The Catholic Diocese of Springfield has produced a one-hour motion picture exploring matters of faith and possible miracles in central Illinois.
Former WICS journalist Andrew Hansen, who now works as a spokesperson for the diocese, explores five stories in different cities that he believes show God is real and helping people to put their faith in action.
The movie God is Alive will be shown in various Catholic churches and schools and is available on YouTube.
“There are so many negative things in the news and in our world that we can fall into the trap of: ‘God, where are you at?’ I think he uses these profound witnesses to say, ‘Here I am, I’m with you,'” Hansen said. “I hope people take away from the movie that not only is God alive, but God is working through us.”
One of the people interviewed by Hansen in the documentary was Grant Wilson, who said he experienced a miraculous healing.
The 29-year-old Springfield man said he was born with legs that were different lengths. As he aged, he said he experienced debilitating back and joint pain caused by the imbalance. In September 2021, he decided to attend a healing service at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Decatur.
“I was having problems with my back, knee, wrist and all kinds of things, because my whole body was off by a significant amount. When I got to the church, I got in line. When I got to the front of the line there were a couple of volunteers who were just praying for people,” Wilson said.
“They had me take off both shoes, and then I sat down and they held both legs up to see the difference. … And then they prayed, and nothing happened. So, I said, ‘Hey, thanks a lot, see you guys later.’ And then they said, ‘No. No. No. We’ll try again.’ So, they said some kind of prayer. It wasn’t anything fancy. It was like, ‘In the name of Jesus, we ask for these bones and ligaments and tendons to be healed.’ And then I heard one of them gasp, and when I opened my eyes my two legs got leveled. They had been looking at it the whole time. They were holding my feet in their hands.”
Wilson said during the prayer he felt hot, as if he were suddenly in a humid room. In the 22 months since the healing service, the back and joint pain have not returned, he said.
“I went home to Jacksonville the next day to see my parents. When I saw my mom, I said, ‘Hey Mom, watch my gait and see if it looks any different. So, she watched it without knowing and she said, ‘Yeah, it looks 90%, more even – it’s not so bumpy anymore. You’re not lopsided.’ Then I told her the story.”
Another story documented in the movie was shared by the Rev. Martin Smith, a priest who serves parishes in Jerseyville and Grafton.
In the year before he completed seminary, he was pondering whether he wanted to be a priest or pursue a path where he would marry and have a family.
“I kept praying, ‘Lord, can I be loved as a priest and can I love others as a priest as you want me to in the same way that I could as a father in a family?’ Smith said. “And so, we’re getting close to the end of the year, and I’m on a field trip with some first graders. As we’re getting on the bus, this little girl says, ‘Sit next to me – I saved you a seat.’ So, I sit there and I’m silently in my mind praying that prayer. … As I was silently praying, the little girl turned to me and said, ‘You are loved.’ And she gave me a hug. And at that very moment, I realized that the Holy Spirit had just spoken through that girl and all the fear melted away. I knew that God had created me to be a priest.”
Betty Parquette of Springfield shared her testimony in the film. In the early 1980s she had two abortions and struggled with guilt.
“I felt drawn to the Catholic Church. But I thought they’re going to say, ‘No, we don’t want you.’ I went and I spoke to this priest and I couldn’t believe the response from him was, ‘Thank you. Thank you for sharing your story.’ … I said, ‘You mean you’re not going to shoo me out the door?’ Confessing was huge. … I was looking for somebody who had authority to absolve me from my sins. When I went to that first confession, I had that absolution and I have never felt the need to go back and re-confess over and over.”
She said she routinely prays outside a Springfield abortion clinic.
God is Alive was filmed over a five-month period using two cameras and cellphones and cost about $300 to make, Hansen said.
“The documentary was awesome, and I encourage people to go see it,” said Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. “It tells some incredible stories of faith, healing and real miracles, so go watch it.”
To watch the documentary, go to dio.org/documentary/.
This article appears in Repurposing MacMurray Hall.
