Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Process underway for canonization of Sister Euphrasia of Kerala

The Vatican is about to open up the process of canonization of Blessed Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Church authorities have asked the Indian Church to prepare the official biography of the nun from Kerala. 

Meanwhile, Msgr. Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to India, is visiting Ollur (birthplace of the blessed in the district of Thrissur) as part of the procedures. 

Last year the Bishop of Irinjalakuda (Thrissur, Kerala) presented Benedict XVI with documents relating to the complete healing of an Indian child of 6, suffering from a thyroglossal cyst, through the intercession of religious

If Euphrasia is proclaimed a saint, she would be the second nun originally from Kerala, two years after the canonization of Sister Alphonsa from Bharananganam. The religious sister was beatified just two years ago, in 2009.
 
Known as the "mother who prays, " Blessed Euphrasia was born 1877 in Edathuruthy in the district of Thrissur. 

The nun entered the Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Caramel and took vows in 1900. 

She spent almost her entire life in the convent of S. Mary in Ollur.