Wow Boy has a Miraculous Healing from a Brain Tumor after a Vision of Mary and Call from God to the Priesthood!

 At four years old, Dominic Auricchio said he heard God’s voice in a dream directing him toward the priesthood. Now at age 13, he still feels drawn to the Catholic priesthood despite not remembering the dream fully.

When Dominic entered this year’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest—which asks seventh graders to explain the importance of priests—he focused on their role in sharing God’s Word, celebrating the sacraments, and loving everyone as Jesus did.

The contest's administrator, the Archdiocese of Newark’s Office of Priestly Vocations, noted that Dominic’s work stood out among 49 submissions. In June, Father Patrick Seo presented him with the first-place award at Holy Trinity School in Westfield.

A Different Perspective on the Priesthood

“I was really happy when I won,” said Dominic, who received a plaque and $1,500. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.”

This achievement arrived during a challenging period for Dominic, who began experiencing seizures in December. While hospitalized, he learned about the contest and spent weeks refining his 642-word essay. He drew directly on his health issues to offer a unique perspective.

“[My medical problems] helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting… A priest walks with people during sickness, grief, and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.”

With assistance from his mother Maria and brother Vincenzo, Dominic also created a four-minute video explaining the necessity of priests through his own story.

An Apparition and a Healing

In the video, Dominic shared that at age nine, a brain mass was discovered. During treatment discussions, he said he experienced an apparition of a woman in blue with a head covering, whom he believes was the Virgin Mary. She reassured him not to worry. Shortly after, a CAT scan revealed the mass was shrinking.

Though doctors note medication could account for the reduction, Maria believes it was a divine healing due to the timing. Dominic agrees that more than medicine was involved.

“I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.”

A Life of Faith and Service

Dominic serves as an altar server at Saint Helen’s Parish in Westfield, an experience he says brings him close to the Eucharist and helps him “see how important the priest’s role is.” He also gives alms during Lent and serves as a “buddy” to a young girl with autism during inclusive Masses, which he says taught him “patience and kindness.”

“I think a priest should always make people feel like they belong,” Dominic wrote in his essay.

Monsignor Thomas Nydegger, Dominic’s pastor, praised his empathy: “From what I’ve seen of Dominic and the way he lives, he’d bring some very special gifts and talents to the priesthood,” Monsignor Nydegger said. “With his sensitivity and unique perspective, I think he’d be able to truly touch people’s lives in a deep way that we don’t often see in the world.”

Guided Step by Step

Maria, who works at St. Helen Parish and Holy Trinity School, stated she would feel “honored” to be the mother of a priest, though she emphasizes it is ultimately Dominic’s decision. “I just want him to be happy and find where God is calling him to be,” she said.

Dominic, who enjoys hockey and also considers enlisting in the Marines like his father and great-grandfather, wrote: “I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step.”

Still, he feels strongly called to the altar. “The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he writes. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.”

Source - https://jerseycatholic.org/7th-grader-brings-unique-story-to-essay-about-priesthood