Maria's Miracles
On June 28, 1896, forty years after Maria De Mattias' death, the General Superior at the time, Sister Caterina Pavoni requested of the Church the permission to begin the canonization process of the foundress. (According to Church rules at the time the process could not begin earlier; now it may begin at only five years after the death of a person considered a saint.)
After preliminary research, the process began December 5, 1898, focusing on
First Miracle
A woman born at Carbognano (territorial province of Viterbo) in 1895 fell ill with bilateral septicemic bronchopneumonia on April 5, 1934. On April 12, toward evening, the two physicians caring for her gave up hope for her healing and expected death at any moment. But, after midnight the woman saw Maria De Mattias at the foot of her bed, who told her she was cured. The next morning, April 13, with great surprise, the husband, relatives and doctors realized that she was truly cured.
Second Miracle
A young girl born at Taranto in 1942 and a resident of Salve (territory of Lecce), was playing with her little brother on the afternoon of September 3, 1946. She fell and split her tongue, an injury that involved the whole thickness in such a way that the front portion of the tongue was detached, remaining connected as though "by a thread." An immediate and delicate operation could have healed it in not less than two weeks.
However, the mother placed a picture of Maria De Mattias on the child's mouth. The next morning as the mother brought her to the hospital at Lecce, she noticed that the child's tongue was mending. At about 1 p.m., when the surgeon was able to examine her, he observed that there was no need for any surgery because there was only a very small wound left on the child's tongue. He sent her back home. It was September 4, 1946. The day after, the attending physician of Salve made his statement, after having examined the child, of the complete cure.
In 1949 the medical experts (jury) of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints recognized that these cures did not happen either naturally or through therapy.
On February 28, 1950 the General Congregation recognized the two miracles. On September 3, 1950 the Decree for proceeding to Beatification was issued; and the Beatification took place at St. Peter's Square on October 1, 1950.
Third Miracle (The One That Leads to Maria's Canonization)
A boy born at Biograd (Croatia) in 1972 was the recipient of the third miracle.
On October 10, 1979 the child began to show a strange behavior, indicating a change in mood. He didn't want to play or be with his friends; he didn't want to study. Nine days later he slumped onto a chair because his legs wouldn't support him. His nurse-aunt took him to the doctor, and he was hospitalized October 20. The doctors said it was nothing serious, but they kept him in the hospital. In the following days the boy's condition deteriorated as neurological signs appeared, including hemiparesis (weakness) on the left. He went in and out of consciousness. The doctors decided to transfer him to a clinic for infectious diseases at the hospital in Zagreb, with a tentative diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (a progressive and fatal brain disorder caused by infection).
During the trip the boy lost his power to speak, then consciousness; he entered into a coma. Many complications aggravated his condition. The coma became profound; in November 1979 there were symptoms of decerebration (spontaneous extension of limbs). In addition, widespread hypertonicity (abnormally increased muscle tone) of the limbs, generalized convulsion and widespread myoclonia (spasms of the soft palate, facial muscles and diaphragm). The paralysis of respiratory muscles required a tracheotomy and artificial respiration which continued uninterruptedly until January 1980, and then at intervals until June of that year, when spontaneous breathing resumed. Other problems included urinary infections, bed sores, inflammation in the ears, and chicken pox. In spite of everything, the doctors continued to try to help him.
In the meantime, the boy's father's aunt, Sister Nikolina, an Adorer of the Blood of Christ in Zagreb, along with other ASCs, began to pray unceasingly and with great confidence to Blessed Maria De Mattias. The parents and other relatives, even many in the hospital prayed. While on the one hand, the family began to prepare for his death and burial, Sister Nikolina continued to pray. She said: "I prayed to Blessed Maria De Mattias to intercede for little Kresimir, and so that she would obtain that one drop of the precious Blood fall on him and cure him. One day, I felt a voice in my heart saying: 'The time will come in which he will be cured.' "
On August 20, 1980, the anniversary of the death of Blessed Maria De Mattias, to everyone's amazement -- especially that of the medical personnel -- the boy awoke and asked for something to eat. For him, even though very much weakened by artificial nourishment for ten months, it was as though he awoke from a long sleep. His psyche was very healthy; he remembered the names of his parents and grandparents and was able to reason perfectly. Someone gave him a book turned upside down and asked him to read it. He said, "How? It's upside down!" He recovered from the weakness and the motor difficulty in an extremely short time, in comparison to normal recovery time. In January 1981 he returned to school, with good results. His growth continued normally. Today, he works as a truck-driver for a transportation company in Biograd, a happy, 30-year-old young man full of life.
The Medical Consultants of the Causes of Saints defined his illness as subacute encephalitis, deriving from a previous measles infection. He came out of the illness in a completely unexpected way, especially since his body had been reduced to no natural resources for healing.
--- Maria Paniccia, ASC
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