Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • December 25, 2020 13 Lauren Ross and Brittany Schmidt’s fifth graders learned about Santa Lucia Day in Sweden. They celebrated St. Lucy’s Feast Day (December 13) with a Santa Lucia procession through the school. St. Alphonsus Elementary School, Ocean Springs Every year the second grade class presents the Jesse Tree after Mass. The ornaments were made by St. Alphonsus students in 1973. The teachers are Eleanor Hartzog and Beverly Forehand. Each day a different class celebrated Las Posadas. Left, sixth grade class. Right, the sixth grade class is asking for shelter from the first grade. few months prior to that, I had a CATSCAN done at Tulane that showed a light spot on my right hip,” said Dr. Coulter. “It was read by the radiologist in Ocean Springs as possibly consistent with metastatic prostate cancer. I literally went to Adoration and cried because, if this was prostate cancer, this was not going to happen. They have to treat that.” A subsequent bone scan found no trace of cancer. “I never faxed something so fast in my life (to Tulane),” said Dr. Coulter. Brenner’s surgery lasted three-and-a-half hours and it was done laparoscopically by Dr. Paramesh. “It was a warm, pink, pumping kidney,” said Dr. Coulter. Brenner went home the next day and described his recovery as “a piece of cake.” A building inspector for Jackson County, he was out of work for two weeks. Dr. Coulter’s surgery lasted approximately four hours and was performed by Dr. Mary Killackey. “At 9:50 a.m., I had my rosary in my hand and the nurse asked me about jewelry and I told her I didn’t have any jewelry,” said Dr. Coulter. “Earlier that morning, Luke had given me a scapular and I was wearing that scapular. I told her, ‘That’s not jewelry. It stays on.’ I had absolute faith that everything would go well but, just in case...” Brenner also wore his scapular during surgery. “I always have one on,” he said. When Dr. Coulter awoke five hours later, his first reaction was one he’ll never forget. “Oh my God, I’ve got a new kidney. Thank you, Jesus!” he said. “I was just offer- ing so many prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord.” Dr. Coulter has experienced no complications and his new kidney is working well, although he will be on anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life. Both men said the decision to sign up for the transplant program at Tulane University Medical Center was a blessing, and have nothing but praise for the doc- tors (especially Dr. Killackey and Dr. Paramesh), nurses and staff. They also expressed thanks to those who supported them along the way with their prayers, especially their parish family at St. Elizabeth Seton. Dr. Coulter truly believes that God sent Brenner to him as a sign of His love. “When you get a chance to sit back and think about it, I know God loves me and I have seen God and I know God exists,” said Dr. Coulter. “I say that with this in mind: For a person to do what Luke did, it is not of himself. It is from the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is from God. I’ve said this many times. The courage of selfless generosity is something that comes from God. “I’ve gotten to know Luke. He is a private, humble man and that, even more, is part of the mystery of this gift. Selfless, courageous charity is an act of God.” Dr. Coulter From page 7 From the staff of the Gulf Pine Catholic, have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!