During the time of Visitation in Brazil Sister Mary Kristin, Sister Maria Alcidia, and Sister Mary Sreeja visited Campos Novos where our sisters are in ministry in the local parish. Campos Novos is a place of great importance to all Sisters of Notre Dame because it was here in 1950 that the third miracle for the canonization of St. Julie took place. At the time our sisters were working in the hospital there and were direct instruments in providing the means for St. Julie to intercede for a poor farmer dying of cancer. A brief summary of what occurred follows.
On September 29, 1950 a poor farmer by the name of Otacilio Ribeiro, age 29, arrived at the hospital. He had a very large tumor in his abdomen. Because his condition was very serious Dr. Jahn Martins Ribeiro (not related to Otacilio) said it would be necessary to perform surgery immediately. During surgery when the doctor saw how advanced the tumor was he closed Otacilio’s incision and informed the family that he had only a few hours to live. On September 30, three of our sister nurses, Sister Maria Ludvine, Sister Maria Bardona, and Sister Maria Adelaide placed a relic of Mother Julie on the abdomen of Otacilio and began a novena with him for a cure.
On October 1, 1950, one hundred years to the day of our founding as a Congregation, St. Julie interceded for Otacilio and he was completely cured of his terminal cancer. This was a miracle and a confirmation for us as spiritual daughters of St. Julie: a third miracle for the third Congregation following her spiritual path.
Today, the hospital room where this miracle occurred is a small chapel which has been restored recently by the Canoas Province. The altar is placed directly over the spot where Otacilio’s hospital bed had been. (See picture)
Otacilio and his daughter Julie (born after the miracle) along with Dr. Ribeiro attended the canonization of St. Julie in Rome in 1969.
by Dreamhost