Apostles wrote a prayer to implore the recovery of Father Simon, their brother, their chief and their chaplain, through the intervention of Father Chalhoub, founder of the scouts family and model of a holy life deeply venerated by Father Simon. Other groups and parishes started pilgrimages of conversion in his intention. It seemed as if everyone suddenly wanted to skip stages on the road leading to the Beatitudes.