Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) – The miracle which led to the canonisation of Father Josef Freinademetz was the healing of a young Japanese boy Jun Yamada who was told at the age of 24 that he would soon die of leukaemia. The boy was diagnosed to have acute leukaemia in Nagoya hospital on 16 February 1987.
At first Jun was given chemotherapy but a first cycle of treatment brought no result. The doctors proscribed another cycle. On March 9 medical examination showed a steep fall in the number of white blood corpuscles and the patient was suffering from acute pneumonia with haemorrhage, difficulty in breathing. He went into a coma.
On March 13 when his conditions were hopeless and his family were already thinking about organising the funeral, aCatholic priest, Divine Word Missionary and a teacher who taught Jun as a young boy, started a novena of prayer to Blessed Joseph Freinademetz. Another SVD priest offered a series of Masses for the sick boy, praying for the intercession of Father Freinademetz.
On March 17 there was a sudden improvement in the young man’s condition. On the March 19 he regained consciousness and after a medical examination on April 10 the doctors announced that the leukaemia had regressed completely. From July that year Jun began to gain strength and on 30 September the doctors said he could return home.
The case, considered miraculous, was confirmed by a Nagoya diocesan investigation and granted juridical validity by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on April 14, 2000. On December 10, 2002 a Medical Consultation affirmed that the recovery had been rapid, complete, lasting and that no scientific explanation could be given. SL (Fides Service 2/10/2003 EM lines 24 Words: 334)
