Woman healed by John Paul II’s intercession recounts miracle

Last updated on: April 25, 2014 at 4:28 pm by CNA Daily News

Woman healed by John Paul II’s intercession recounts miracle 2014-04-25T16:28:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, Apr 25, 2014 / 10:28 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Floribeth Mora Diaz, the Costa Rican woman whose healing through the intercession of Bl. John Paul II paved the way for his canonization Sunday, describes the incident as being a rebirth.

"That was the day I was born again: May 1, 2011," Mora told CNA April 24.

In April 2011, Mora had been diagnosed with a serious brain aneurism and been given a month to live.

Mora explained that "once I became ill, I began to carry an image of John Paul II in my hand; I believed in his intercession,” adding that she asked “for his intercession constantly, that he might help me.”

The wife and mother recalled that her admiration for the Polish Pope began when he visited Costa Rica in 1983.

“He was a man completely full of holiness — that struck me about him. I suppose that's why my admiration grew and so I followed him and asked his intercession.”

Thus, she said, she prayed to the future saint in a personal way.

Mora’s husband, Edwin Arce, said it was not difficult for their family to believe Floribeth’s cure was the result of miraculous intercession.

“When I began to see improvement in her, we were sure it was a miracle … we saw that there was the hand of God.”

He recounted the challenge of his wife’s infirmity, saying that “in the hospital, when I was in desperation, begging God … I was saying, ‘God, help me, Karol Wojtyla, intercede before God, help me through this, I cannot do this’, and I heard a voice saying ‘take her’, but I did not want her to leave the hospital … and when the voice said again ‘take her, be not afraid’ … it was God, it was John Paul II.”

Arce said that once they had returned home, Floribeth said “my love, I want to tell you something, but maybe you’ll think I’m crazy.”

Reassuringly, however, Edwin responded, “no, my love, be calm, tell me.”

He said that “when she began telling me, I got chills and said, ‘my love, be calm; if you’re crazy, I am crazy, because I too heard these words in the hospital.’”

Mariano Ramirez Carbajal, the doctor assigned by the Costa Rican archdiocese as a medical expert in Mora’s case, said that “her medical history, her clinical documents and images, were true … I have never seen an aneurism disappear spontaneously. This is the first time I have seen an aneurism disappear.”

Fernando Sanchez Campos, the Costa Rican ambassador to the Holy See, said that many of his countrymen had come to Rome for the canonization of John Paul II and John XXIII, and that the occasion is, for Central America, “a great national party.”

“The people are living with a kind of privilege and recognition of their faith. The Costa Rican people, they are a very pious people.”

Europe

Previous Post

April 25, 2014

Pope thanks Poland, Bergamo for gift of two great saints

Next Post

April 25, 2014 Archbishop Chaput: Pope Francis brings fresh exhilaration to the Church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Ezekiel saw a vision of a valley of dry bones that came to life.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE