Saturday, July 13, 2013

Baby girl pronounced dead at birth 'comes back to life' three hours later after being left on hospital chapel's altar

Lincoln Graca Hospital Chapel - DailyMail Photo 

News excerpt and photo from DailyMail.co.uk / Online

By Matt Roper

A baby girl pronounced dead at birth 'came back to life' three hours later on the altar of a hospital chapel, it was reported today (July 11, 2013).

The body of Yasmin Gomes had been placed in a box and left in the chapel at the hospital in Londrina, south Brazil, by a nurse who 'couldn't face sending her to the morgue', according to reports.

But when the newborn's grieving grandmother arrived with a mortician to pick up her body for burial they were stunned when the baby suddenly kicked one of her legs, then opened her eyes.

The baby's grandmother Elza Silva told Brazil's Globo G1 website: 'At first I couldn't believe it, we couldn't accept that it could happen.

Mum Jennifer said she was still being comforted by family members when a nurse burst into the room and shouted: 'Your daughter's alive'.

She remembered: 'At first I had no reaction, I didn't know what to think. Then I started to be sick. But after that I couldn't contain my happiness.'

The baby was rushed to an intensive care unit at the nearby Sagrada Familia children's hospital, where her condition is described as stable.

Doctor Aurelio Filipak, who battled to save Yasmin and signed her death certificate, said: 'People can make their own conclusions, but only those who were there know what really happened.

'In 20 years of medicine, I have never witnessed anything like this.'

He said a team of medics tried to resussitate the baby for nearly an hour. 'All the equipment, like the cardiac monitor and oximeter, all showed that she was not breathing and had no heart beat,' he added.

Today Yasmin's family said they plan to change her name to include Victoria - 'victory' in Portuguese - and said they believed her 'ressurection' was a miracle.

Jennifer said: 'There is no explaining miracles. They happen as God wants. If it was his will that our daughter had died, we would have accepted it, but he brought her back, so there must be a higher purpose in all this.'

Read More: Yasmin Gomes
 

Friday, July 12, 2013

Our Lady, Mother of Providence

Painting By Stephen B. Whatley


New Christian tribute by artist Stephen B Whatley | Flickr.com

By Stephen B. Whatley

The devotion to Our Lady of Providence originates in Italy in the 1660s through a miracle of help in completing a church that was acquired through prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The devotion was passed to Spain where a shrine was built.

She is the Patron Saint of Puerto Rico, after a Cathedral and diocese and its financial plight there was restored by 'putting everything in the hands of Our Lady'.

Symbolically in traditional images of Our Lady of Providence, the Child Jesus on His Mother's lap is depicted with his hand in Hers.

" Mother I place in your hands the authority to act in my name. From my infinite treasure, you are to provide good things to all those who implore your aid" ~ from : The Illustrated Book of Mary (2010 William J Hirten Co.)

Blessings.

Pastel on paper. (2013)
16.5 x 11.5in /42 x 30cm
www.stephenbwhatley.com

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Álvaro del Portillo: Couple talks about the miracle that will pave the way towards his beatification



News excerpt from RomeReports.com

July 11, 2013 - Pope Francis has approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Alvaro del Portillo. This means Del Portillo will be recognized as a blessed in the coming months.

The story of this miracle is striking. It all started in Chile, where young José Ignacio Ureta Wilson, a young boy from Santiago, was declared clinically dead. 

The events took place back in 2003. Just two days after José Ignacio was born, he underwent surgery for a serious malformation in both his abdomen and his heart. But  suddenly his health worsened.

SUSANA WILSON
Mother
“We were at my in-laws' house. At about 2pm they called us from the clinic and told us to go there immediately because José Ignatio wasn't well.”

The young boy's heart stopped beating and he went into cardiac arrest. The doctors tried to resuscitate him. But no matter how hard they tried, the boy was declared dead shortly after.

JOSÉ IGNACIO RODRÍGUEZ
Pediatrician
“We kept on resuscitating him, we kept on and on. After 30 minutes we simply saw nothing was happening, so we started reducing our efforts.”

But the child's mother, never lost hope. In her desperation, she turned to Alvaro del Portillo in prayer.

FRANCISCO JAVIER URETA
Father
“I saw her praying in an incredible way. She was praying with extreme fervor and faith.”

That's when she says, something really incredible happened. Young José Ignacio's pulse rhythm began to grew faster and steadier, until the boy's heart regained its normal function. That's something the doctors still can't explain.

JOSÉ IGNACIO RODRÍGUEZ
Pediatrician
“Without an any... without any explanation José Ignatio's heart regained its rhythm, progressively and with a quick pace. And now he is here with us.”

Today he is alive and well. He loves soccer, tennis and is a big fan of dancing. His parents say they have no doubt, it all happened through the intercession of Alvaro del Portillo. 

