By Sister Maria Elia, O.C.D.
As Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles, we have a deep devotion to the Heart of Christ and as such, we had a long-standing interest in the cause for the canonization of Blessed Claude de la Colombiere. Blessed Claude, a Jesuit priest who promoted the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, required a second miracle attributed to his intercession in order to be approved for canonization. To this day, I am overwhelmed by the loving graciousness God has shown our community by permitting that miracle, the healing of Father John Houle, SJ, to occur at Santa Teresita, our hospital in Duarte, California.
Father Houle came to Santa Teresita in late December 1989, in the days when it still served as an acute-care hospital. Father already had a long history of serious coronary issues, as well as emphysema by then; however, he was still able to walk and every day I would accompany him to the main chapel so he could celebrate Mass. However, as he gradually became weaker, walking became more difficult and even a few steps would leave him very short of breath. In February 1990, the doctor ordered a bronchoscopy, a test by which Father Houle was diagnosed as having pulmonary fibrosis, which is a terminal condition.
Father Houle’s superior, Father Francis Parrish, SJ, had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was in charge of the Sacred Heart devotional programs in Los Angeles. As a result, Father Parrish established many prayer groups in the U.S. and Canada. Father Parrish was also very interested in Blessed Claude’s cause. Now, Father Parrish enlisted the aid of the many Sacred Heart prayer groups he had formed in praying for Father Houle’s cure through the intercession of Blessed Claude de la Colombiere.
I had seen many gravely ill patients in the hospital die and I knew that the doctor’s prognosis was correct; in Father Houle’s case, in all likelihood, it was probably just a matter of time. Still, I was aware that many people were praying for a miracle and that when one prays with trust and confidence, leaving things in God’s hands, miracles do happen – and He worked a miracle now!
Three days later, Wednesday, Father Houle was sitting up in bed reading the newspaper and asking for his favorite food – pizza! Just days before, Father Houle was at death’s door, now his lungs had been miraculously restored and there was no sign of illness! Father Houle’s cardiologist confirmed the miraculous healing.
In October 1990, Father Paul Molinari, postulator for the cause of Jesuit saints and martyrs, came from Rome to open a deposition with Bishop John J. Ward on the reported miracle. They interviewed all the doctors and nurses who had taken care of Father Houle. I was also interviewed as I was his respiratory therapist. Everything was scrupulously recorded and documented and eventually, a report over 200 pages in length concerning Father Houle’s unexplainable healing made its way to Rome for a final, extensive examination.
Sister Vincent Marie, Sister Mary Colombiere, Sister Noella and I were in Rome for the canonization. It was such a beautiful experience. We even had the chance to meet some of Saint Claude’s descendants. Amazingly, one particular young woman looked exactly like him, with the same profile, the same eyes, and nose as Saint Claude who had died in 1682, some 300 years before this young woman was born!
When asked why this miracle occurred, Father Parrish gave a two-fold response: “First of all, because I believe God wanted it because He willed to have Blessed Claude de la Colombiere declared a saint. But, most especially, to give an impetus to the devotion to the Sacred Heart.”
