A 50 year-old Costa Rican woman who was healed of a brain aneurism has been revealed as the recipient of the second miracle needed in order to clear the way to canonization of Pope John Paul II.
According to the AFP, Floribeth Mora revealed her identity publicly for the first time after Pope Francis signed a decree on Friday, July 5, declaring her healing to have been a miracle. With the former pontiff expected to be canonized as early as December 8 of this year, Mrs. Mora was permitted to tell her story about how John Paul II interceded on her behalf and snatched her out of the jaws of death.
Her story began several years ago when Mora, who had been suffering from an illness no one could seem to diagnose, was subjected to a battery of tests. On April 3, 2011, a neurosurgeon named Alejandro Vargas told her that she had a brain aneurism, which is an abnormal bulge in the artery of the brain. Although this can sometimes be treated surgically, in Mora’s case, her aneurism was bleeding and doctors believed the surgery would be too high-risk.
“I was scared,” said Mora, “but that was my human side, because I’ve always had faith. I was terribly afraid of dying and leaving my children and my husband. But I’ve always been a firm believer, and I have a deep love for God.”
Because there was nothing more doctors could do, they sent her home with nothing more than an admonition to rest and a prescription for pain pills.
Mora immediately began praying to John Paul II but her health continued to deteriorate. On the day he was beatified, she was too weak to go to the stadium where the faithful planned to watch the ceremony, and instead watched the event on television.
“The next morning I woke up, and heard a voice that told me: ‘Rise! Don’t be afraid!’ And I said, ‘Yes my Lord,’” Mora said. “Since that day, I got up from that bed, and I’m here and well.”
Her doctor was understandably skeptical, and said he ran another battery of tests on Mora and was astonished by the results.
“ . . .(T)he aneurism did not exist,” Vargas said, adding that her brain arteries appeared “totally normal.” He admitted to having never seen anything like it in his career.
Shortly thereafter, Mora was flown to Rome where she was extensively interviewed by Vatican experts and put through another battery of tests to confirm that the aneurism was indeed gone.
It was. She had been completely cured.
“God exists, there are many miracles, and I’m one of them,” Mora said.
She was not permitted to tell her story until after Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing her cure as a miracle.
Archbishop Hugo Barrantes of the diocese of San Jose, Costa Rica, praised God for the miracle he bestowed on his beloved country. “God directed his compassion towards such a tiny country and blessed us with a miracle! This is also a message that he wants Costa Rica to continue being Catholic.”
On the same day that Pope Francis signed off on the decree approving John Paul’s canonization, he signed another document approving the canonization of Pope John XXIII. Although plans have not been formally announced, the Vatican is said to be considering canonizing both former pontiffs on the same day, December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in honor of the great love both popes had for the Mother of God.
However, Polish prelates are pushing for an October canonization for John Paul to mark the anniversary of his election as Pope, but the Vatican believes this could be too soon to get such a massive event organized.
Further details will be announced soon.
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