Uncertain Human Solutions, Efficacious Divine Interventions

Jesus says in the Gospel that “every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Mt 7:8). And those who have recourse to the benevolent intercession of Dona Lucilia have found the gates of Divine Providence not only open, but wide open. Petitions made to her, in addition to being promptly answered, bring down torrents of affection, help and kindness to those who turn to her. For in attending them, this generous lady makes the supplicant feel the ineffable love that the Sacred Heart of Jesus has for each one, in proportion to the degree of suffering or difficulty being faced.

Novena requesting Dona Lucilia’s help

Mrs. Jordânia Patricia de Azevedo, from the Brazilian State of Ceará, writes to narrate an apparently simple fact, but which she shows is the fruit of a great grace. Finding herself for some months in poor health, she was undergoing treatment for the recurrent infections that began after an intestinal surgery. Distressed, she commented on her medical condition with some Heralds the very day she discovered she had another abscess in her left abdominal wall.

The novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that Jordânia began to pray

“They suggested that I make a novena to Dona Lucilia, asking for her help in the intention of curing these infections. And so I did, praying the Office of Our Lady every day of the novena. When there were two or three more days to go, an acquaintance, informed me that the Little Crown of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was a daily prayer of Dona Lucilia’s, and said to me: ‘Jordânia, pray this prayer for the intention of your health, and don’t stop.’ “Accordingly, when I finished the novena, I started praying the Little Crown of the Sacred Heart of Jesus daily, and ever since I started, I began to feel ‘different’…”

“I feel as healthy as ever!”

Amazed by the rapid recovery of her health, Jordânia comments: “Before, I felt sick and said to my husband, crying: ‘Even with all the treatment, drainage of abscesses, and strong medications, I feel sick.’ I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but I didn’t feel healthy at all. However, since I started the novena, the unwell sensation has passed.” Certain that it was through Dona Lucilia’s intercession that her prayers were answered, Jordânia could soon see the reason for the improvement she felt she saw the result of a medical examination: “All my readings were normal! All of them! There was no infection, there was no inflammation, there was nothing abnormal – unlike all the other blood tests I did. For the greater glory of God, in honour of Our Lady and so that one day Dona Lucilia may be recognized as a Saint, I say to you with great emotion: ‘I’m well, very well!! I feel as healthy as ever…” Jordânia goes on to explain that the cure of the infection was a necessary condition to continue the surgical treatment of the intestine. Therefore, while thanking Dona Lucilia for the grace already obtained through her intercession, she addressed a new plea to her:

Sweet and tender gaze of a mother

“I asked for the grace that the surgeon would not find anything abnormal, because he suspected that there was a fistula. I also asked that he be so surprised that he would tell me himself. And so it happened… “The surgery took place on January 19 and the next day, during his visit, my surgeon told me: ‘Your surgery was very quick, I am impressed! I found nothing of what I had suspected, and so I was able to go ahead and do everything necessary.’ “At that very moment I thanked God, Our Lady and Dona Lucilia for such a great grace and for having adopted me as their daughter. Today I am at home, only seven days after such a major surgery. I consider myself a miracle! Blessed be God!” Edified by the example of mother and wife that can be admired in this kind lady’s life full of temperance, fortitude and docility, Jordânia affirms: “Those who turn to her can be sure: Dona Lucilia, with her sweet and tender motherly gaze, answers us!”

Sudden cerebrovascular accident

Francisco Estuardo Ruiz, from Guatemala, tells us about an impressive event that occurred a few years ago with his father, Francisco Fortunato Ruiz, who is now deceased. At the time, he was seventy-nine years of age.

Francisco Estuardo Ruiz with his wife

“On March 5, 2013 as soon as my father arose in the morning, he fell and lay stretched out on the floor of his room.  My mother, Alicia de Ruiz, rushed to help him, and my sister, who also lived with my parents, called me to inform me of what had happened. I made my way over there immediately. “When I arrived, I found him seated, conscious, but unable to speak or move. He looked straight at me as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t… On the recommendation of my brothers, who are doctors, we took him to the Social Security Hospital. “Many hours passed and, regrettably, he did not receive proper attention. It was only in the afternoon that they were finally able to take an X-ray which, according to the doctors, was necessary to rule out a cranial fracture. “In the evening, suspecting it was a stroke, we spoke on the phone to a physician acquaintance, and explained the situation. He then recommended that we transfer him to a private hospital.” Following this advice, Francisco took his father to a private hospital, where they were received by a neurosurgeon who, as he tells us in his report, is considered one of the best in the country: “He immediately transferred him to the ICU, where they began a series of examinations. At about midnight, the doctor showed me and my wife the tomography which revealed a haemorrhagic stroke throughout the brain. He then told us that surgery was urgent, and that it would be very risky because of his overall weak condition…”

