March 26, 2017

Woman struck by lightning shares testimony of conversion

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath

NORTHAMPTON — Dr. Gloria Polo had no need for God back in the early 1990s, she said. She had it all together. The young dentist was married, with small children. She said she was pursuing the things of this world: money, beauty, and happiness. But after being struck by lightning, her life changed forever.

“I want to share with you this beautiful gift God gave to me on May 5, 1995,” she told those gathered at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Northampton, Saturday, March 25. Dr. Polo, who is from Bogota, Colombia, spoke after the 4 p.m. Mass to more than 60 people about her near death experience. Dr. Polo gave two talks in Spanish with English translation, provided by Katie Langone.

“My nephew and I were both dentists. It was raining so much on the way to the dental department. We were struck by lighting. My nephew and I were left without life,” Dr. Polo said.

She released her testimony in a book, Struck by Lightning: Death, Judgement and Conversion, published by Pilgrims of St. Michael. For the last 20 years, she has been sharing her testimony all around the world, with the approval of her diocese in Bogota, Colombia.

On that afternoon in 1995, she and her nephew were walking on the campus of the National University in Bogota, with her husband when they were struck. Her nephew died instantly. She was in cardiac arrest. Doctors revived her at the scene, she said, and then rushed her to a nearby hospital where they performed several surgeries.  She was suffering from severe trauma and burns inside and outside of her body. Dr. Polo then explained how she left her body and saw heaven.

“I realized this light was the holy Eucharist, the heart of Christ … I looked inside the door and saw a beautiful garden. I wanted to enter into the garden, then I realized I was in mortal sin,” she continued.

Dr. Polo, who was raised Catholic in Columbia, had fallen away from her faith. She said she became an atheist, was driven by money, and was an ardent defender and promoter of abortion. She said she didn’t believe in heaven or hell. 

“I thought, ‘If there’s no hell, then what’s Christ doing on a cross? Christ doesn’t exist. The devil doesn’t exist. The only thing that matters is a man’s intelligence,’” she told the crowd.

But when she slipped into a coma and was again near death at the hospital, she said she descended through tunnels where she saw people in purgatory and then stood at the gates of hell. She said God asked her if she followed the Ten Commandments, and continued her judgment

“This is not a threat. This is a God who is in love with us,” she added, as she described how she relived the many sins she had committed during her life. But she said God is merciful. She expressed sorrow over her own abortion at 16 and her involvement in encouraging and paying for the abortions of friends and relatives.

“We can die at any moment. The Lord is lending you a mirror. It’s my life. Let us go to the sacraments. Come let us encounter the love of Jesus,” she said as she urged those gathered to go to confession and receive God’s loving mercy.

In the last few days she visited several parishes around New England. Yves Jacques, the assistant editor of the Michael Journal, a bi-monthly Catholic magazine, helped organize the visit.

“The Lord has given her the mission of giving this testimony 1000 times 1000 times,” said Jacques, a parishioner at Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Turners Falls. He said her book and testimony have caused people to turn back to God.

“A woman called a few days ago and she said she gave the book to a friend and this gentleman was living in adultery,” he said. “She shared the book with him and behold he left his concubine. She (the friend) asked if the book had anything to do with it and he said yes.”

Jacques also emphasized how Dr. Polo’s miraculous healing was the result of intercessory prayer.

“The reason why she is here giving this testimony is because there were people in Colombia who heard about the accident and got on their knees and prayed for her, especially a peasant,” he said. “The Lord revealed to her this peasant who was so holy and so filled with the love of God that when he got on his knees and asked for intercession the Lord granted that grace.”

Dr. Polo’s book can be ordered at www.michaeljournal.org.

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings on WWLP-22NEWS.