'Agent' of God helps boy meet Benedict (Secret Service helps wheelchair-bound boy)

Daily News ^ | 4/20/08 | Christina Boyle

[sandyeggo]

'Agent' of God helps boy meet Benedict

BY CHRISTINA BOYLE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sunday, April 20th 2008, 4:00 AM

Handschuh/News

Secret Service agent Brad Borst (below) carries Aaron Ruiz, 9, out of St. Patrick's. Ruiz, who has muscular dystrophy, was blessed by the Pope.

Handschuh/News

When Beverly Ruiz and her wheelchair-bound son arrived outside St. Patrick's Cathedral early Saturday they had no hope of getting inside.

But all that changed when 9-year-old Aaron, who has muscular dystrophy, caught the eye of one of the Secret Service agents safeguarding Pope Benedict.

Just moments before the historic Mass began, the federal agent singled out the mother and son and whisked them into the house of worship.

"After the Holy Father arrived and went inside, a man came up to us and said, 'We have a special place for you,'" Ruiz told the Daily News.

The Secret Service agent lifted Aaron out of his wheelchair and carried him up St. Patrick's steps. The agent then found a seat for the boy and his mother in the far right corner of the cathedral.

After celebrating Mass, Benedict walked over to Aaron.

"He came over and blessed him, and my son just smiled," Ruiz said. "It's just a miracle in itself, there's no way to describe it. It's just an absolute miracle that this happened in our lives."

Aaron and his mother, who were both wearing papal red, traveled from Corpus Christi, Tex., to be in Manhattan Saturday to see the Pope.

"I had this vision weeks ago and told my spiritual director that I believed that my son would be healed," she said. "It was beautiful, it was absolutely beautiful."

[sandyeggo]

Sweet story:

Secret Service agent Brad Borst (below) carries Aaron Ruiz, 9, out of St. Patrick's.

Ruiz, who has muscular dystrophy, was blessed by the Pope.

[RDTF]

Thanks for posting - beautiful

should be in news!

[incredulous joe]

Great story! Great smile!

[sinanju]

Scouts in action.

[Ciexyz]

Prayers offered up for his complete healing.

[sandyeggo]

Isn’t he a sweetie? :) My heart just melted.

[sandyeggo]

Maybe I should have put it in news. Oh well.

[rface]

blessed

[mware]

Wow my screen just got blurry. Thanks for posting this.

I don't want to hijack the thread but could you folks put Tony Snow in your prayers. He was admitted into the hospital earlier this morning.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2005395/posts

[RDTF]

I tried to add it to the sidebar but of course no go, so I asked the mods to change it to News but they may not agree. I loved the story.

[sandyeggo]

This mom drove all the way the New York from Texas - and then she and her son were brought into, at that moment, probably the most tightly protected place in the city. No serendipity, that.

[Admin Moderator]

If you want it in news, I’d be happy to move it.

[sandyeggo]

Thanks, RDTF. :)

[sandyeggo]

Thank you, I would like that.

[Admin Moderator]

You’re welcome. Done.

[RDTF]

Sandy you are welcome - and my favorite mod you are awesome :)

[sandyeggo]

and my favorite mod you are awesome :)

LOL - awesome - and fast!

[SevenofNine]

this so sweetttt

[Towed_Jumper]

Kudos to the US Secret Service. The Pope’s safety was never jeopardized and the USSS just created a ton of “good will” for themselves. Mission(s) accomplished.

[SandRat]

[dandelion]

Humble prayers to God, that this little boy may be healed...

[STARWISE]

Sniff ...

What a sweet boy ... bless that
kind Secret Service agent.

Miracles happen.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*sniff*
Thanks for the hankies!
God Bless that kind hearted Agent!

[catbertz]

A great act of kindness. I pray for the boy and his family, as well as the agent.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

I’m going to include them all!
I was just so touched by what he did..

[submarinerswife]

If it were a liberal event, I could imagine Michelle Obama screaming “Get me some more white/handicap people” then they would rail on about this child’s health care bills, the Gov’t abandoning this child and if you elect a ‘Rat, he will walk and be cured.

Such a striking difference between faith in God vs. the faith in Gov’t.

He was blessed by the Pope. How truly wonderful for this child and his family.

[La Enchiladita]

Thanks for the ping, Sandyeggo. This was meant to be, and the Mom knew it:) I hope to hear follow-up on the story. God bless the Ruiz family.

[imahawk]

This is a great story and makes you feel that there are still some people who care.Kudos to the secret service.WELL DONE.

[Gator113]

Wonderful post.....

[fishhound]

Beautiful.
That is truly preaching the Gospel by example.
Thank You for posting that...it is a wonderful witness.

[fishhound]

“Such a striking difference between faith in God vs. the faith in Gov’t.”

Believers in Gov’t take/demand “communion” in the form of canned cheese.
Couldn’t resist.

[glock rocks]

God bless the whole gang in this story. Prayers up for the boy and his family, His Holiness, and the agent.

[IrishCatholic]

bookmarked.

[informavoracious]

God bless the little Ruiz boy. God bless Pope Benedict. God bless America. God bless the Secret Service. In another country, in another culture, on a different day, this boy might be wearing an explosive belt. In another country, in another culture, on a different day, this boy might be a candidate for euthanasia. But this is America. Land of the free. Home of the brave. One nation under God. Indivisible. For one solid long weekend, we are a culture of Life. We are a culture of Hope. THIS is what real HOPE looks like, Senator Obama. THIS is the real CHANGE we need. Compare the pope with your Rev. Wright, Senator Obama. Tell me which man loves as Christ does. LOVE vs. HATE. Tell me, Senator, would you welcome this man of PEACE like President Bush did? Or would you have antipathy toward someone so very different from you?

[jacquej]

I now add my prayers to yours.

May this boy be healed, if it is His will.

I have no right to ask, as I am just another fallen human, and only God can work such miracles, in His own time and for His own reasons. But, I do ask in this child’s name, that if it be His will, that this child be healed.

If it isn’t His will, we must accept this, and still have faith. But, there is nothing to fear from asking for His consideration. He knows all that suffer, and He will comfort them all.

Our ways are not His ways. But, the elevation of this little boy is a beautiful example of our hope for all who are suffering. I hope he is blessed and comforted by this contact.

May all who suffer feel close and comforted. I ask in His name.

[livius]

But, the elevation of this little boy is a beautiful example of our hope for all who are suffering.

Yes! What a wonderful story and what a remarkable thing that this mother brought her son all the way from Texas and was simply picked out of the crowd by someone who had faith.

[NYer]

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[ELS]

God is good!

[DieHard the Hunter]

Beautiful.

[AnAmericanMother]

Oh, the sweet lamb!

"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

[HighlyOpinionated]

God is awesome. Misty eyed and smiling and saying Thank You Mother, Thank You, Jesus.