Miracle Cure Brings Sainthood to Polish Nun (Divine Mercy)

Detroit News via the Washington Post ^ | April 26, 2000 | Carlyle Murphy

[Aliska]

Miracle Cure: Priest's recovery brings sainthood to Polish nun

By Caryle Murphy/The Washington Post In 1995, the Rev. Ronald P. Pytel, just 48, had resigned himself to an idle life and early death. His heart was so damaged that simply walking made him winded. His complexion was pallid, his weight a gaunt 140 pounds. His quality of life, he recalls one doctor saying, "wasn't worth a plug nickel." But the pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Baltimore, like many of his parishioners, had long been devoted to Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and mystic who died in 1938. At a healing service in October 1995, he and a dozen church members were praying to her for his health when Pytel fell to the floor and, although conscious, couldn't get up for 15 minutes. "I could talk, but I couldn't move a muscle," he recalled. "It was as though I was paralyzed." When he finally stood up, he felt so fit he began laughing. Nowadays, the blond Pytel has the rosy cheeks of a choirboy, weighs a hearty 170 pounds and swims with abandon. His pumping machine is so robust he jokes of having "the heart of a 19-year-old." He and his parishioners call what happened a miracle. And so does the Catholic Church.

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[Aliska]

Something positive to think about.

[Aliska]

ping. You might want to ping the others. Old news but I hadn't heard about it.

[NYer]

He and his parishioners call what happened a miracle.

I'd second that opinion! Here's some additional information.

You could say that Reverend Ronald P. Pytel spent the first half of 1995 in congestive heart failure. By June of that year, a Doppler echocardiogram revealed a calcium dome over his aorta was only allowing 20% of blood to flow. Following emergency surgery, his prognosis was still grim--too much damage was sustained to his heart. He was uninsurable, and his active duties as a parish priest would have to be severely curtailed

In October, Pytel joined a group in a healing service that called upon Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and mystic, to intervene on his behalf. After venerating a first-class relic of the Blessed Faustina, Pytel dropped to the floor, conscious, but unable to move a muscle for fifteen minutes. When he did arise, the pastor felt so good he laughed. Pytel’s next Doppler echocardiogram showed a normal heart.

What happened during that service? According to Pytel, it was the intercession of the Blessed Faustina that brought forth the healing power of Christ. In fact, this miracle ultimately led to Kowalska’s canonization.

[Aliska]

This was the only thing that bothered me about it:

Pytel dropped to the floor, conscious, but unable to move a muscle for fifteen minutes

It sounds like more charismatic shenanigans to me. Only that part.

I read up on these sorts of things for years, trying to find indicators to distinguish the true from the false. Can't say that I ever got it figured out. I read what those cured from Lourdes described. I think only one said anything about a "feeling of electricity". Most felt "cold". Don't remember anyone being temporarily "knocked out".

My interest in learning to discern came about as a result of the alleged cures at Medjugorje. To my knowledge, no one has received a lasting, documented cure there, although I would be willing to concede that sometimes God grants favors through the false if one's heart is right to lead them into truth. Still, the proof is in the pudding, so to speak, and if he has received a lasting cure, it is a genuine miracle imo (evidently the church thought so, too).

[CCWoody]

At a healing service in October 1995, he and a dozen church members were praying to her [Faustina]

Something positive to think about.

Let me get this straight; you think it is a positive thing when people idolize other people?!!?

[Codie]

Don't you believe in miracles?

[Aliska]

So what is your take on what happened?

a. It didn't really happen. It was an illusion.

b. The Devil did it.

c. The doctor was in cahoots with the pope,

d. It was a coincidence.

e. He is only in remission.

f. The reporter was making it up to sell newspapers.

g. All of the above.

Yes, I think it is a positive thing when anyone gets a healing from a serious condition that medical science cannot explain.

Lots of things happen like this for catholics. In proportion to the overall rate of sickness, they are few and far between. Protestants also get healed and their prayers answered in a dramatic way sometimes, but I haven't seen one written up in a major newspaper for a very long time. Off the top of my head, I can't think of one instance.

