By Michael Starosta
Written January 14, 2001

    The Jubilee Year has been a year in which many hearts have converted back to the Church, and to Jesus and Mary. Mine is one of those hearts. My name is Michael Starosta. I am 27 years old and living in Toronto. Young people get easily caught up in our Western culture, in this "culture of death". As a result, the youth has strayed from going to Church and abiding by its teachings. Even though I was still going to Church frequently, on the inside there was turmoil. As a result of a stressed-out and hard living lifestyle, I had a panic attack while working out on the treadmill at the gym on May 7, 2000.

What is a panic attack?

To quote the medical dictionary: "A panic attack is a period of time when a person experiences intense fear or discomfort. The attack is usually brought on suddenly and builds up to a peak rapidly; it usually lasts for 10 minutes or less. People who experience these attacks say they feel a sense of danger or approaching doom and an urge to escape. Individuals describe their fear as being very intense and report that they thought they were going to die, lose control, have a heart attack or stroke, or "go crazy." There is a shortness of breath, quickly followed by a rapidly increased heart rate (170 to 180+ beats per minute), and with a severely intense feeling of oncoming death that lingers for 10 minutes or so. The experience can be likened to a "silent scream" in which no one or nothing can help."
 

    My panic attacks continued throughout the summer of the year 2000 and wreaked tremendous mental havoc on me. The severely intense feeling of death that would overcome me, made me start reassessing my life.

    In November, 1996 I had been a volunteer usher at the Embrace the Eucharist Mission at the Slovak Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Markham, Ontario hosted by The Workers of Our Lady - Canada. More than 2000 people took part. Joey Lomangino and Jacinta of Garabandal were featured speakers. That is where I first heard the message of Garabandal and saw people "slain in the Spirit" while being prayed over.

    Near the end of May 2000, when I was really feeling the despair and overwhelming anxiety caused by the panic attacks, I remembered the Rozeluks and Garabandal and its healings. As a result, on the last day of May (May of course is the month of Mary!!!), I decided to participate in a prayer meeting at the Rozeluks' home, where Bishop Roman celebrated the Holy Mass for us all. Bishop Roman Danylak happened to be visiting from Rome at the time. After the Mass I was anointed with Holy Oil by the bishop and prayed over with a Garabandal medal by them. I was "slain in the Spirit" that evening and thus the process of healing began. Some people may expect to get healed of a physical ailment instantly, but that is not necessarily how God works. First, He wants to heal our heart and our soul. That is really the first and most important part of the healing process.

    I continued to come back throughout the summer, fall, and winter of 2000 and give thanks for the healing that was underway by attending Healing Masses at the Slovak Cathedral of the Transfiguration, in Markham, and at the Slovak Greek Catholic Church on Shaw St., in downtown Toronto. The "slaying in the Spirit" experiences have continued to happen right along, and many graces have been bestowed upon me.

    I now try and attend Mass on a daily basis, I enjoy praying the Holy Rosary every day, and I wear a Brown Scapular, as a sign of my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I have also been making an effort to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet more often. As well, I am currently trying to complete the 9 First Fridays devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and I have completed the 5 First Saturdays devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Additionally, I have found tremendous comfort in reading books about some of the tremendous saints of our 20th century: Blessed Padre Pio, and Saint Faustina Kowalska. Frequent confession is also an important part of my continuing conversion.

    Today is January 14, 2001, and I can truly say that my heart is at peace, and my health is 100%. I have been healed. My panic attacks are gone without any medication whatsoever! I received God's love! Conversion of the heart can be a long process. One is conscious, though, that every day one becomes a better person, in even the smallest ways. The conversion never stops. It only continues because we can look inside ourselves every day and discover the numerous ways in which we can love our neighbour more.

    Praise be to God!