Dear Thom,
This banner was made by the women of the Little Flower prayer group and given to me for you on the night of your Baptism. Due to pyloric stynosis, the chaplain at St. Joseph's Hospital conditionally baptized you in the examining room. You were just a week old. You were operated on two days later.
A month later, we had you baptized at an evening Mass in the downstairs church of The Shrine of the Little Flower. Over 100 people came for your baptism Mass. However, before the Mass started, you began to choke. Aunt Phyllis started working on you. Someone rushed out to call the doctor. Another was running to Rite Aid (known as Read's at the time) to buy an aspirator. Finally, someone made me go outside because frankly, they didn't think you were going to make it.
I came back into the church and all the people were praying aloud. Finally, one woman said, "In the name of Jesus, you spirit of death, release this child." At that, you took in a breath and all were relieved and began to praise God for sparing your life. The Mass began and you were baptized.
Later at the reception in the church hall, Dad and I were presented with this banner. The women's choice for the one side was certainly prophetic. All who were there were amazed at the banner in light of what had just taken place. To this day, people say to me, "I will never forget Thom's baptism."
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