Detroit, MI

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This report comes from SPSE workshop attendee Terri in Mankato, MN:

A couple of days after the St. Paul Street Evangelization talk, “10 Great Ways to be an Evangelist” at St. Joseph the Worker, I had a needle biopsy of my thyroid. The doctor walked in and started educating me on what was going to happen, and what he was going to do, and what to expect.

Before he started with an injection of lidocaine, I said, “I just want to tell you everyone in this room is being covered in prayer as we speak.” His immediate reply was, “Well, Thank you. I can use all the prayers I can get.” He asked, “Where do you go to church?” I told him, St. Joe the Worker.” He said, “I go to Elevate Church.” We spoke of a couple of mutual friends. He went on to say, “I try to help out with the youth. Wednesday night I teach the 4th graders. I don’t know how good of a job I do but I try.” I said, “I think you are better than you know.” He then asked if there was a Saint Matthew. I said as a matter of fact his feast day was in September.

I explained how the nuns put Theresa on my birth certificate before my parents could say the name they were planning. The nun said, “No, St. Theresa is too good of a saint to pass up.” The lab tech said his name was Mark and his mother named him after Saint Mark. Another tech said, “My mom named me Matilda after Saint Matilda.” Yet another tech added her first job was at Good Counsel here in Mankato before the nuns left. She said it was the best and her most favorite job ever. Mind you this hospital job was only her second job! (The doctor gave her such a hard time about her “favorite job.”) Dr. Matthew asked if any of the other staff had seen the film Mayo put out about the nuns who helped start the Mayo Brothers. He said he came away from that film realizing that if it hadn’t been for the nuns, there would not have been a Mayo Clinic because no matter how good you are at the surgery you need excellent post-op care, and that’s what the nuns provided. And then we were done!

I sent the doctor a thank you note for his sincere caring attitude and gentleness. I included a St. Matthew holy card and medal. How could I not?! Oh, yes, the results were all negative. Thank you, God, for the best outcome possible. And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate SPSE coming to St. Joseph the Worker to teach the 10 Great Ways talk!

Praised be Jesus Christ!