Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By CNA Columns: Bishops' Corner (Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

First Beatification in U.S.: New Jersey’s first Blessed

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


By Bishop Arthur Serratelli

October 4, 2014 marks an historic moment in the life of the Catholic Church in the United States.  For the first time ever, the Rite of Beatification will take place on American soil.  In this ceremony, the Church officially recognizes the heroic sanctity of someone who has died and allows the faithful to honor this person with devotion on a local level and to pray to this person for their needs.

In 1945, the Holy See authorized Bishop McLaughlin, the first Bishop of Paterson, to begin the process of investigation into the life and sanctity of Sr. Miriam Teresa Demjanovich of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth of Convent Station.  Her life was short, a mere 26 years.  But, her holiness was profound.

Born in Bayonne, New Jersey on March 26, 1901, she grew up, in full view of New Jersey’s oil refineries, as the youngest of seven children.  By rite, she was a Ruthenian Catholic.  In the eyes of the world, she lived a normal life.  She graduated from the local public high school.  She enjoyed music, poetry, theatre and dance appropriate to young women of her age.  But, beneath the ordinary experiences of home, parish, school and friends, she was nurturing an extraordinary relationship with God.  During her brief teaching career at the Academy of Saint Aloysius in Jersey City, others could not help notice her deep humility and faith.
On February 11, 1925, Miriam Teresa, encouraged by her priest brother, entered the Sisters of Charity.  As a postulant and novice, she began teaching at the Academy of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station.  When she became gravely ill two years later and was at the point of death, she made her religious profession on April 2, 1927.  Shortly thereafter, on May 8, 1927, she died.

Her simplicity, devotion, humility and prayer made a deep and lasting impression on those who knew her.  Her spiritual director immediately recognized her unique holiness and asked her to write conferences for him to deliver to the other novices.  Her profound insights are applicable to all, not just religious.  Her writings are saturated with Sacred Scripture.  Long before the renewal of Sacred Scripture, promoted by the Second Vatican Council, Sr. Miriam Teresa had discovered the Word of God as the wellspring of wisdom and holiness.  Published after her death in the book Greater Perfection, her writings continue to lead others to God.

The investigation in Sr. Miriam Teresa’s life gave more than ample proof of her holiness.  God had granted her mystical experiences and visions.  But, it was her constant striving to please God, even in the smallest matters, that the Church recognizes as the example for all to follow on the road of holiness.  Her constant message that everyone is called to holiness anticipated the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on the universal call to holiness.

In 1964, a young boy, legally blind because of macular degeneration, was healed through her intercession.  With Pope Francis’ approval of this healing as an authentic miracle on December 17, 2013, Sr. Miriam Teresa was on the way to be the first American whose Rite of Beatification took place in America.

For the first millennium, local bishops or synods of bishops would declare individuals saints.  By the 11th century, it became the practice of the Popes to declare individuals saints so that they could be venerated by the whole Church.  Then, in the 14th century, the Holy See began to allow individuals whose process for canonization was in progress to receive veneration on a local level.  This is the origin of the Rite of Beatification.

On September 29, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI reformed the Rite of Beatification.  He returned to the more ancient custom of recognizing a person’s holiness on a local level.  Now the Rite of Beatification, presided over by the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, normally takes place in the diocese that has promoted the cause of the new Blessed.  Because Paterson’s cathedral is under renovation, the Beatification of Sr. Miriam Teresa will take place in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in our neighboring archdiocese at 9:30 a.m. on October 4, 2014.

What an historic day for the United States, for New Jersey and most especially for the Diocese of Paterson and the Sisters of Charity.  Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich.  What a great gift to the Church!  God is raising up from among us a reminder of our own call to holiness and an example that, by God’s grace, we can be holy by striving to do God’s will in our daily lives.

Holiness is not a relic of the past.  Holiness is the only way to find joy in the present and to be truly blessed.


Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/column.php?n=2993


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex

HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary New Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula. This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting. Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link , or the Banner Below.



Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...


It’s OXYGENATED

It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH

Preservative and Chemical Free

Allergen Free

Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source

Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals

Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents

Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons

Is a Full Spectrum Complex


Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.


Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.