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Costa Rican woman claims that the late Pope John Paul II cured her of a fatal brain aneurysm

Associated Press


News excerpt from DailyMail Online

Pope John Paul II has finally approved for Sainthood thanks to a Costa Rican woman who claims the late Pope cured her fatal brain aneurysm.

Floribeth Mora, now 50, made a miraculous recovery from a potentially deadly aneurysm in her cerebral artery two years ago, after John Paul II spoke to her, she claims.

Mora's recovery, which her doctor attests there is no scientific basis for, was finally recognized by the Vatican as a valid second miracle for the late Pope's sainthood.

Mora was diagnosed with a swelling in her brain in April 2011, she told reporters at Roman Catholic Church's headquarters in San Jose.

Though originally thought to be a severe migraine, after three days of pain, Mora returned to the hospital, where a series of tests revealed an aneurysm on the right side of her brain that had begun to hemorrhage.

Read More: Pope John Paul II Miracle

Friday, July 05, 2013

It's Official. Pope Francis to canonize John Paul II and John XXIII



News excerpt from Rome Reports.com

Pope Francis has cleared John Paul II for sainthood. On Friday morning, he signed a decree that attributes a miracle to the intercession of the late Polish Pope. This gives the green light for the Polish Pope to be declared a saint of the Catholic Church.

The Pope also approved the canonization of Blessed John XXIII, who is remembered for calling the Second Vatican Council. A special consistory has been called by the Pope, to set a date for his canonization, even without the required miracle.

FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI
Vatican Spokesperson


“The road is open for the canonization of John XXIII, but a decree on a miracle has not yet been approved by the Pope. The Vatican's Causes for Saints has presented the situation to the Pope, so that a canonization can take place even without the second miracle.”
A decree approving a miracle by Alvaro del Portillo, former prelate of Opus Dei, has also been approved, paving the way towards his future beatification.

The Pope also approved additional beatifications and over 40 martyrs who will be recognized for their heroic virtues.

SEE FULL LIST OF DECREES: 

MIRACLES, attributable to the intercession of:
-Blessed John Paul II, Polish (ne Karol Josef Wojtyla), Supreme Pontiff, (1920-2005);

-Venerable Servant of God Alvaro del Portillo y Diez de Sollano, Spanish, bishop and prelate of the personal prelature of Santa Cruz and Opus Dei, (1914-1994);

-Venerable Servant of God Esperanza de Jesus (nee Maria Josefa Alhama Valera), Spanish, foundress of the Congregations of the Handmaids of Merciful Love and the Sons of Merciful Love, (1893-1983).

MARTYRDOM
-Servant of God Jose Guardiet y Pujol, Spanish, diocesan priest; born in 1879 and killed in hatred of the faith in Spain on 3 August 1936;

-Servant of God Mauricio Iniguez de Heredia, Spanish, and 23 companions from the Order of Hospitallers of St John of God, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1936 and 1937;

-Servant of God Fortunato Velasco Tobar, Spanish, and 13 companions from the Congregation of the Mission, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain between 1934 and 1936;

-Servant of God Maria Asuncion (nee Juliana Gonzalez Trujillano) and 2 companions, Spanish, professed nuns of the Congregation of Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, killed in hatred of the faith in Spain in 1936.

HEROIC VIRTUES
-Servant of God Nicola D'Onofrio, Italian, professed priest of the Order of the Clerks Regular Ministers to the Sick (Camillians), (1943-1964);

-Servant of God Bernard Philippe, French (ne Jean Fromental Cayroche), professed monk of the Institute of Christian Schools, founder of the Hermanas Guadalupanas de La Salle, (1895-1978);

-Servant of God Maria Isabel da Santissima Trinidade, Portuguese, (nee Maria Isabel Picao Caldeira viuda de Carneiro), foundress of the Congregation of Conceptionist Nuns, (1889-1962).

-Servant of God Maria del Carmen Rendiles Martinez, Venezuelan, foundress of the Servants of Jesus, Venezuala, (1903-1977);

-Servant of God Giuseppe Lazzati, Italian, consecrated layperson, (1909-1986).

Finally, the Holy Father approved the votes in favour the canonisation of Blessed John XXIII (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli) from the Ordinary Session of the Cardinal Fathers and bishops, and decided that a consistory would be convoked, to consider also the canonisation of Blessed John Paul II (Karol Jozef Wojtyla).

Defend Us in Battle: Benedict XVI and Pope Francis Consecrate the Vatican to Michael the Archangel


Photo by Loci B. Lenar

The following news excerpt is from Catholic Online

Friday morning Pope Francis was joined by Pope emeritus Benedict XVI in the gardens for a ceremony during which the Holy Father blessed a statue of St. Michael  at the same time consecrating the Vatican to the Archangel's protection. Following a brief ceremony, Pope Francis addressed those present noting how St. Michael defends the People of God from its enemy, the adversary, the devil. He said even if the devil attempts to disfigure the face of the Archangel and thus the face of humanity, St Michael wins, because God acts in him and is stronger.

Read More: Michael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel