“How can I become holy? By doing as best as I can everything that will be asked of me each day.”
- Mother Clelia Merloni
The Process of Beatification
Mother Clelia on the Road to Holiness
The beatification process of Mother Clelia began in 1988 at the request of the Institute of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Two years later, the diocesan phase was opened in Rome. Throughout the process, which concluded in 1998, about sixty witnesses from Italy, the United States, and Brazil testified to the holiness of Mother Clelia.
After the presentation of a detailed report by the Historical Commission, the diocesan phase was completed on May 21, 1999, granting Mother Clelia the title of "Servant of God."
The Positio, an extensive 1,385-page study, documented her heroic virtue and reputation for holiness, gathering testimonies, documents, and evidence that shed light even on the most challenging moments of her life. In 2015, after a thorough analysis of the Positio, the Holy See confirmed her heroic virtues.
On December 21, 2016, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing Mother Clelia as Venerable.
On January 26, 2018, the Holy Father signed the decree recognizing a miracle attributed to Mother Clelia’s intercession, thus concluding the Roman phase of the beatification process.
The Beatification Mass was celebrated on November 3, 2018, in the majestic Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, bringing together faithful, religious sisters, and devotees from around the world. The ceremony was a moment of deep joy and gratitude, officially proclaiming Mother Clelia Merloni as Blessed.
Today, Mother Clelia Merloni is a shining example of trust in Divine Providence, teaching that true holiness is born from fidelity and unconditional love for Christ. Her journey toward canonization continues, and her intercession remains a source of grace for those who turn to her in faith.
The Miracle
The story of the miracle dates back to March 14, 1951, when the Brazilian doctor, Pedro Ângelo de Oliveira Filho, was stricken suddenly by a progressive paralysis of all four limbs and was rushed to Santa Casa de Misericordia di Ribeirà Preto Hospital. He was diagnosed with an ascending progressive paralysis known as Landry’s paralysis or Guillain-Barré syndrome. Within a few weeks the paralysis worsened and spread, resulting in acute respiratory failure. It eventually reached the glottis, causing great difficulty in swallowing.
The prognosis was fatal in view of the seriousness of the condition and the limited medical options for a cure which were insufficient at that time to lead to a cure. When the paralysis reached the throat, the doctors discontinued treatments. On March 20 the patient was having great difficulty breathing and was barely able to swallow his own saliva. The doctors informed the family that he would not survive the night. With that news the patient’s wife, Angelina Oliva, sought out Sr. Adelina Alves Barbosa to ask for prayers. The sister gave her a novena to Mother Clelia, along with a holy card containing a piece of fabric from the veil that Mother Clelia had worn. Sr. Adelina, together with Angelina, her children, and other family members, immediately began praying.
Sr. Adelina approached the sick man and gave him a cup of water in which she had placed the tiny relic. Although he was gravely ill, he managed to take some of the water. After a few minutes, those present noticed that he was able to swallow and was no longer losing saliva. Sr. Adelina tried giving him a spoonful of water, and he drank it. She then put a small amount of water in a cup and had him drink that. Then she poured some milk in a glass and gave it to him, and he drank it without any problem.
Everyone was amazed at the sudden improvement, so much so, that the sister went to the kitchen to prepare some custard. Pedro Ângelo swallowed it easily. When the doctor on call arrived in the morning and saw the patient cured, he exclaimed that it was a miracle. Pedro Ângelo continued to improve, and within three weeks he was walking normally. On May 6 he was released from the hospital because his healing was complete, permanent, and without relapse or signs of any symptoms. The doctor died on September 25, 1976, of cardiac arrest, thus from a completely different cause, 25 years after his miraculous cure.
