Pope approves miracles, martyrdom, heroic virtues of 16 men and women

(July 3, 2009) Pope Benedict the XVI on Friday authorized the proclamation of 12 decrees that recognize the miracles, martyrdom and heroic virtues of 16 men and women candidates for beatification and sainthood. Among four miracles approved by the Pope is one attributed to the intercession of renowned and learned English Cardinal John Henry Newman who converted to Catholicism from Anglicanism in October 1845. The healing of a severe spinal disorder of a from the Archdiocese of Boston, USA, clears the way for cardinal Newman’s beatification. Another miracle that the Pope acknowledged clears the way for the sainthood of Spanish nun Blessed Candida Maria di Gesù Cipitria y Barriola, foundress of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus. She was born in 1845 and died in 1912. A miracle each for beatification is regarding Italian priest Fr. Angelo Paoli of the old Carmelite order and Sr. Maria Alfonsina Danil Ghattas from the Holy Land, co-foundress of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem.
Pope Benedict also authorized the promulgation of four decrees on martyrdom. Two of them concern Spanish priests Giuseppe Samsó i Elías and Teofilo Fernández de Legaria Goñi and his four companions. Also recognized are the martyrdoms of German priest Fr. Giorgio Häfner and Hungarian Bishop Zoltán Ludovico Meszlényi. Fr Giorgio Häfner was killed at the concentration camp of Dachau under the Nazis, whereas Bishop Meszlényi died in a prison camp under the Communist regime in Hungary.
Besides the miracles and martyrdom, there are four decrees on heroic virtues by which the candidates receive the title “Venerable Servant of God”. They are regarding German Mariannhill priest Engelmar Unzeitig, Spanish nun Sr. Anna Maria Janer Anglarill, foundress of the Sister sof the Holy Family of Urgell, Italian Sr. Maria Serafina del Sacro Cuore di Gesù Micheli, foundress of the Sister of the Angels and Italian laywoman Teresa Manganiello of the Third Order of St. Francis.