Print PDF Version of this article

OUR FRIENDS THE ARCHANGELS

As I mentioned last month, these three months will be a little history of this ministry. Last month was Betania, this month the Archangels as their feast day is September 29th . We will focus on St. Raphael  and next month will be our Guardian Angels.

I remember many years ago I was attending a Rosary group with some friends when I found out that I had a hereditary disease that was prevalent in my family. I found out because another friend of mine had just lost someone from ovarian cancer and she found out that I had not had a check up in years. SHE made the appointment for me and that was the start of a journey.

The doctors found a very large polyp that was causing a lot of problems but because of the history in my family of multiple polyps of the colon decided to check it out further. There it was. Millions of polyps all through my large intestines. The leader of the prayer group I was attending introduced me to ST. RAPHAEL (his name means MEDICINE OF GOD.) I started praying this prayer immediately and continued to pray the rosary:

Glorious St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinner.

I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

I had prayed all my life to never have a colostomy because of the times I had to deal with my mother. She was the second person in Maine to have an operation removing all the large intestines. Now I was having to deal with the same thing. I was put in the hospital and prepared for the operation by my doctor who referred me to a surgeon. At that time all the Priests I knew very well had either been transferred or not available so the new Priest from St. Monica’s came to see me. I received the anointing of the sick and talked to him at length but was not afraid. As he was ready to leave he pinched my big toe and told me “my deep faith would see me through”. This puzzled me as to how he could know that when he had just met me. I called my friend Ginger and she told me that he is a charismatic Priest and that was a word of knowledge and that was the prayer group that she and her husband Jim had been leaders of all the time I had known them. (They are spotlighted on another President’s page).

Well, I was pretty ready for the new surgeon to come in. He was young and just out of school. He told me of a new operation whereby there was no need of a colostomy; however, he wanted me to go home, have the one large polyp removed later, go to St. Louis for radiation prior to surgery and a shopping cart full of more things that would have destroyed my business (I was self-employed) and my quality of life. He was very vague, not letting me know when things would happen and not open to any kind of concerns that I had.

I did have the one polyp removed at St. Joseph’s and more silence. I was pretty devastated as I tried to work with him to let me have the operation here in Tucson as my insurance would cover it. (It would only cover 80% in St. Louis). No avail. As I really felt it was all over some friends were at my house and told me to get a second opinion. I just randomly called the University or a doctor, I don’t remember which. When the call was returned and I told all that was happening to me he couldn’t understand why this doctor would want to send me to St. Louis when the best doctor and president of the association for colon surgeries was right here in Arizona at Mayo Clinic. When he gave me the name I remember my young doctor telling me that there was a doctor here but he was a butcher. (Don’t think you would have gone to him either).

Well, I did contact my primary doctor and told him that I had found another doctor here and if I could have the surgery here I had already checked with my insurance and it was 100% paid for. HE WAS EXCITED, told me to call my doctor that had done the tests and had me ready for surgery in the first place. He was excited and told me he sent all of his patients to this doctor and didn’t understand why the young surgeon was not doing the same. I made my own arrangements, met the doctor and proceeded to learn more of the procedure I was to undergo.

In order to have the “hook-up” surgery I would have to have a colostomy for about 3 months to heal and then hook up my intestines removing the colostomy.

This ordeal started on Aug. 2 and the surgery was slated for the morning of SEPTEMBER 29, 2002 THE FEAST OF THE ARCHANGELS. I was marked for the colostomy, went to surgery, came out of the anesthetic and the first thing my daughter said to me was “Mom, you don’t have a colostomy” (I never prayed not to have the polyps). I asked the doctor’s assistant later that week how it happened. He sat down and said “doctors do the work but they do not do the healing”. He said I was one of less than 2% of the patients in the world that never had to have the “hook up” operation, I was ready and it all came together and was not necessary. He also said that I was doing better than a lady across the hall that had a gall bladder operation at the same time.

I was ready to go home on Saturday morning (surgery was on Monday) and I even missed the prime rib dinner they were offering that evening which was also a prophecy of Father Villareal earlier when he said I would be home before the week was over.

My healing was accelerated to the point of miraculous.  I had few problems and none now. I should be tired as a side effect and that has never been the case.  I rely completely on St. Raphael, praying the prayer every day in honor of him and in thanksgiving for his intercession.

As you start to live with the heavenly court, you will find that they become your best friends. There is so much more I could share about St. Raphael as well as St. Michael and the rest of the Archangels in these years in the ministry. They are always with us, they do protect us as long as we ask them.

St. Raphael always sends his legion with me as we travel on the pilgrimages. He has rolled back the clouds when it was impossible for us to land and change planes, he has interceded for me to get tickets when they were lost, he travels with me when I go out on the road, he keeps me generally healthy to be here for the ministry on an ongoing daily basis and was responsible for me to experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the Charismatic Renewal which is a great part of my life and this ministry. (“and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit). AMEN. He will take you very seriously when you pray “heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body” whether it be the sniffles or major surgery, or just dry spells in your spiritual life. He is the GREAT ALL AROUND ARCHANGEL and I invite you to get to know him.

We recommend St. Raphael for all that need healing as they come to the store for help and countless have reported back of his intercession.

 

St. Micahel           St. Raphael       St. Gabriel           St. Uriel          

AND ALL YOU ARCHANGELS:    PRAY FOR US.

May God Bless You and reward you for your generosity.

Gayle