Mariam Thresia – India’s next
saint
 |
| Blessed Mariam Thresia |
Sister Udaya, the Superior General of the Congregation of
the Holy Family, explains how her sisters are preparing for Sunday’s
canonization in Rome of their foundress, Blessed Mariam Thresia.
By Robin Gomes
Pope Francis will raise 5 new saints of the Catholic Church
to the glory of the altar during a solemn Eucharistic Celebration in Rome’s St.
Peter’s Square on Sunday, October 13. Among them is an Indian - Sr. Mariam
Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan, the foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters
of the Holy Family (CHF).
The others are English Cardinal John Henry Newman, Swiss
laywoman Marguerite Bays, Brazilian Sister Dulce Lopes and Italian Sister
Giuseppina Vannini.
A religious and mystic, Sister Mariam Theresia was born in
Puthenchira, in southern India’s Kerala state, on April 26, 1876. Belonging to
a once rich and noble family with extensive landed property, the future pioneer
of the family apostolate grew up in piety and holiness under the loving
guidance of her saintly mother, Thanda. In her intense love for God, the 8-year
old girl gave herself up to austere, penance, fasting and prayer. She wanted to
be conformed ever more to the likeness of the suffering Christ to whom she also
consecrated her virginity at an early age.
In imitation of Jesus, she helped the poor, nursed the sick,
visited and comforted the lonely people of her parish.
She was also blessed with the stigmata but kept it secret to
avoid attention. She received several mystical gifts like prophecy, healing, an
aura of light, sweet odour and frequently had ecstasies and levitations. Her
entire existence was tormented by demons and she offered her sufferings for the
remission of the sins of the world.
Thresia and three companions who joined her led a life of
prayer and austere penance and continued to help families, visiting the sick,
the poor and the needy irrespective of religion or caste. This ministry led her
to establish the new Congregation of the Holy Family on 14 May 1914.
Sister Thresia died on June 8, 1926, at the age of 50, and
was declared Blessed by Pope Saint John Paul II on April 9, 2000.
Pope Francis on February 12 authorized a decree recognizing
a miracle through her intercession, which cleared her for sainthood, and on
July 1, the Pope decided on October 13 as the canonization day.
Since then, the sisters of the Congregation of the Holy
Family have been preparing intensely for this great day, said Sister Udaya, the
Superior General of the Congregation. In Rome for Sunday’s canonization, she
explained to Vatican news that they are concentrating more on spiritual
preparation and works of charity for the family than external
preparation.
Spiritual preparation
Sr. Udaya explained that the nuns have been dedicating
themselves to prayer and have had a special weeklong retreat on the
spirituality of Mariam Thresia. They are holding the daily Holy Hour and night
vigils on Saturdays.
They are observing special fasting days apart from their
normal routine and have abstained from meat for the past 2 to 3 years.
At her tomb at the Mariam Thresia pilgrim centre at
Kuzhikkatussery in Kerala, the sisters and parishioners have been praying the
rosary for 3 hours along with the Divine Mercy chaplet. They also have a 12-hour
adoration starting at 7 am.
Visiting families
Alongside these spiritual exercises, the sisters have been
visiting families, in line with the special charism of Mariam Thresia who urged
a compassionate love for families.
The congregation decided that from July 1, when the
canonization date was announced, to October 13, the canonization day, every
sister would visit at least 50 families. These visits would include enquiring
about the spiritual and other needs of families.
Programme in Rome
The Congregation of the Holy Family has organized a vigil at
St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome at 4 pm on Saturday, October 12. Among those
joining it will be the bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and pilgrims
and devotees from all over the world.
Pope Francis will lead the Mass of canonization on Sunday in
St. Peter’s Square, during which he will officially proclaim Mariam Thresia and
4 others saints.
On Monday, October 14, the day after the canonization, the
sisters are having thanksgiving Mass and celebration in the morning a St.
Anastasia’s Basilica, next to the Circus Maximus.
Programme in India
On canonization day, Sunday, there will be a concelebrated
Mass presided over by retired Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop George Panikulam, at
the pilgrim centre of Mariam Thresia in Kerala, India. The faithful there will
be following the canonization ceremony in Rome via a video link.
The congregation has planned an afternoon thanksgiving Mass
on November 16 at the Mariam Thresia Shrine.
More than the external preparation, Sr. Udaya explained, her
sisters are concentrating more on concrete acts of charity for the family such
as housing projects, helping marrying couples, students, the sick and others.
She said they are investing 4 times more on charitable projects than on the
canonization celebration.
The miracle
The Superior General of the Congregation of the Holy Family
said that the miracle regarded a pre-term baby boy born with a life-threatening
respiratory problem. The doctors had prescribed a particular medicine through a
special ventilator which was not immediately available. On the third day, when
the child was gasping for breath, the doctors sounded the alarm bell.
The parents and grandparents of the child are great devotees
of Mariam Thresia. The grandmother placed a relic on the child and urged all to
pray earnestly to Mariam Thresia. There was a “drastic improvement” on the
child in about 20 to 30 minutes. The immediate healing could not be explained
medically.
Sr. Udaya explained that it was a surprising coincidence
that the miracle took place on April 9, 2009, the same day that Mariam Thresia
was declared Blessed in Rome. The miracle was presented to Rome for the cause
of canonization in 2013, several years after the healing and it was accepted by
the Vatican.
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