Pope approves miracle involving Campbell boy’s recovery

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Pope Francis has approved a miracle involving a Campbell boy, performed through the intercession of Venerable Mother Maria Teresa Casini, who founded the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1894 in Italy.

The miracle, approved Jan. 22, involved Jacob Sebest of Campbell, who was hospitalized at age 5 and was diagnosed with irreversible brain trauma because of drowning. After 48 hours in an induced coma and intense prayer to Mother Casini by Jacob’s parents, family, pastor, parishioners, the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus here and their auxiliary members, Jacob showed voluntary movement on the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 27, 2003. The next day, June 28, he awoke alert with no evidence of any brain trauma.

A scientific and theological commission studied the miracle for authenticity and determined that Jacob was healed through Mother Casini’s intercession.

Mother Casini will be declared “Blessed” at a date yet to be determined by the pontiff. After beatification, the church will look for a second miracle before proceeding to canonization.

Mother Casini was born in Frascati, Italy, on Oct. 27, 1864, and founded the Oblate order Feb. 2, 1894, in Grottaferrata, Italy. She died April 3, 1937.

Ten Oblate sisters began to serve in the Diocese of Youngstown on Nov. 5, 1949. Today, the nuns teach, work in parish ministry and staff two priest retirement homes in the diocese.