Pope Francis Recognizes Miracle for Canonization of Blessed Elena Guerra

Pope Francis Recognizes Miracle for Canonization of Blessed Elena Guerra

VATICAN CITY — A miraculous healing in Brazil has been recognized by Pope Francis as the miracle needed for the canonization of Blessed Elena Guerra, an Italian nun who founded the Oblates of the Holy Spirit.

The healing of a Brazilian man, known as “Paulo G.,” in Uberlandia, Brazil, was the subject of prayers by a local Catholic charismatic prayer group as doctors were preparing to certify his brain death in 2010. The man’s recovery was deemed miraculous, leading to the decree signed by Pope Francis on April 13.

Blessed Elena Guerra, who was beatified by St. John XXIII in 1959, was born in Lucca, Italy, in 1835. She founded the community that would become the Oblates of the Holy Spirit in 1882 and dedicated herself to spreading devotion to the Holy Spirit.

The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints requires either proof of martyrdom or a miracle attributed to the candidate’s intercession for beatification. For canonization, another miracle is necessary.

In the case of Paulo, who suffered a severe head injury after falling from a tree, members of the prayer group prayed to Blessed Guerra for his healing. Less than six weeks after the accident, Paulo was released from the hospital and showed no signs of trauma during follow-up checkups.

In addition to Blessed Elena Guerra’s canonization miracle, Pope Francis also recognized the martyrdom of a priest and a layman killed during the Spanish Civil War, paving the way for their beatification.

The Vatican has not yet announced a date for the canonization of Blessed Elena Guerra, but her story serves as a testament to the power of faith and prayer in the face of adversity.