The Miracle

In order to complete the process for the beatification of a candidate, the Church requires proof that God works a miracle through the intercession of the candidate for sainthood. This miracle is often a sudden healing , unexplainable by science, that will last in time. The Vatican department for canonization requires that the Congregation present the most clear and convincing cases. Several cases were presented to the Vatican Canonization Committee, but the most convincing one was the healing of Sister Agostina Galli, OLS, of Misano Adriatico, Italy. This is what sealed the cause of beatification.

Sister Agostina was born in 1916, and entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows in January 1935. In November 1937, she became ill. A dry bilateral pleurisy stopped her from being able to make first religious vows. After a short recovery that allowed her to make vows, Sister Agostina was also struck with tubercular peritonitis, which caused her to lose 26 pounds in a short time. A doctor remarked, “What a pity that you have to die so young!” From 1941-1948, her condition kept worsening and in 1953, her health took a turn for the worse. She developed cardiovascular problems which complicated everything. This forced her to spend her days in bed, almost unable to move. She could not eat solid foods, only liquids. In January 1959, the peritonitis worsened, and after consultation with the doctor who gave no hope, Sister Agostina received the last rites while on oxygen.

In spite of all of this, Sister Agostina said afterwards, “I was convinced that I was not going to die. I had prayed to Mother Foundress in a special way because the Congregations was celebrating the centennial year of her death. The sisters were also praying to Mother Elisabetta for a miracle. We prayed only to her and through no other intercessor.”

On Saturday, March 7, Doctor Guido Rossi examined her for the last time, affirming that the end was getting close. “The body was finished”, Sr. Agostina said, “I could hardly see or hear anymore, my senses we gone; and yet, I felt that he end as far, very far away.” Between 11:00 and 11:15 a.m., the scenario suddenly changed. Sister turned to the sister who was assisting her and said, “Lina, is it time for the miracle?” Thinking she was not in her right mind, the sister answered, “ Yes, yes, it is always the time…” . Then Sister Agostina raising her voice, exclaimed, “For the glory of God and for the good of the Congregation, Jesus and Mary, restore me to health through the intercession of Mother Foundress”. The result was immediate, she suddenly sat up in the bed moving her arms, got up and started walking in the room, scaring the nurse who was trying to settle her down. Then she even asked for something to eat.

Doctor Rossi received a call from the sisters, and he immediately thought they were calling him to sign the death certificate. He went, and what a surprise he found. Sister was very much awake and full of life. The following day , at the sound of the bell, she got up and went to the chapel for prayer and Mass with the rest of the community. After years of well documented illness, she acted like nothing had ever happened.