The Catholic Church will soon have two new Saints: an Indian layman and an Italian nun. On February 21, 2020, Pope Francis approved the promulgation of eight Decrees concerning three miracles, three martyrs and four new “Venerables.”
On receiving Cardinal Angelo Becciu, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pontiff authorized the Dicastery to recognize three miracles attributed to the intercession of two Blesseds who, therefore, can be proclaimed Saints.
-Blessed Lazarus, also known as Devasahayam (1712-1752), Indian layman, martyr.
-Blessed Mary Frances of Jesus — in the world Anna Maria Rubatto (1844-1904) — Italian Founder of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of Loano and missionary in Uruguay.
Finally, a third miracle is attributed to the intercession of Venerable Carlo Acutis, lay youth who was born in England and died in Italy (1991-2006). This recognition opens the way to his Beatification.
In addition, a Decree recognizes the martyrdom of three persons in El Salvador: Rutilio Grande Garcia, Jesuit priest, and two lay companions: his 72-yer-old parish assistant, Manuel Solorzano and a 16-year-old adolescent, Nelson Rutilio Lemus, who died in “hatred of the faith,” on March 12, 1977.
Heroic Virtues
Finally, four Decrees recognize that four baptized persons lived the human and Christian virtues in a “heroic” way. After this stage of their process, a miracle must now be recognized to open the way to their Beatification.
-Father Emilio Venturini (1842-1905), Italian diocesan priest, Founder of the Congregation of Sisters Handmaids of Our Lady of Sorrows.
-Father Pirro Scavizzi (1884-1964), Italian diocesan priest.
-Father Emilio Recchia (1888-1969), Religious of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
– Mario Hiriart Pulido (1931-1964), Chilean layman of the Schoenstatt Movement deceased in the United States.
