- Maria Esperanza de Bianchini
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Maria Esperanza de Bianchini (November 22, 1928 – August 7, 2004), also known as Servant of God Maria Esperanza, was a Venezuelan mystic, born on the feast of Saint Cecilia in Barrancas in the State of Monagas near the Orinoco River.[1] On January 31, 2010 in the (Catholic) Cathedral of St Francis of Assisi in Metuchen, New Jersey the cause for the beatification and canonization of Maria Esperanza was opened by the Bishop Paul Bootkoski of the Diocese of Metuchen, which act gave her the title Servant of God.[2] Maria's Marian Apparitions were approved at the local level by the bishop,[2] but not by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which has only approved 12 apparitions to date.[3]
Life
Believers claim that, while at one point Maria Esperanza considered becoming a nun, it was revealed to her in a vision on October 3, 1954 that her calling was to the married life,[2] eventually having seven children and twenty grandchildren.[2] It is said that in this vision of St. John Bosco, the saint told her she would first encounter her spouse on November 1, 1955, which she reportedly did.[2] She was particularly devoted to St Thérèse of Lisieux – the “Little Flower”. Believers hold that, from her youth, she lived a life of virtue and fidelity to God and received the gifts of supernatural knowledge, healing, apparition, discernment of spirits, locution, ecstasy, levitation, the odor of sanctity, the stigmata, and the ability to read the hearts of others.[4] Witnesses claim to have seen her levitating during mass and engaging in bilocation.[5] Her legend also recounts that Maria received the spiritual direction and the mantle of Saint Padre Pio,[2] and received in the presence of her husband a bilocated visitation from the saint the day before he died.[6][7]
On March 25, 1984, the Virgin Mary appeared to Maria and 150 people in Finca Betania, Venezuela.[1] More than 100 witnesses gave written attestation to the apparition.[1] The local Bishop approved the apparitions in 1987: "In consequence, after studying with determination the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Finca Betania and after assiduously asking our Lord for spiritual discernment: I declare that in my judgment these apparitions are authentic and of supernatural character."[8]
Stages of canonization in the Catholic Church Servant of God → Venerable → Blessed → Saint References
- ^ a b c Biography of Maria Esperanza at MariaEsperanza.org
- ^ a b c d e f Pillai, Michelle (Thursday, 14 January 2010). "Life of a Venezuelan visionary and mystic - Jan 17" (in English). Catholic News (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago). http://www.catholicnews-tt.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1245:life-of-a-venezuelan-visionary-and-mystic-jan-17&catid=101:features&Itemid=64. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Catholic News Agency
- ^ Smith, Stan (3 December 2009). "Metuchen to open beatification cause of Maria Esperanza" (in English). Catholic Star Herald (Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden). http://www.catholicstarherald.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3824:metuchen-to-open-beatification-cause-of-maria-esperanza&catid=102:latest-news. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Davidson, Linda Kay; Gitlitz, David Martin (2002-11). Pilgrimage: from the Ganges to Graceland : an encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 59~60. ISBN 9781576070048. http://books.google.com/books?id=YVYkrNhPMQkC. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Brooks, Stevern, Where are the Mantles, p. 49-51, Xulon Books
- ^ Brown, Michael The Incredible Story Of Maria Esperanza Spirit Daily
- ^ Ricardo, Bishop Pio Bello. "Pastoral Instruction on the Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Finca Betania". Diocese of Los Tecos. http://www.mariaesperanza.com/pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20pastoraleningles%20carta.pdf.
http://www.thecatholictravelguide.com/Betania.html== External links ==
Categories:- 1928 births
- 2004 deaths
- Servants of God
- Mystics
- People from Monagas
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