BARCELONA, Spain, DEC. 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- A miracle attributed to the intercession of Servant of God Anna María Janer Anglarill (1800-1885) was approved Friday by Benedict XVI, advancing the Spanish nun’s cause for beatification.
The Spanish founder of the Institute of Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell was recognized for the June 9, 1951, cure of Ana Padros, who rose from her wheelchair on that day crying out, «Mother founder has cured me!»
Padros had just recited the prayer for the fifth day of a novena in honor of Mother Janer in the chapel of the Municipal Home of The Park of Barcelona, run by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell, where she resided. She stood from her wheelchair and was able to walk about.
The recognition of this miracle opened the doors to the forthcoming beatification of the religious, ZENIT was told by the postulator of Janer’s cause of canonization, Sister María Pilar Adin Carreras.
The woman who experienced the miracle wrought through the intercession of Mother Janer entered the home known as «The Park» in 1949, afflicted by degenerative, inflammatory polyarthrosis.
The sickness, which was irreversible and incurable according to the medical diagnosis, prevented her moving normally and obliged her to use a wheelchair.
In addition to the degenerative disease, the patient was suffering from dwarfism, from the inability to read or write, and loneliness because she had lost all her family.
A religious of the community that ran the home, Sister María Luisa Font Romeu, counseled Padros to pray through the intercession of Mother Janer for her healing.
On June 5, 1951, Padros began the intercessory prayer in the chapel, and on the fifth day she felt a force that drove her to kneel and then stand up.
Subsequent medical examinations verified the woman’s total functional recovery. From that moment onward, Padros spent her time helping in the infirmary and the dining room of The Park until her death in 1964 of a heart attack.
The Vatican noted that the intercession of the religious obtained an instant, lasting, complete and inexplicable cure, in the light of present medical knowledge, of a degenerative and inflammatory polyarthrosis with serious and persistent painful symptoms and grave functional limitation.
Biography
Anna María Janer was born on December 18, 1800 in Cervera, Spain, in a family of profound Christian convictions. She died on January 11, 1885 in Talarn.
At age 18 she became part of the Fraternity of Charity of the hospital of Castelltort of Cervera.
The sisters looked after the sick and the poor of the hospital and taught classes and catechism in a school of the same city. After making her vows, Janer was appointed mistress of novices and superior of the community.
At the request of Charles de Bourbon, she took charge of the field hospitals of Solsona, Berga, Vall d’Ora and Boixadera during the First Carlist War. She was recognized by combatants on both sides as «Mother.»
For five years Mother Janer ran the House of Charity or «Mercy of Cervera,» which housed orphan children, handicapped youngsters and elderly, and where classes were given to boys and girls during the day.
In 1859, she accepted the request of Bishop José Caixal Estradé of Urgell to establish a Fraternity of Charity in the hospital of the poor of La Seu d’Urgell.
Foundation
On June 29, 1859 Mother Janer founded the Institute of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell, for the Christian education of children and young people and for the care of the sick and the elderly.
During her life 23 communities were founded. However, with the revolution of 1868, many communities were dissolved and the sisters were dispersed.
In 1880, the first general chapter was held in Talarn, which canonically elected Mother Janer as the superior general. In 1883 she was elected vicar and first counselor general.
At present, the Institute of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Urgell is active in 11 countries: Spain, Andorra, Italy, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Equatorial Guinea.
The sisters are involved in schools, hospitals, homes, missions, parishes, and other apostolates that are compatible with their charism.
Mother Janer dedicated her life to caring for marginalized persons of her time: the incurable sick and poor, the diseased, wounded soldiers, orphaned children and lonely elderly people.
She spent her last years in Talarn surrounded by students and young people, and asked to die on the floor as a penitent out of love for Christ.
Janer’s process of beatification began in November of 1951. On July 3, 2009, Benedict XVI acknowledged her heroic virtue.
Now, with the authorization of the promulgation of the decree of the miracle, the Pope has opened the doors to the forthcoming beatification of the Spanish founder.
