The invention is directed to two minimally invasive therapeutic procedures, particularly for patients with congestive heart failure, and devices and systems for such procedures. One procedure involves providing a valved passageway through the patient's left ventricular wall at the apex of the patient's heart and advancing instruments through the valved passageway to connect the valve leaflets of the patient's heart valve, e.g. the mitral valve, in a “Bow-Tie” configuration to prevent or minimize regurgitation through the valve. The second procedure involves advancing a pacing lead and a pacing lead implanting device through a trocar in the patient's chest and implanting the pacing lead on an exposed epicardial region of the patient's heart wall. The pacing lead has a penetrating electrode which is secured within the heart wall. One or both procedures may be performed on a patient with CHF.Improved devices for these procedures include a minimally invasive grasping device having an inner lumen for advancing connecting members and other instruments through the device to the distal end thereof. Other improved devices include a pacing lead implant instrument which is releasably secured by its distal end to the exposed heart wall to facilitate penetration of the pacing lead electrode into the heart wall. Other improved instruments include a leaflet connector with an artificial cordae tendenae strand secured to an end of the leaflet connector.