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16 The Curia Informs complicated appendicitis, which caused irrevocable damage to the intestines. The surgeon of the hospital told him and his wife and children that he should call for a priest to anoint him and to help him to prepare for death. The surgeon said to them: “Do what you have to do quickly, because soon you will be in a coma and won’t wake up anymore. You have only 24 hours to live.” Indeed we can testify that he was dying, and soon went into a coma. Mr. Dormans, who has great confidence in Blessed Charles –he was a cousin of his grand-mother- held the relic of Charles in his hand and prayed. Because he is a very well known and beloved person in our village many people from the parish were praying for this recovery at the shrine where Blessed Charles was born. He went into a deep coma that same day, April 11 th . Then the miracle happened: the next day he woke up and was completely clear of mind and his vital signs continued to improve. The recovery had begun! With this information the Postulator, Fr Joachim van der Heijden cp and I, Fr. Harrie Blessed Charles Houben Broers, pastor of Munstergeleen, talked things over, spoke with the surgeons and decided to ask the Bishop to establish a tribunal to investigate this presumed miracle. The Bishop was positive and the members were given on oath on November 6 th , 2002. Now we - I was one of them- could start the work which, I must confess, was the most interesting and wonderful thing (in addition to celebrating Mass and the Sacraments) that I had to do up to this point in my priestly life. Thanks to blessed Charles, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life! Yes, as you will see, it changed my life. On February 19 th , 2003 we went back to the Bishop to have the final session of the tribunal and had the documents placed under the episcopal seal. Then on February 20th we went to the Papal Nuncio who would take all the documents to the Vatican. So that day, in the early morning, we departed: Fr. Joachim van der Heijden cp, the Delegate of the Bishop for this Tribunal, Prof. Dr. Stefaan van Calster and I. Prof. Van Calster drove the car and I was sitting in the front (after first having argued with Fr. Joachim who insisted that he had to sit in the back: “You sit in front,” he said, “I want to take a nap, it’s been a fatiguing day!” All went well until we approached Utrecht where we encountered a traffic-jam. All the traffic slowed down: 70 km…, 50 km… At the moment that we and all the cars stopped, we were hit from behind by a huge Mercedes-van which, ignoring all signs, drove at high speed and hit us and the car in front of us and an additional three more cars. Fr. Joachim was in the back of the car and was bleeding and showing no signs of signs of life. I climbed out over the steering-wheel and climbed into the back to get to Fr. Joachim and gave him general absolution. As I was holding him he started moving again and I had to try to keep him calm. He was in terrible pain. Soon an ambulance arrived and brought him to the nearest hospital. Because the situation was so hectic, we could not accompany him on his trip to the hospital. We followed later. Meanwhile Prof. Van Calster was collecting the packages of the documents and X-rays which were strewn all over the highway. As we arrived at the hospital they were attending to Fr. Joachim who, we were told, was in very critical condition. He was sedated. He had 7 broken ribs, punctured lungs, a broken pelvis and cheek-bone, and was connected to a respirator. He continued in this highly critical condition until March 25th, but did not open his eyes until April 13th. For us here in the parish it was a period of fear and faith: Blessed Charles
The Curia Informs won’t let him die! So we started to pray a novena every evening at 6:00 PM in the Shrine, until he awoke from the coma. The Shrine was completely filled every evening with not only people of our village, but also from the wider area. It was incredible! The surgeons’ diagnosis of Fr. Joachim was very pessimistic: if he survives, what will the prognosis be? When finally he opened his eyes on April 13th, he appeared to be completely lucid! We said with tears in our eyes: Praised be our Blessed Charles! Now he is in a rehabilitation clinic and is undergoing therapy in the hope that slowly he will be able to walk again; however, that will still take a long time. The celebration on the diocesan level of the presumed miracle was the occasion for Fr. Giovanni Zubiani, CP and Fr. Enzo del Brocco, CP, the personal secretary of the Superior General, to come to Munstergeleen. With great joy we welcomed them here during the early days of January, to see, experience and meet a “living” Blessed Charles. On the Solemnity of Blessed Charles, January 5th , they celebrated Mass in our parish church and Fr. Enzo preached the homily in English. For the occasion Fr. Joachim, in a wheel chair, left the hospital for the first time. The Provincial of the Dutch- <strong>Passionist</strong> province, Fr. Leo Bos, assisted. It was such an emotional Mass, that even now, four weeks later, people here in the village are still talking about it. The church was overflowing, about 1200 people (on a Monday evening!). After Mass the people came to venerate the relic of Blessed Charles. During the following days the telephone didn’t stop ringing with requests for Masses, relics, prayer-cards and baptisms. In the shrine the number of candles that were lighted doubled: last Sunday we counted 180 new novena-candles that burn for 9 days and 750 little candles! We all hope and pray that the Vatican will approve the presumed miracle and that Blessed Charles will soon be canonized. We also pray for Fr. Joachim that he will recover. And, if, at his age (74), he won’t run very quickly anymore, he at least will not need a wheel-chair and be able to return here. Through the intercession of Blessed Charles may the Congregation be blessed with many young <strong>Passionist</strong> vocations and, through his powerful intercession, may Blessed Charles bless all of you! That’s my prayer here in at the Shrine in Munstergeleen for all of you.” Currently, thanks to the work done by the Tribunal of Roermond and by Fr. Joachim, the diocesan process has been officially opened at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints – at From left to right: Fr. Zubiani, Fr. Joachim Van Der Heijden and Fr. Enzo del Brocco which a decision will be made concerning the presumed miracle – thru the study at the Pontifical level of March 27, 2003. Present together with me were Prof. Van Calster, the Episcopal delegate and dear Fr. Broers who, in addition to being the pastor is also one of the notaries of the process at the diocesan level. Furthermore, the Congregation is deeply grateful to him for the warm and generous hospitality that was shown to us as, well as for the faith that he has in the intercession of Blessed Charles Houben and for the fraternal kindness that he showed to Fr. Joachim following his accident. 17
Page 1 and 2: N. 4 - April 2004 Easter 2004: Lett
Page 3 and 4: The Curia Informs EASTER LETTER TO
Page 5 and 6: The Curia Informs Fr. Ottaviano wit
Page 7 and 8: The Curia Informs the donor base to
Page 9 and 10: The Curia Informs “why” of the
Page 11 and 12: The Curia Informs INTER - PROVINCIA
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Page 15: The Curia Informs THE SHRINE OF BLE
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Page 23 and 24: Passionist Life - News from the Con
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Page 31: New Publications BOOKS AA.VV., IDEN

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