Pope Leo XIV has approved a new set of decrees advancing the causes of sainthood for six individuals whose lives reflect martyrdom, sacrificial charity, and deep fidelity to Christ and His Church.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father authorized Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, to promulgate decrees that clear the way for the beatification of two Servants of God and recognize the heroic virtues of four others, now declared Venerable.
Among those soon to be proclaimed Blessed is Guatemalan Franciscan priest Fr. Augusto Rafael Ramírez Monasterio. His cause advanced following the Church’s formal recognition of his martyrdom. Vatican News reports that the decree affirms he was killed “in hatred of the faith” during Guatemala’s civil war. Fr. Ramírez was known for his pastoral dedication to the poor and defenseless while serving as guardian and parish priest of San Francisco el Grande in Antigua. After suffering arrest, torture, and repeated death threats, he was seized by soldiers on November 7, 1983, and killed during a transfer outside the city.
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Also approved for beatification is Sr. Maria Ignazia Isacchi, founder of the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Asola. Her cause advanced following recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession. According to Vatican News, the miracle involved the healing of Sister Maria Assunta Zappella, who suffered from “enterocolitis of probable tubercular nature.” Physicians later observed “an unexpected and sudden improvement, with rapid progress and complete healing a few days later.”
The Pope also recognized the heroic virtues of four individuals now declared Venerable. Layman Nerino Cobianchi was noted for a life of intense charity and faith, sustained by “prayer, daily Mass, reading of the Bible, and recitation of the Rosary,” according to Vatican News. Despite a terminal cancer diagnosis, he continued his charitable initiatives until his death in 1998.
Among the religious sisters declared Venerable are Crocifissa Militerni, remembered for her service to the sick, poor, and dying; Maria Giselda Villela, a Brazilian Carmelite prioress affectionately called “Mãezinha” for her maternal care and spiritual guidance; and Maria Tecla Antonia Relucenti, founder of the Pious Worker Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who devoted her life to education and formation.
These decrees mark another step in the Church’s careful discernment of holiness, holding up new witnesses whose lives continue to inspire the faithful to courage, charity, and trust in Divine Providence.
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