Thor #303 (1981)
By Doug Moench, Rick Leonardi, Chic Stone
Background: Thor has returned to NYC after a prolonged period in Asgard.
So, What Happens? Thor saves a local priest named Father Coza from two thugs. With no time for an ambulance, he turns into Donald Blake and performs emergency surgery to save his life. After mistaking him for a miraculous apparition, Father Coza regains consciousness and explains that his attackers were hired killers paid by a local crime boss bent on purchasing and demolishing his church. After five years of putting up with vandalism, harassment and threats, Father Coza is now tempted to give up since the church appears to be dying down anyway and there isn't enough money for essential repairs. More importantly, the priest is experiencing a crisis of faith, his beliefs numbed by the constant presence of evil and apathy around him, by the lack of proof of good. Don Blake argues that he might be an instrument of God and offers to help. With a couple of phone calls, he learns the name and address of Angelo Simoni, the man behind the attacks on Father Coza, and pays him a visit as Thor. Simoni and his men are no match for the Thunder God, but the terrified mobster confesses to having arranged an arson attack to burn down the church and everyone inside. Thor flies to the rescue, but is too late to prevent the arson and the church starts to burn, With a pregnant woman trapped in his office, Father Coza is torn between saving his own life and running back through the fire to get her out. His prayers for strength are answered when he sees Thor summoning rain and lightning to douse the flames. Inspired and mindless of his own injuries, Father Coza runs to his office and starts dragging the woman out, being once again saved by Thor from a toppling wall. Seeing a different deity upsets the priest, but the Odinson briefly explains that there are many gods across the universe, all originating from the same universal higher force and given truth by their worshippers' faith. His beliefs renewed, Father Coza later tells Donald Blake he has been given the proof he had asked for and will carry on. The next day, whilst numerous volunteers are helping cleaning up, Father Coza is visited by Angelo Simoni, who, prompted by the watching Thor, makes a "large donation" to rebuild the church and begs for forgiveness.