Independence

Writings of Mother Maria Clara

• Let us work with fervour and a true spirit of faith, that faith that works wonders!” 

“We need to be generous with God who has been so generous towards us.”  

“By working, loving and hoping, we will have corresponded to the vocation to which God called us.”  

“Let us work solely to witness to the good God, our gratitude for much that he has given us!”  

“All the time that is not used for God, is lost for eternity.”  

“Receive everything as coming from the hands of the Lord who permits everything for our good.”  

“Peace is the true prize of those who serve the Lord well.”  

“Let us love the One who has loved us so much and who is constantly doing us good.”

“A providential glance of God watches over us.”  

“The Sun of Justice may eclipse just for a moment, but to reappear later with greater splendour”  

“The humble person attracts graces from heaven upon herself.”

Prayer Asking For The Canonization of Mother Maria Clara of The Child Jesus

　

Prayer Asking For The Canonization of Mother Maria Clara of The Child Jesus Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for your greater honour and glory, for the good of the Church and the world, deign to glorify here on earth your servant Mother Maria Clara of the Child Jesus who in her life time dedicated herself to care of the children the poor and all those who suffered. Adorn her Lord with the aureole of glory, which the Holy Church places before us as models of virtue to imitate and listen to supplication, which through her intercession we address to you granting us the grace we ask for. To You all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...

Canonization Process of Maria Clara

Canonization Process

Sr. Maria Clara do Menino Jesus

Having closed the period of intense search and much investigation of thedocumentation, on August 21, 1995, the Apostolic See granted “Nihil Obstat” to the information of the Cause of Canonization of the Servant of God Mother Maria Clara of the Child Jesus, asked by the Patriarchate of Lisbon on June 15 of the same year.

The Opening Session of the Process of Canonization at the Diocesan level, took place on December 18, 1995, at the Generalate of the Congregation, in Linda-a-Pastora. The Opening Session of the Process of Canonization at the Diocesan level, took place on December 18, 1995, at the Generalate of the Congregation, in Linda-a-Pastora. It was presided over by the then Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, His eminence D. António Ribeiro, and counted with the presence of all the persons connected with the information of the Process, including the witnesses, many Sisters, friends of the Congregation and relatives of Mother Clara. During the Opening Session, the appointments to the offices of the said Process were done (Delegated Judge, Promoter of Justice, Notaries, members of the Theological and Historical Committees) and their respective oaths.The list of the witnesses to be heard was also presented and accepted.

The Diocesan Process of the Canonization of Mother Clara was not always an easy job, but one that was pushed forward with great dedication and interest from the part of all those who collaborated in it. Crowning the efforts of two whole years, the Closing Session of the Diocesan Process took place on December 1, 1997. It was presided over by the then Auxiliary Archbishop of the Diocese of Lisbon, D. José da Cruz Policarpo. In the words of the Delegated Judge, this process “came to bring to light the person that Mother Maria Clara was and her great contribution to the Church of that time and today, through the action of her Sisters”.

Having completed the phase of information of the Process, all the documentation to be sent to the Congregation of the Cause of the Saints was closed and sealed, so that nobody would be able to substitute the proofs or introduce false documents.

Having been handed over in Rome December 12, 1997, the Process was officially opened in the Congregation for the Cause of the Saints on February 10, 1998.

Precedents

12.12.1997 - Process is handed over in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in Rome.

10.02.1998 -Official opening of the Process, in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

06.11.1998 - 06.11.1998  In the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Most Rev. Cardinal José Saraiva Martins . issues a Decree of the Validity of the Process. Elaboration of the Positio, by Sr. Rosa Helena Mendes de Moura, guided by the Reporter, Mons. José Luís Gutièrrez, with the collaboration of the Postulator Fr. Romualdo Rodrigo.

16.10.2003 - Official Closing of the Roman phase of the Process of Canonization of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus. Approval and acceptance of the Positio, consisting of 500 pages of text and documents in two versions (Portuguese and Italian), by the Reporter of the Cause, Mons. José Luís Gutièrrez, in the presence of the Postulator, Fr. Romualdo Rodrigo, OAR, of Sr. Rosa Helena Mendes de Moura, external collaborator of the Congregation for the Causes of  Saints and of Sr. Maria Eneide Martins Leite, Procurator of the Congregation, in Rome.

01.12.2003 - The Positio is handed over to a Committee of History experts, to be evaluated as per their respective competence.

17.01.2004 - The first elements collected by Mother Maria Clara Sub-Secretariat, in Tui, Spain, with regard to the cure of Miss Georgina Troncoso Monteagudo, from Baiona, Spain are sent to Mother Maria Clara Secretariat, Linda-a-Pastora.

07.04.2004 - The elements collected for the Process of cure, are handed over to the Postulator, Fr. Romualdo Rodrigo - Rome, to be presented to an expert to verify   the fundamentals of a presumable miracle.

