“The Vatican announced the canonization date March 10. St. Faustina’s elevation to the honors of the altar follows the miraculous healing of an American priest. The Vatican announced Dec. 20 that the 1995 healing of Father Ron Pytel of Baltimore, Maryland, was a miracle. This set the stage for the Faustina’s canonization.Her canonization on Mercy Sunday (the second Sunday of the Easter season) took place on the same Sunday on which she was beatified in 1993. She is the first saint of the new millennium.The healing of Fr. Pytel follows the 1981 miraculous healing of Lee, Massachusetts, resident Maureen Digan. The recognition of her healing as a miracle in December of 1992 led to St. Faustina’s beatification.”
Miraculous Healing
“In 1995, a massive calcium build-up in Fr. Pytel’s aortic valve due to a congenital heart condition left him with a permanently damaged left ventricle — a condition that is rarely known to heal and if it does, occurs only after a very long time. His doctor, Dr. Nicholas Fortuin, a world-renowned cardiologist from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, said that he expected Fr. Pytel’s heart never to be normal and that the then 48-year-old pastor would likely never be able to return to the full exercise of his parish duties.On Oct. 5, 1995, the anniversary of Saint Faustina’s death, members of Fr. Pytel’s parish and some friends gathered for a day of prayer to seek his healing through St. Faustina’s intercession. Upon venerating a relic of the Saint, the priest collapsed to the floor, unable to move for about 15 minutes, although he remained conscious.During Fr. Pytel’s next regular check-up, about a month later, Dr. Fortuin discovered a sudden change in the condition of the priest’s heart — it was now normal.”
Professional Medical Opinion.
“On November 16th and December 9th, 1999, respective teams of medical and theological experts at the Vatican concluded their definitive investigation of Fr. Pytel’s healing. The medical professional representing the Postulators of St. Faustina’s cause was Dr. Valentin Fuster, Director of Mt. Sinai’s Cardiovascular Institute in New York City. He is regarded as the preeminent expert in the world in the field of cardiovascular disease. The medical doctors evaluated the healing as scientifically unexplainable, and the theologians verified that it was definitely to be attributed to the intercession of Saint Faustina. The solemn promulgation of the decree establishing the fact of the healing as a miracle took place at the Vatican in the presence of Pope John Paul II on Dec. 20, 1999.”
