Vatican Investigating Possible Miracle Attributed to Blessed Kateri

Blessed Kateri
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

KOMO News: Vatican investigating possible miracle in Washington state

The following excerpt is from KomoNews.com:

FERNDALE, Wash. - The Vatican is investigating a possible miracle right in Washington state.

Doctors at Children's Hospital worked miracles five years ago to save a young boy's life. But now the pope wants to know if more than medicine played a role.

To look at him today, nobody would guess Jake Finkbonner nearly died.

"He was as sick as any case ever seen," says Dr. Craig Rubens.

In the last minute of the last game of his 2006 season, Jake cut his lip.

"I fell down and hit my lip on the base of the basketball hoop," he says.

A flesh-eating bacteria raced through his lip and devoured his face. Now 11 years old, Jake recalls the day he died.

"I went and saw God up in heaven, and it was so beautiful I asked if I could stay. And he refused to let me stay - said my family needed me here on earth," Jake remembers.

His mother, Elsa Finkbonner, says, "That was his day in heaven, our day in hell."

Surgeons couldn't stay ahead of the fast-spreading infection.

"It got to the point where we called in a priest to give his last rites," says Jake's mother.



Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Father Tim Sauer urged the Finkbonner family to pray for the intercession of Blessed Kateri, a Native American who converted to Catholicism. Smallpox scarred her face, and legend claims the scars disappeared when she died.

Kateri is now in the early stages of sainthood.

The day a friend named Kateri visited the Finkbonners, they gave them a relic of the blessed Kateri that the family placed on their son's hospital bed. It's the same day Jake's school prayed for him, and it's the same day his disease stopped.

"If it's a coincidence - wow," says Jake's mother.

"I think it's a matter of a miracle," says Jake.

The Vatican is investigating whether Kateri should become a saint and sent an investigative team from Rome to question Jake's family.

"We've given them everything," says Elsa. "They've spoken with all of our family friends and priests."

Read more: Jake Finkbonner

Happy Easter: Jesus is Risen!

 Resurrection of Jesus
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Resurrection of Jesus

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.

And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified."

"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying."

"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.   (Matthew 28:1-8)

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The stained glass window of the Resurrection of Jesus can be seen inside the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic church is located on High Street in Hackettstown, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright 2011 Loci B. Lenar
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