The young woman who was miraculously healed through Blessed Pope John Paul I’s intercession missed out on his beatification.
Pope Francis beatified John Paul I in Rome on Sunday. He had been pope for just 33 days, from August 26 to September 28, 1978.
Candela Giarda (22) explained in a video recorded from Argentina that she was unable to travel to Italy.
“Unfortunately we can’t go because my foot is broken, but surely at some point we will be able to go to the tomb of John Paul I,” Giarda said.
The Blessed John Paul’s intercession in Giarda’s life began in 2011, when she was close to death.
Her mother and the local Catholic priest prayed for her healing through John Paul I’s intercession.
Soon afterward, the 11 year-old began to improve. Around six weeks later she was discharged from hospital.
After the Vatican investigation into Giarda’s healing concluded, Pope Francis recognised the event as a miracle obtained through the intercession of John Paul I.
Francis’s recognition paved the way for John Paul’s beatification.
In her video from Argentina, Giarda thanked “Pope John Paul I for this second chance at life that he gave me; and to Pope Francis for inviting us to his beatification”.
Giarda’s mother also spoke on the video.
“What happened … may help other people to have a little more faith, of hope in the face of difficult times like the ones we are experiencing,” she said.
“We appreciate the prayers offered and we entrust ourselves to the prayers of Pope Francis and we are going to continue praying for him.”
The priest who prayed with Giarda’s mother the night the doctors said there was nothing else they could do for her will attend John Paul’s beatification on 4 September.
Asked why he suggested the woman entrust her daughter to John Paul I’s intercession, he said when he saw the dying girl he was “inspired to turn to John Paul I to ask for the healing of [the mother’s] little girl”.
He, Giarda’s mother and some of the nurses present prayed Giarda would be miraculously healed.
“Until that moment I had never prayed to John Paul I for healing,” Dabusti says.
He explained John Paul I had inspired him when he was elected pope. At that time Dabusti was just 13 years old.
“I was really struck by the election and the person of Pope Luciani [John Paul I]: I saw that he was very simple and very happy,” he said.
“These two traits had caught my attention and aroused my admiration, above all, my spontaneous affection for him.”
Dabusti says he has always kept a portrait of Pope John Paul I in his room: “Growing up, I begged him to help me discern which vocation to follow.”
“And I am certain that Albino Luciani was a mysterious spiritual father and a silent but effective intercessor for me in deciding to embrace the priestly vocation.”
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