History of the Cause
2008
The Anticipation of the opening
of the Beatification process of Sister Lúcia
of the Beatification process of Sister Lúcia
On February 13, 2008, the 3rd anniversary of the death of Sister Lúcia, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict VI, taking into consideration the request of thousands of the faithful from all over the world, gave his consent to implement the opening of the Beatification process of Sister Lúcia, dispensing the remaining two year waiting period, established by the Church.
The Holy Father instructed the Portuguese Cardinal, D. José Saraiva Martins, Prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to convey the news after the Eucharist that was celebrated in the Carmel of Saint Teresa, Coimbra, reading publicly, in front of hundreds of the faithful, the letter with the Decree of the Vatican that allows the immediate opening of the Beatification process of Sister Lúcia.
"Pope Benedict XVI, accepting benevolently the request made by the Bishop of Coimbra, D. Albino Mamede Cleto, also shared by many Bishops and faithful from all parts of the world, has waived the five year waiting period established by canonical norms (cf. article 9 of the Normae servandae), and may commence only three years after her death, the diocesan phase of the Cause of Beatification of the Carmelite".
All those present broke out in a great applause with a grateful heart and a gesture of extreme joy when this communication was announce to the whole Church.
The Bishop of Coimbra, D. Albino Cleto, who was also present in this celebration, spoke of this decision from Pope Benedict XVI: "the attention of the Holy Father of Fátima and the message of Fátima, is, first and foremost from the event that occurred here, otherwise he would not have responded positively to the request of this expectation". From this moment on, he has allowed us to worship and pray to God, asking for his graces through the intercession of Sister Lúcia.
The Bishop of Coimbra, D. Albino Cleto, who was also present in this celebration, spoke of this decision from Pope Benedict XVI: "the attention of the Holy Father of Fátima and the message of Fátima, is, first and foremost from the event that occurred here, otherwise he would not have responded positively to the request of this expectation". From this moment on, he has allowed us to worship and pray to God, asking for his graces through the intercession of Sister Lúcia.
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Opening of the Beatification Process
On April 30, 2008, The Bishop of Coimbra, D. Albino Cleto, went to the Carmel in Santa Teresa along with the team of priests involved in this event and, in the presence of the entire Community of the Carmelite Sisters, initiated the process of the Beatification of Sister Lúcia.
The Bishop of Coimbra in union with the Carmel of Coimbra chose and appointed to the Postulator of the Cause, P. IIdefonso Morriones, Carmelite Priest and vice-postulator Canon Alberto Gil, Priest of the Diocese of Coimbra.
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2009
Historical Commission
Historical Commission
The Bishop of Coimbra, D. Albino Cleto, appointed the members of the Historical Commission of the process for the Beatification of the Servant of God, Sister Lúcia,
who were inaugurated on June 23, 2009, in the Camel of Santa Teresa. This Commission has the responsibility of gathering all the writings of the Servant of God to be part of the progress of the Dossier of the Diocesan Process, a job that requires much time in the fact that there are thousands of letters written by Sister Lúcia that will have to be archived, transcribed and organized according to the criteria and requirements of the process.
who were inaugurated on June 23, 2009, in the Camel of Santa Teresa. This Commission has the responsibility of gathering all the writings of the Servant of God to be part of the progress of the Dossier of the Diocesan Process, a job that requires much time in the fact that there are thousands of letters written by Sister Lúcia that will have to be archived, transcribed and organized according to the criteria and requirements of the process.
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2012
The New Vice-Postulator
With the resignation of Bishop D. Albino Cleto, Bishop D. Virgilio do Nascimento Antunes assumed the position as Bishop of the Diocese of Coimbra, who from the very beginning was interested in how the Process of the Beatification of Sister Lúcia was proceeding.
On January 12, 2012, the Postulator of the Cause of Beatification of Sister Lúcia, P. IIdefonso Moriones, appointed Canon Anibal Pimentel Castelhano as Vice-Postulator.
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Officers of the investigation | Ecclesiastical Court
On March 10, 2012, Bishop D. Virgil Antunes appointed the members of the Officers of the investigation that immediately initiated its responsibility to hear the witnesses who will testify in the Process of Beatification, and this work is currently in progress.
P. Luis Ribeiro de Oliveira was appointed the Episcopal Delegate
P. Pedro Carlos Lopes was appointed the Promoter of Justice
D. Maria José Soares Ferreira Neves was appointed as Notary
P. Pedro Alexandre Pinto dos Santos was appointed as Assistant Notary
P. Pedro Carlos Lopes was appointed the Promoter of Justice
D. Maria José Soares Ferreira Neves was appointed as Notary
P. Pedro Alexandre Pinto dos Santos was appointed as Assistant Notary
