A Reflection on the First Anniversary of the Celebration of Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, SC

It certainly was an honor and a privilege for me to be the medical consultant for the cause of Beatification and Canonization of the then Servant of God, Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich SC.

I had been appointed in 1997 by Sister Marian Jose Smith, the director and Vice Postulator of the League for the Servant of God, Sister Miriam Teresa.

Sister Miriam Teresa was declared Blessed by Pope Francis on December 17, 2013 when he Pope Francis accepted the miracle that Sister Miriam had performed, the curing of a blind boy named Michael Mencer.

Unfortunately, Sister Marian Jose passed away on October 2, 2012. She did however live to see Sister Miriam Teresa declared Venerable by Pope Benedict XVI on May 12, 2012.

As I reflect back on the work Sister Marian Jose and I did together, it becomes very apparent to me that Sister Marian and I were simply workers in God’s Vineyard and being guided by His Hand.

I say this because the letter that started us on this case was discovered after sitting in a filing cabinet for 27 years! Michael’s mother had written the then vice postulator in 1971 stating emphatically that her son’s blindness had been cured by Sister Miriam Teresa! This letter was found in the summer of 1998.

Why was it discovered after 27 years? Why not before? It was now time.

All the professionals in this case were by now deceased: the two physicians, and the two Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth at the St. Anastasia School in Teaneck, where Michael was a student.

In 1999, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, telling me to call the Bergen County Medical Society, I was able to obtain the actual medical records of Doctor Sullivan, one of Michael’s doctors. His hand written note from 1963, 36 years later was the evidence we needed to present to Rome. The obtaining of this letter after so much time is a minor miracle unto itself, I believe.

We had only one letter from the doctor who had examined Michael and made the diagnosis of bilateral macular degeneration and that Michael was legally blind. This letter from Dr. Carter was a copy of a letter to the family doctor.

The next important factor in this case is that Michael’s third grade teacher, Sister Mary Augustine, was not only his teacher but the Director of the Miriam Teresa League for St. Anastasia Convent and school. It was her duty to foster devotion to Sister Miriam Teresa to everyone.

One day Sister Mary Augustine sent Michael home with a prayer card and a memento which contained a very small piece of one strand of her hair.

Michael was cured of his blindness walking home holding and looking at the memento with the small piece of hair. Not too much before this incident Michael had walked into a moving car, so imagine him being able to see that small piece of hair!

Michael was eight years old when he regained his sight. He came to realize this fact when he was giving testimony at the official medical tribunal in 2003. This was his moment of discovery. Michael was now almost 48 years old!

I am eternally grateful to Sister Marian Jose for allowing me to be part of this process.

Through the kindness of Bishop Arthur Serratelli, I am now able to devote time to investigate two other potential causes.

Mary Mazzarella, Md.

Respect Life Consultant for the Diocese of Paterson