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Saints reflect the ‘brilliance of Jesus Christ’
In 1922, despoiled of his titles, exiled from the land of his birth, the one-time Emperor of Austria and King of Hungry, Karl Frantz (Charles I), died in the odor of sanctity. Almost immediately after his death, a process leading to his possible canonization was opened. A major hurdle was overcome when Pope John Paul II beatified him in October 2004. The next step, canonization, would await two confirmed miracles — as required by the Church before someone is raised to the altars for the public veneration of the faithful as a saint. Who could have dreamt that one of these final miracles would take place here in Central Florida? Saints, in the ways that they cooperated with the promptings of God’s grace, are models and examples for all of us; and because we share with them the Communion of Saints, they are also powerful intercessors on our behalf. St. Matthew tells us of the beginning of the ministry of Jesus with these simple words: “Jesus went about preaching the Kingdom of God and healing the sick.” And, of course, Jesus also commissioned his disciples to do the same. The healing miracles that Jesus performs in the Gospel demonstrate how, in him, God draws close to us. So much of the Gospels are about the miracles Jesus performed, that to try to eliminate them by explaining them away or discounting their possibility would make the Gospel in its entirety incomprehensible. And, since Jesus’ ministry and his drawing close to us continues in and through his Church, to deny that miracles and healings still happen would be to reject Jesus’ promise to remain with us always — a promise fulfilled in the gift of the Holy Spirit who guides and sanctifies us. Not all “signs and wonders,” however, are supernatural demonstrations of God’s love and compassion. And so when apparent healings and miracles take place, especially when such wonders are proposed for the people’s edification, the Church enters into a careful process of discernment. Such a process has been undertaken here in the Diocese of Orlando in the case of an otherwise unexplainable cure of a woman suffering from incurable cancer here in Central Florida. During her illness, on the encouragement of some Catholic friends, this woman who is not a Catholic sought the intercession of Blessed Karl. These friends knew of Karl because by God’s providence they had attended his beatification in Rome. Over the last 16 months, testimony has been received, documents have been gathered, including depositions of the doctors who had diagnosed the disease as incurable. All this is done with the greatest discretion. On Jan. 31, I turned over this documentation to the Postulator of the cause who came here from Rome to take custody of them — and now we await the final decision of the proper Church authorities. Vatican II gave renewed emphasis to the vocation to holiness to which each member of the Body of Christ is called by virtue of his or her baptism. As Pope John Paul II said, “Since Baptism is a true entry into the holiness of God … it would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity.” Therefore, to examine the life of Blessed Karl of Austria, or anyone else proposed for canonization, is also a call to examine our own lives. Yet there is no one “cookie-cutter” manifestation of holiness — for holiness does not eliminate or reduce a particular person’s character or personality; rather that personality, that character becomes a prism which reflects with unique hues and tints the light of Christ himself. When once a child in catechism class was asked, “What is a Saint?” — thinking of the representations of saints in his parish church — he replied that a saint is a “window.” A saint has a certain transparency — which, like the stained-glass window of a church, reflects the brilliance of Jesus Christ. That brilliance reflected in the life of Karl of Austria and guided by his intercession has apparently brought healing to one of our neighbors here in Central Florida. Deo gratias!
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