In an audience with the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on December 6, Pope Francis cleared the way for the canonization of three religious sisters by approving decrees on miracles attributed to their intercession.

The three, who will likely be canonized in 2015, are Blessed Émilie de Villeneuve (1811-54), the French foundress of Sister of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Castres; Blessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas (1843-1927), a Palestinian nun who founded the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem; and Blessed Mariam Baouardy (1846-1878), a Palestinian Discalced Carmelite.

The Pope also approved decrees on the heroic virtues of five servants of God, who may now be honored with the title “venerable”:


•Sister Carmela Prestigiacomo (1858-1948), the Italian foundress of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of the Incarnate Word
•Sister María Séiquer gαyá (1891-1975), who, following her husband’s murder by anti-Catholic forces in Spain, entered the religious life and founded the Apostolic Sisters of Christ Crucified
•Sister Marie Vojtecha Hasmandová (1914-88), who was imprisoned for eight years by the Czech Communist regime
•Prassede Fernández García (1886-1936), a Spanish wife, mother of four, and Dominican tertiary
•Elisabetta Tasca (1899-1978), an Italian wife and mother of 13 children, four of whom became priests or religious

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