04.05.2004 - Approval of the Positio, by the Congress of the Congregation for the Causes of  Saints, in respect of the analysis  of the historical critics.

22.07.2004 - The volumes of Positio, duly bound with the opinion of the historians included, are  presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to be submitted to the Committee of Theologians when it is constituted.

12 a 15.11.2004 - Exhumation of the mortal remains of the Foundress, Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus: the work was executed by Agencia Magno, with the presence of the representative of the Municipality of Oeiras and the Health Officer. With the permission of the technicians, most of the work was done by the General Government of the Congregation and other Sisters. 

16.12.2004 - The list of witnesses who will be speaking in the Process of the presumable miracle of the sudden cure of Miss Georgina Troncoso Monteagudo from a gangrenous pioderma is sent to Rome.

18.01.2005 - The Postulator, Fr. Romualdo Rodrigo, arrives in Tui, to prepare things for the opening of the Diocesan Process of the presumable miracle.

24.01.2005 - Opening of the above mentioned Process, that took place at Residencia Paz y Bien, Tui, presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese, D. José Diéguez Reboredo, who appointed a Tribunal consisting of Mongr. José Cerviño y Cerviño, D. Juan Carlos Dendón and D. Vicente Souto,  guided by wise experts. The large Assembly counted with the presence of the Superior General of the Congregation of the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Sr. Maria Isilda Freitas, members of the General Government, Sisters involved in the Process and also Sisters of other Congregations.

23.04.2005 - Closing of the Process of the presumable miracle, that took place in the same locality where it was opened. It was presided by His Ecellency the Bishop of the Diocese and counted with the presence of the Tribunal that analyzed and studied the miracle and a large assembly.

02.05.2005 - The Process of the presumable miracle is handed over to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, D. José Saraiva Martins, after having been registered in the Chancellery of the said Congregation, on 28.04.2005. It was handed over by the Sister in charge of the Sub-Secretariat Mother Maria Clara, in Tui, Sr. Maria José Pereira Feijoo, the Superior of the Delegation of Our Lady of Pillar, Sr. Elisa Comesaña Fernandez, and the Procurator of the Congregation for the Holy See, Sr. Maria Eneide Martins Leite.

03.10.2005 - Official Opening of the Process of the presumable miracle, in the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. In the presence of the Prefect of the Congregation, His Eminence, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, of the Postulator of the Cause, Fr. Romualdo Rodirgo, of the Technicians of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and some Sisters of Casa Madonna di Fatima, Rome, the Process was opened and its legality was verified, to be then handed over at an appropriate time, to the Committee of experts who will study of the it.

02.05.2006 – Emanation of the Decree of Validity of the process of the miracle, instructed in the Diocese of Tui-Vigo, Spain.

07.08.2007 – Visit of His Eminence Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, to the tomb of our Founders in Linda-a-Pastora, Since it was on the occasion of the XXV General Chapter, His Eminence greeted the chapter Sisters, read a message from the Apostolic See to the Assembly, spoke about the process o f canonization and went down to the crypt, where he prayed and listened to the explanation of the more meaningful elements of space that  are around the tombs. Before leaving the place, he signed the book and blessed those who were present.

02.09.2007 – Celebration of the 164th anniversary of the baptism of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus in the Parish of Our Lady of Amparo, Benfica. Since it was previously prepared by the Parish Priest, Canon Dr. João de Sousa, the faithful participated in large numbers and filled the Church for the Sunday Mass. It was solemnized by the parish choir that made this event filled with glory to God, not only  because of the event, but, also for the great and awesome execution of the choir.  The Sisters of the Mother House and the other Fraternities, our neighbours from Lisbon, were present and did not leave the place without a visit to the Baptismal font, where Libania do Carmo enrolled herself in the book of the children of God.

01.02.2008 – Special Congress of the Theologians and Consulters, for the evaluation of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus, with positive results.

06.12.2008 – Declaration of the heroic virtues. Pope Benedict XVI authorized the publication of the Decree that recognizes the heroic virtues of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus. With this, she is proclaimed Venerable and draws closer to the beatification.  The libel expresses the determination: the Holy Father declared in this case and for the purpose: Have been verified in a heroic degree the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, with regard to God as well as in her relationship with the neighbour, besides the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude and the other virtues linked to it, in the Servant of God Maria Clara do Menino Jesus, (in the world: Libânia do Carmo Galvão Mexia de Moura Telles e Albuquerque), Foundress of the Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The news filled with joy, the whole Congregation, Fasfhic, Friends and League members. She merited the publicity that is due and the Congregation gave thanks to God, through a Eucharist celebrated in each Fraternity.

