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Thursday, November 3, 2011

New Causes

Last month four new causes were formally opened, two of them for children - a young boy, Carlo Acutis, and a young girl, Jeanne-Marie Kegelin who is being put forward as a possible martyr - she was not yet ten when she died in defence of her chastity.


Carlo Acutis seems to be the teenage version of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati or Blessed Alberto Marvelli.  He was only fifteen when he died of leukemia.  Carlo was born in London on the 3rd May 1990 of Italian parents.  He grew up in Milan.  He seemed to be an ordinary teenager - loved his friends, did well in school, had a passion for computers, but there was more to him.  He discovered Jesus Christ, and so his spiritual life was profound.  He attended daily Mass, spent time in adoration, had a great love for Our Lady.  He made a deep impression on all he met, and he was always ready to help anyone in need if he could. 

Life was to be short for Carlo: diagnosed with leukemia it became obvious very quickly he would not survive.  He endured the illness with great serenity and heroism - he never lost his joy. As he was dying he offered his suffering and death for Pope Benedict and the Church.  He passed away on the 12th October 2006.  His life and death has taken Italian Catholics by storm.   See here for his website, and more information here.


On the 18th June 2004 little nine year old Jeanne-Marie Kegelin went out to play, taking her bicycle and heading off to the tennis courts where she like to help pick up the tennis balls during play.  On her way she met with Pierre Bodein.  On the 29th June her body was found in a stream: she had been raped and drowned, and her lower body mutilated in an attempt to cover up the assault.  

Jeanne-Marie was born in Strasbourg on the 18th July 1994 to a devout Catholic family, the sixth of seven children.  She was a bit of a tomboy, so she liked climbing trees and playing football.  She was precocious in terms of her own faith, and soon she was praying and trying to live the Gospel in as radical a way as she could.  She loved the Rosary and singing hymns.  Again, a child who seemed to have been formed in grace.  As her mother said, "She was more worthy of heaven than earth" - the Church agrees with her as her Cause is formally opened.

3 comments:

  1. I remember the case of Jeanne-Marie; she was a Chartres pilgrim back in the day when I led the Irish chapter. When she went missing the Notre Dame de Chretienté grapevine had everyone praying for her safe return. I hadn't heard that she was raped as well. Her parents were particularly impressive; they recognised that while the State had to seek justice, they had to offer forgiveness.

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  2. Bonjour
    Je tenais à vous apporter ce magnifique témoignage qui s'est réellement passé pour la guérison de notre petit neveu de 12 ans, le 13 Septembre 2014
    Notre neveu Samuel a fait 1 mononucléose foudroyante ce 13 Septembre à Macon.
    L'enfant a été hospitalisé en urgence ,il avait tout le côté droit paralysée (œil -joue-bouche )
    Les médecins étaient très inquiets car il y avait pour eux 1 très gros risque que l'enfant ne retrouve plus ces fonctions côté droit.
    Le 15 Septembre le verdict est tombé après de multiples examens : l'enfant ressortirait avec ce lourd handicap malgré 1 traitement pour ne pas qu'il n'y ait de gêne.
    Le 16 Septembre 2014 ma sœur pleurait énormément de savoir que son enfant resterait avec 1 telle paralysie faciale et que les médecins lui annonçait que cela était irrévocable.
    J'ai demandé à 1 de mes sœurs de faire 1 neuvaine avec moi à Jeanne Marie Kegelin pour qu'elle guérisse notre neveu sans séquelles.
    4 jours après avoir attaqué la neuvaine notre neveu avait à nouveau des sensations sur le côté droit.
    Au bout de 8 jours de neuvaine notre neveu avait retrouvé toutes ses facultés.
    Les médecins étaient surpris de cette guérison aussi rapide et ils avaient demandé que l'enfant ne fasse pas de sport en attendant.
    Le 10 ème jour Samuel courait de partout, il faisait du vélo, jouait avec ses sœurs, repris l'école comme si tout cela n'avait jamais eu lieu.
    Le médecin l'a déclaré totalement guéri sans aucune séquelle et sans traitement, depuis nous prions tous les jours auprès de Jeanne Marie Kegelin pour qu'elle intercède pour nous.
    Merci beaucoup Jeannette pour ton intervention car nous savons que sans toi notre petit Samuel serait resté avec des séquelles a vie !!!!
    Pierre Fernandes

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  3. Hello
    I wanted to bring you this magnificent testimony that actually happened to the healing of our little nephew aged 12, September 13, 2014
    Our nephew Samuel made 1 mononucleosis lightning this September 13 in Macon.
    The child was hospitalized in emergency, he had paralyzed the right side (-joue mouth-eye)
    The doctors were very worried because there was for them one very big risk that the child can not find these functions right side.
    On September 15 the verdict was after multiple examinations, the child emerges with this severe handicap despite one treatment not there is discomfort.
    The September 16, 2014 my sister was crying enormously to know that his child would remain with 1 as facial paralysis and doctors informed her that it was irrevocable.
    I asked one of my sisters to 1 novena me to Jeanne Marie Kegelin for our nephew she heals without sequelae.
    Four days after attacking the novena our nephew again sensations on the right side.
    After 8 days of novena our nephew had recovered all his faculties.
    The doctors were surprised that healing as fast and they asked that the child does not make sport pending.
    The 10th day Samuel ran all over, he was cycling, playing with his sisters returned to school as if it had never occurred.
    The doctor said fully healed without sequelae and without treatment, since we pray every day to Jeanne Marie Kegelin to intercede for us.
    Jeannette thank you very much for your response because we know that without you our little Samuel would have remained with sequelae life !!!!
    Pierre Fernandes

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