What is the root of your attitude:

a. Jealousy.

b. Legalism.

c. Hatred because they do it a little differently.

d. Sour grapes.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Let me get this straight; you think it is a positive thing when people idolize other people?!!?

No one said anything about idolizing other people. Prayer to the Saints requesting their intercession on our behalf with the one mediator, Jesus Christ, is Scriptural.

[JMJ333]

Nothing you could possibly say to ccwoody will penetrate. He is going to believe we are idol worshipers regardless of facts. That is what happens when you are blinded by hatred.

[Codie]

What is the root of your attitude?

John Calvin.

[Aliska]

John Calvin.

Who was he? :-)

Yeah, I've got some Scotch-Presbyterianism running in my blood.

[Codie]

Yeah, I've got some Scotch-Presbyterianism running in my blood.

As do I.Enjoyed your post,keep them coming.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

In fact, this miracle ultimately led to Kowalska's canonization.

Isn't the possibilty there that God meant for this to have led to the cannonization of the Priest instead of this nun? Maybe God was just trying to keep this saint alive a little longer to do His work.

Becky

[CCWoody]

At a healing service in October 1995, he and a dozen church members were praying to her [Faustina]

Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Perhaps all you Catholics can clear up for me where Prayer to the Saints... is Scriptural. ~ (SMEDLEYBUTLER)

BTW, for all you Catholics, there is a Scriptural basis for healing: Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: I just can't seem to find in this passage where it says to pray to the dead or pray to any man.

Nothing you could possibly say to ccwoody will penetrate. He is going to believe we are idol worshipers regardless of facts. That is what happens when you are blinded by hatred.

Oh, I forgot, you are that blindly emotional person who cannot accept any word which exposes anything you believe to be in error. You also, if I remember made sure you defended the honor of your Pope, but ignored the post of another Freeper who said that Jesus would return as a San Fran homosexual. It is telling of your priorities. Rage on!

[JMJ333]

What part of the word "intercessory" don't you understand? You sit there looking down you nose at us in disdain and smugness and can't figure out how to look up a word in the dictionary and see out how it applies to the saints. We aren't worshiping them, oh highly favored one. We only worship the Trinity. We ASK the saints for help with intercessory prayer. Apparently, this is too complicated for you to grasp.

[Aliska]

Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

We must remember that Jesus said this before there were any saints and before there was any church. He never specifically tells us not to.

Catholics can't just pray to anyone who has gone to the next life. Before you can pray to the departed, they must have been declared "venerable" by the church.

You still didn't answer my question. To just exactly what or who do you attribute the priest's healing?

How do you explain to the doctor of this man what happened?

What do you tell the Washington Times reporter if he asks for your input?

We know what you will say to us.

[RobbyS]

He is simply following the party line. No one gets between the sinner and Jesus. Logically this would rule out all prayer except in praise of God and asking that His Will be done. Of course, that is going to happen anyway, right?

[Aliska]

Isn't the possibilty there that God meant for this to have led to the cannonization of the Priest instead of this nun? Maybe God was just trying to keep this saint alive a little longer to do His work.

Probably not the way the church handles these matters. God would have known what was needed to clinch Sr. Faustina's sainthood.

I would venture that it is God's purpose to make the priest a saint, too. He wants all of us to become saints (protestants included), even if we all don't get the formal recognition from the church.

So, yes, you would be correct.

[CCWoody]

At a healing service in October 1995, he and a dozen church members were praying to her [Faustina]

We ASK the saints for help with intercessory prayer. Apparently, this is too complicated for you to grasp.

You are free to do exactly what you want to do. Pray to a piece of green cheese for all I care. Nevertheless, you need to show me where Prayer to the Saints... is Scriptural ~ (SMEDLEYBUTLER) to show me that praying to the dead or any man is the right thing to do. That is, after all, a far different thing to do than asking a saint to pray and make intercession for you.

[CCWoody]

To just exactly what or who do you attribute the priest's healing?

Wasn't there, can't say! This is not really my objection to the article anyway. You just want to make it about this so that you can avoid answering my questions.