09.05.2009 – Symposium on the Venerable Maria Clara do Menino Jesus –Coloured Mosaic. It took place in the Good Shepherd Hall, of Centro Paulo VI, in Fatima, where over 650 persons came together, prepared for a programme that had previously been distributed. The topics were attractive… and the speakers, of renown and wisdom, promised to assert and confirm the reasons for the presence.

14.01.2010 – The medical Consultation, of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, in the Vatican, in view of the proposal of the clinical case, presented for the beatification of Venerable Servant of God Maria Clara do Menino Jesus, at an ordinary meeting, considered to be unexplainable, the cure of D. Georgina Troncoso Monteagudo from Gangrenous Pioderma, that happened on November 12, 2003, through the intercession of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus.

15.06.2010 – The Congress of Theologians unanimously expressed their affirmative opinion about the miracle worked through the intercession of Venerable Servant of God Maria Clara do Menino Jesus. “The members of the Congress of the Theologians  gave the likelihood of success, saying that if it is the will of the Holy Father, this exemplary religious may soon achieve the desired beatification”.

07.12.2010 – After the study of the presumable miracle worked by God in Miss Georgina Troncoso Monteagudo, the ordinary session of the Cardinals and Bishops that took place in Rome, gave a positive opinion about the sudden healing of the gangrenous pioderma, from which the Spanish patient was suffering since 34 years.

10.12.2010 – Pope Benedict XVI authorized the publication of the Decree approving the miracle worked by God in Miss Georgina Troncoso Monteagudo, attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God  Maria Clara do Menino Jesus. The decision was taken during the private audience of Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints.

Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus

Dear Sister,

You have been hand-picked to respond to this simple questionnaire. Your responses will be used to write a book on the life, works and continuing legacy of Mother Maria Clara do Menino Jesus likely to be brought out this year. Therefore, kindly respond to this questionnaire freely, creatively, succinctly, yet diligently. All the best!

Guidelines:

a.      This questionnaire may either be administered to you by an astute interviewer or you may choose to respond to it in writing. In either case, kindly read the entire questionnaire fully.

b.      In case your responses are in writing, let them be brief, preferably using the suggested word limit [WL]. However, let not WL limit you in case you have more to share!

c.       The words within brackets () are meant to assist you in understanding the question. They are not meant to be answered as separate questions.

d.      The words in bold highlight the theme of a given question.

e.       While responding, feel free to narrate life experiences, anecdotes, accounts heard from your superiors/companions and words attributed to Mother Maria Clara.

f.        Please mention proper names (persons and places) in full and in correct spelling.

QUESTIONNAIRE

Mode of Response to Questionnaire: C	* Self-administered/ in Writing	* Administered by Interviewer
1. What is your name?	2. How are you associated with the CONFHIC? (aspirant, novice, sister…)	3. Which Province do you belong to? (Please mention community name and location)
Your Date of Birth
Your Email ID:

Contd. p.2…

4.       Through what branch of service do you perform your apostolate?

(Pcheck one of the 14 branches of service mentioned. If among others, please specify)

Category I	Category II	Category III	Category IV
* House of Formation	* Social Work	* Health Centre	* High School
* Pastoral Work	* Children’s Home	* Hospital	* Middle School
* Sisters & Residents	* Home for Elderly	* Clinic	* Boarding
	* School for Mentally Challenged	* School for Nursing	* Other …………………

5.       Can you share about your first personal encounter with Mother Maria Clara? [WL: 200 words] 

6.       How do you see Mother Maria Clara live through the apostolate you represent? (Conversely, do you recall any part of the Mother’s life that reflects how she lived out your chosen apostolate?) [WL: 150 words].

7.       Narrate one experience from your work where YOU have personally witnessed the living presence of Mother Maria Clara or have been inspired to act as per the way Mother has shown? (E.g. she was humble, loving, tender, pro-poor…). [WL: 500 words]

8.       What is the most sterling aspect of the Mother’s life (according to you) that you would like to share with a friend? (WL: 150 words)

9.       Describe the milieu (personal, socio-political, cultural, economic challenges) in which you are exercising your apostolate today. Then mention what Mother Maria Clara is asking you to do in your apostolate today. (Is she challenging you? Is she guiding you? What would she do in your place?) [WL: 700 words]

(Kindly refer to the Annexure – it contains an imaginary situation each for Category I, II, III and IV. Choose the situation pertaining to the Category you belong. The given situation stimulates you to respond to this question. You are urged to respond to this question while narrating a real-life situation of your own. It may be interesting to note that your responses will be used in the proposed book using the same writing style that has been employed in narrating the situation/s found in the Annexure.)

10.    Now that Mother Maria Clara is on her way to being declared a saint, what would you like to pray to her? (Please keep in mind the life of Mother and the needs of your apostolate.) [WL: 100 words]

11.   Please feel free to elaborate on any special favor you may have received through the exclusive intercession of Mother Maria Clara. [WL: 50 words]

|End of Questionnaire|