By Mary Beth Marino

It was a typical body shop for cars and trucks. Street talk would call it a “grease-monkey” shop. There were parts from cars scattered all around. The garage itself was slicked down with oil. A mangy old dog greeted people, hoping for a bit of attention. The men working there were pretty down-to-earth, satisfied in most cases with just earning a living. A sign above the garage read “Four Star Body Shop.” It was an average advertising logo. However, in the left hand corner of the sign was a white dove soaring in flight among the stars. But what did this dove have to do with a body shop? It has everything to do with the owner, Dennis Ruiz. He and the men in the shop start each new day with a prayer. The soaring white dove represents the Holy Spirit.

No, this is not a typical man; nor is his story a run-of-the-mill story. Dennis was in the hospital several months ago and had surgery. But the doctors closed him up as they helplessly witnessed another case of terminal cancer. “Six months we would guess,” the doctors told his wife, Carole.

Dennis and Carole have four beautiful children, Denise, 14, Michele, 13, Dennis, nine, and Rebecca, three.

“At first we all cried,” Dennis said. But the spirit of the community has been very effective and uplifting, this quiet man revealed. “I am no longer scared,” he said.

The spirit of the community prevailed as they each remembered how Dennis had helped them in their time of need. People used to go and talk to Dennis when they had problems and Dennis would encourage them with great faith and trust in God. The people of Snellville remembered this and wanted to be there for him in his time of need.

“I have a great deal of faith. Carole and I made a Marriage Encounter and a Cursillo weekend and our relationship with the Lord has conditioned us for this crisis.”

“You have to nourish your body to get ready for what God sends,” Dennis stated in a soft spoken voice.

“If I die, I know I will be with the Lord in heaven because he loves me, and who can be afraid of that?” Dennis clearly believes that being with the Lord is the true purpose of living and dying.

Dennis and Carole were sweethearts at 16 years of age. Living 1000 miles apart did not hinder their relationship. They kept in touch by mail and visited each other occasionally. The fairy tale extends over 19 years of happiness, sharing and growth.

“Cursillo has strengthened our fulfillment in Christ,” Carole related. “I had a terrible fear of losing Denny, but our fourth day has been lived at St. Oliver Plunkett.” The term “fourth day” in the Cursillo movement means the daily walk with Christ which begins when the three-day Cursillo weekends ends.

Denny was instrumental in beginning a Scripture study course at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, as well as St. Philip Benizi parish. He found the course being used in the Archdiocese of Little Rock, Ark. And pioneered the course at St. Oliver Plunkett. But this is not all the man has done. He was also President of the Men’s Club, taught school of religion classes, and has been instrumental in sponsoring candidates for Marriage Encounter and Cursillo. He was also a Scout leader at the parish.

Some of the most powerful witnessing took place when the community heard of his illness. “It’s just like out of the Acts of the Apostles,” Dennis said.

“All the community became unified as the body of Christ, and the quality of care is unmeasurable,” he commented.

Dennis said people from the Baptist church in Snellville and St. Oliver Plunkett Parish brought food, donations, did grocery shopping and cleaned house, among other things.

“One man wanted to give his two-week vacation to run my shop,” Dennis said. Another man got lucky on a business deal and was going to buy a building, but decided against it in case Dennis and his family needed the money.

Jim Stanton, a friend and parishioner of St. Oliver Plunkett, has literally taken over the shop for Dennis. He has his own business, “Creative Catering,” but still finds time to help the Ruiz family.

The parish had a garage sales with the proceeds going to the family. Rita McNally, School of Religion coordinator and Father Terrance Kane’s right hand helper, said $650 was raised in their behalf. There was also a special collection in the parish. “Dennis has remarkable courage,” Rita stated. “When Father Kane visited Dennis in the hospital, he asked, “Are you hurting Dennis?”

Dennis answered, “No more than Jesus did, Father,” he said.

“Dennis not only services the cars of the parishioners and the community, he services the people spiritually as well,” Rita said.

Father Kane said that Dennis had been a tremendous help to him in the parish. “Dennis has been a great inspiration to men that really had it tough,” Father Kane said. Dennis and Carole have shown great example, showing simple faith and trust in God, and people have been moved and encouraged by this, he said.

Dennis and Carole are devoted to the patron saint of cancer patients, St. Peregrine. This saint was closely associated with St. Philip Benizi and their encounter affected many people. St. Philip was a medical doctor and was recognized for his great preaching as well as his holiness. St. Peregrine was diagnosed as having cancer of the foot and was cured miraculously. He was said to have had a vision and, thereafter, he was cured of any cancer.

Dennis and Carole are devoted to these two saints and believe that if the Lord is going to bring about a physical healing, this would take place on May 1, which is the feast day of St. Peregrine. It is also the wedding anniversary of Dennis and Carole who jointly experienced a conversion through Marriage Encounter. Dennis said that on May 1, “he and the Lord would negotiate 45 more years of life.” St. Philip Benizi died at the age of 85, Dennis said, noting that he is now only 40.

When Dennis was asked what was in store for him after May 1, he answered, “Whatever God wants of me is O.K.”

“It’s a big responsibility on my part to be saying how much faith I have or believing in miracles…a lot of people are watching…but I guess our Lord will take care of that too,” he said.

The friends of the family have all worked hard to give support and help when needed. Paul Anderson and Bobby Capitano helped out at the shop while Pat Christian and Theresa Fox worked on the garage sale and bake sale.

The unification and spirit of the community made Dennis and Carole recall a convention in New York where Marriage Encounter Groups, Cursillo groups and charismatic groups, as well as parishioners from all parishes, joined together in song and praise at a meeting titled “Jesus Christ 79.”

“Vatican II is not really so much about change in doctrine as much as it’s about love,” Dennis stated. “You have to open up to love and receive it, just the same as you have to give it,” the man said with conviction.

So this is not a story of a typical man whose ill-fate granted him a death warrant.

This is the story of a man and his family who have a very deep and profound faith in their maker. They are not fanatics…this is a man who is witnessing about God’s love to all Christians. And this is also a man’s testimony that will give people courage to face what God wills. The community of Snellville and the parishioners of St. Oliver Plunkett parish demonstrate a spirit-filled, loving and living Christianity.