A MIRACLE THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF EUGENE DE MAZENOD

Jesús Hernández Serrano carrying a relic of St Eugene at the canonization ceremonyJesús Hernández Serrano carrying a relic of St Eugene at the canonization ceremony

Beginning in March, 1987, a Mexican citizen Jesús Hernández Serrano, a 55 year old married man from Mexico City, born in 1932, with two children, was under medical treatment. On May 4, 1987 he was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a malignant growth in the biliary duct system. These cancerous tumors of the bile ducts are usually quite advanced by the time they are found. Symptoms may include fever, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right abdomen, weight loss, yellowing of the skin. When possible, surgery to remove the tumor is the treatment of choice, and may result in a cure. At that time, when surgery to cure the cancer was not possible, life was limited to 3, and a maximum of 5, more years. By May, 1987, the patient had lost 30 kg of weight and developed into a more and more serious state. Since he was too weak, he was not able to undergo chemotherapy or surgery.  The doctors decided on treatment to reduce the pain.  On May 12 he left the hospital. On June 7, 1987, the family, living in an Oblate Parish, decided to pray the novena to blessed Eugene de Mazenod. The prayer was joined by the parish’s congregation. A prayer group visited the house of the sick morning and evening for the novena prayer. On June 15, the last day of the novena, the pain became more intense. During the night of June 16-17, the sick man fell into a terminal state. But, on June 17, the sick person was healed. He was able to get up and to wash himself. From that day on, he got better and better. After more than one week, the healed person was able to leave the house for the first time. By the end of the year he was back to work. Medical tests in 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1993 clearly indicated that the cancer was completely gone. Doctors described the cure as exceptional and scientifically inexplicable. In April/May of 1993, the diocesan inquiry of a possible miracle through the intercession of Blessed Eugene de Mazenod was held in the Archdiocese of Mexico City.  In March, 1994, the medical Congress of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints confirmed the miraculous cure. The miracle led to the Canonization of Eugene de Mazenod in 1995.

Some Miracles and Favours received

PRAYER FOR SAINT EUGENE DE MAZENOD’S INTERCESSION

Loving Saviour, we thank you for the life and intercession of Saint Eugene de Mazenod. Accompanied by his prayers, we bring to you all our personal intentions and those of our loved ones, especially the sick and suffering. We ask also that you inspire many  persons to follow St. Eugene’s missionary example in their everyday lives by  being your cooperators like he was. We ask all this with loving confidence. Amen.

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3 Responses to A MIRACLE THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF EUGENE DE MAZENOD

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    Eugene himself was no stranger to miracles. As a young priest, caring for Austrian soldiers in prison during a Typhus outbreak he himself contracted the fever and was dying. He always credited his Youth Congregation with praying to God to intercede and make him well. His own personal example of a miracle!

    I look at Eugene’s whole life and the faith that he had in God – how he gave his all to God, offered himself to God… and how he never stopped giving thanks for the life that God had given to him.

    I am reminded of what St. Eugene set out and left for us – in his Rule of Life. “We must lead men to act like human beings, first of all, and then like Christians, and, finally, we must help them to become saints.” It was those words that solidified my belief that God had spoken through St. Eugene de Mazenod to me. I had begged and prayed throughout my life that God would fill me with his love so that I might give it to others – through Him. That was holiness and that was my idea of what a saint looked like. So yes I wanted to be a saint; Eugene has given me and all members of the Mazenodian Family, the prescription, the instruction on how to become saints.

    I remember being at a retreat some years back and on the 2nd full day of the retreat we were introduced to an Oblate who was described as being a “true son of St. Eugene de Mazenod”. The countenance of the Oblate being introduced to us did not change during that introduction, there was no false humility, but rather he seemed to acknowledge how the other was speaking of him as being a part of the truth of his life and with gratitude to the one introducing him he began to preach, to share his own experience of God with us.

    “…we must help them to become saints.” Dearest St. Eugene – that is exactly what you have done and what you continue to do for us. We give thanks with great joy and celebration that the Church whom you served with such love and faith recognized you and shared you with all of us in a brighter light so that we too might become saints. Here you are – a model for all of us, just as were the apostles of Jesus.

  2. Juan de Dios Aguirre Páramo says:

    La detección del caso del sr. Jesús Hernández y el seguimiento, acompañamiento de todo el proceso estuvo el P. James (Santiago) Lyons OMI +, quien siempre impulsó y estuvo comprometido con los laicos oblatos.
    Y hasta la fecha nos inspira en el compromiso con la Iglesia y el Carisma Oblato en México.

  3. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    What Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis and Paolo Archiati have written is universal and timeless. We find in their words St. Eugene de Mazenod who saw everything through the eyes of our crucified Saviour; it was in this light that Eugene saw the Church and indeed the whole world – each and all an extension of the other.

    Today I notice a distinct focus on Church. Pope John Paul II quoted St. Eugene: “To love the Church is to love Jesus Christ and visa versa.” And further on: “…His influence is not limited to the time in which he lived […] the good accomplished in virtue of the Holy Spirit does not perish, but lasts in every hour of history.”

    “Missio Dei” – those words again dance on the edges of my mind and in recognizing them I stop for a moment and give thanks to the Beloved who has instigated my formation to ensure that the picture and message I carry is full and true – not my message but that of the Father. That mere thought is humbling and I stop to look at my Beloved much as would a child who has suddenly realised something about his or herself and who joyfully shares that with their parents. Wonder.

    Pope Francis invites us saying: “May you also be men of Advent, capable of grasping the signs of the new times and guiding our brothers and sisters in the ways that God opens in the Church and in the world.” And Fr. Archiati reminds us that Eugene was “obedient to the Holy Spirit in reading the signs of the times and assisting the work of God in the history of the Church.”

    These words were directed to the Oblates and Fr. Paolo Archiati was writing to his brothers and through them to all of us who share in St. Eugene’s charism becoming a part of the Mazenodian Family. As Pope Francis said: “It is important to work for a Church that is for everyone, a Church ready to welcome and accompany!”

    Our challenge is to listen and discover how they can and are lived out by each of us.

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