LOCAL COLUMN
OPINION: Sister Blandina calls us our better angels
The Board of Directors of CommonSpirit St. Joseph鈥檚 Children, the official petitioners of the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Blandina Segale, S.C., is saddened by the misguided decision and poor judgment of the 近距离内射合集 to use the name of Sister Blandina in a political hit-piece cartoon (Sunday Journal, June 21) which insults all Catholics and people of good will.
To set the facts straight, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is not the petitioner; it is the Board of Directors of CommonSpirit St. Joseph鈥檚 Children. Sister Blandina and many of her colleagues from the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati gave great time, energy and talent to our state. These women helped us build New Mexico.
On July 24, Searchlight New Mexico published an in-depth investigation of the history and the steps for the canonization process of Sister Blandina, written by Molly Montgomery, 鈥淔actchecking Miracles: Inside the multiyear effort to canonize Sister Blandina Segale.鈥 They brought an objective, comprehensive approach to understanding who this woman was and why, in the early 1930s, the governor of New Mexico, Richard Dillon, encouraged the 81-year-old nun to publish her diary. He wrote, 鈥淒ear Sister, the old timers still remember your heroic work. The publishing of your diary will contribute greatly to preserving and understanding the history and culture of New Mexico.鈥
Sister Blandina started the Catholic and public schools in New Mexico and the state's first health care: Christus St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe and the former St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital in Albuquerque, now the Lovelace System. She started orphanages and social institutions, working with the poor. She was the lead advocate for the first legislation passed in the New Mexico Territorial Legislature to create a public school board and to fund public schools. This little one is offered as an example to the world with her spirituality of 鈥渄aily discerning who are the vulnerable and what do they need from me.鈥
Sister Blandina was instrumental in her work at San Felipe Parish in Old Town Albuquerque and started the Immaculate Conception Parish and School in Downtown. Some of you may remember the old St. Vincent Girls鈥 School she built. She also started parishes and social institutions in Cincinnati, and was one of the petitioners for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Sister Blandina is an example for all of us to admire, and for Catholics who have a deep faith in the saints. As she advocated in life, in death she continues to advocate for us at the throne of God. Sister Blandina is quickly becoming the patron of immigrant children.
Your haphazard use and desecration of the word 鈥渕iracle鈥 or concept of miracles is an affront to all people of faith. We expect an apology.
Sister Andrea Koverman S.C. is the chairperson of the Board of Directors of CommonSpirit St. Joseph鈥檚 Children. Allen S谩nchez is the president of CommonSpirit St. Joseph鈥檚 Children.