“We put the case into her hands”

Faced with the serious situation of his father, who had gone hours without effective medical intervention and had a precarious clinical prognosis, Francisco exhibited some affliction, fearing a worsening of Fortunato’s state. However, the doctor, seeing the medallions of the Virgin of Fatima that he and his wife wore on their clothing to identify themselves as Cooperators of the Heralds of the Gospel, said to them: “You are always protected by Her, therefore you have nothing to worry about.” Since human solutions were uncertain, despite having had recourse to the best possible medical care, the time had come to fold their hands in prayer and implore Heaven for divine intervention: “We went to the room again and put the case in Dona Lucilia’s hands, asking for a miracle for my father who was so ill. We then left a picture of her under his pillow, on the side where the stroke had taken place, and prayed, asking specifically for her help.”

Dona Lucilia was not long in answering

As a true and loving mother, Dona Lucilia soon answered the prayers of this afflicted son. “The next morning, at about 7 a.m., we received a call from the doctor, saying: ‘Miracle, miracle, miracle! I have just done some tests to determine the course of the operation and there is no more haemorrhaging; it has disappeared!’” Greatly relieved, Francisco and his wife went to the hospital right away. There, “the doctor showed us the test results and explained to us that the percentage that remained could be absorbed by the body itself, with the help of medication. He said: ‘No operation is necessary; I don’t have anything else to do in this case. So, with that, I will pass it to another doctor.’”

Someone helped us from Heaven…

After the considerable improvement in his father’s clinical condition, Francisco did not doubt that Dona Lucilia would take this case to the end: “Ten days later, he was discharged from the hospital and came to our house for his recovery. During the first few weeks, his alimentation was by means of a tube, and rose petals from Dona Lucilia’s tomb were included. “After forty days, the doctor was surprised to see him arrive at the consultation moving with the help of a walker. And three months after the incident, during a lunch, my father thanked us for all the care that he received and said it was time for him to return home.” Overjoyed at the favour granted, Francisco concludes his testimony by saying: “Our greatest reward was to hear him talk again and see him walk as he was leaving our home, for it was one of the concrete requests we had implored from Heaven through Dona Lucilia. We knew that someone from Heaven had helped us to increase our faith, and it was the one who had taken care of him at every moment since the incident.”

“The surgery was simply a success”

Mrs. Renata Patrícia Cruz, from the Brazilian State of Parana, also writes to us to tell of a grace obtained through the intercession of Dona Lucilia during the difficult period of her husband’s illness. “On April 8, 2019 my husband was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma measuring about four centimetres. The (benign) tumour had caused an irreversible lesion in the optic nerve, and surgery, obligatory in this case, would be to save his life, since the tumour would continue to grow to the point of compressing the brain, even to the point of being fatal. The surgery was not curative for the blindness itself, as the lesion was already three years old. “In June 2019, on the occasion of the First Saturday, two Herald priests who were with us agreed to hear my husband’s Confession and give him the Holy Eucharist. During this visit, one of them asked Dona Lucilia for a miracle for my husband’s case. We prayed and made the request together.” And, as Renata tells us, the results of these prayers were not long in coming: “The surgery was simply a success.”

Mysterious presence at the bedside

Renata also tells us of an incident that occurred during the sixteen-day period of her husband’s hospitalization, which completely convinced her that Dona Lucilia was really protecting him with special care:

Renata Cruz’s husband during his hospitalization

“I was with him and suddenly he asked me to clean his eyes and wanted to know who was blowing on them. He wanted the person to stop blowing and throwing little bits of paper like confetti... I told him that there was no other person in the room, just the two of us. But he insisted and said that there was someone blowing in his eyes and at very close range. He thought it was someone of short stature because the blowing seemed to be very close.” Was it a “hallucination”? Or was there really someone else present in that room? According to Renata, the answer to the second question is yes: Dona Lucilia was present at her husband’s bedside, accompanying him attentively in his recovery, which exceeded all expectations: “To our surprise, his vision improved every day, and after twenty days of hospitalization, he was discharged. When we arrived home, he got out of the car alone in the garage and said not to worry, he was able to see and reach the elevator by himself. I was really perplexed at the time, but exultant with joy at witnessing a great miracle, as it contradicted all medical forecasts regarding the irreversible ocular lesion. “He also told me that he was seeing better with his right eye, which had received more blowing, but his left eye was already half open and now he feels that it has opened a little more, for which we rejoice.”

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These are some new examples of graces received, which lead us to note once again how much maternal care Dona Lucilia has devoted to the most complex and irreversible cases. Her help has been efficient, it is true, but above all marked with a superabundance of kindness and affection. ◊