The Catholic Church has held a ceremony in Kenya for formally recognize Sister Maria Corola Cechim as Blessed. The Italian born nun, who died in 1925 spent two decades serving in the East African nation been called Blessed is known as beatification.
It follows the confirmation of a miracle attribute to the person’s intercession and is the second last step before canonization, which is the official admission into sainthood. Catholic Church decided on who may be honoured in this way. On 5 November 2022, the Catholic Church formally recognized Sister Carols Chechin 1877 to 1925 as Blessed. The process culminating in calling sister Carol Blessed is known as beatification. This marks the second last step before canonization, which is the official admission into sainthood.
The Catholic Church investigation claimed miraculous miracles. The vast majority of these miracles involve cases of scientifically inexplicable healing. A panel of scientists is convened in the diocese where the miracle is alleged to have occurred. For the process of potential beatification to continue, the scientists positive verdict is required starting that a healing was spontaneous instantaneous and lasting.
The medical dossiers then scrutinized in Rome by different scientific panel. In addition, a team of Rome based theologians reinvestigates and the life of the Venerable. Positive scientific and theological evaluations are passed to a panel of cardinals and bishops. They pass on their recommendation to the pope, who declares the person to be worthy of the title Blessed At sister Carolas beatification ceremony in Kenya, a bishop will present an account of her life and representative of the pope will read a letter granting her the title Blessed.
Sister Corola becomes the second person who worked in Kenya to be beatified after sister Irene Stepanis intercession involved not a healing but the multiplication of water in a fountain at a Mozambican parish used as a hideout during a civil war 1989. The Cardinal Pope Francis delegated to preside over the beatification of Venerable servant of God Maria Carolas Cacchin has hailed the Italian born catholic Nun as a model of a missionary of Charity.
In his homily during the beatification ceremony at Kinoro stadium in Kenya’s catholic Diocese of Meru November 5 Antoine Cardinal Kambanda acknowledge with appreciation the sacrifices and risks the member of the sisters of St Joseph Cottolengo sisters made her 20 years missionary service in Kenya from 1905. Blessed Sr Maria Carol represents the holiness of so many missionaries in those days who accepted to endure to endure all sort of sacrifices and risks to bring the salvation of God to us.
The miracle reportedly happened at Gatunga in Tharaka Nithi Country covered by Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Meru where a woman being attended by nurse sister gave birth to a boy with no heartbeat. The Kenya’s newspaper report further indicates that the child was born on April 14, 2013 in a land rover on the way from Atunga village to Matiri in Meru.
Thirty minutes later and after the heartfelt prayer of one sister Katherine addressed to sister Carola the newborn named Msafiri Hilary Kiam began to breathe and now after nine years continues to live in peace.
In the same statement the Father General of the little House of Divine Providence which St Joseph Benedict Cottolengo founded describe the Holy Father granting of the identification as an extraordinary grace. Some bishops and the Vatican are then consulted. Following a positive evaluation, the Vatican grants the person the title servant of God and their cause for canonization officially opens. However, public religious services in their honours are forbidden.
By Prof Joseph Adero Ngala