A Catholic cleric who was brutally murdered by Nazis during World War II is one step closer to becoming a saint. Titus Brandsma was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1985, but his application for sainthood remained on hold until it could be confirmed that he performed a miracle. After 33 years, another priest believes Brandsma cured his skin cancer.
According to the Sun Sentinel, Father Michael Driscoll was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, a deadly cancer that kills between 80-85% of people who contract it. When his cancer miraculously went into remission the Diocese of Palm Beach started to investigate the potential miracle.
When Driscoll contracted advanced skin cancer in 2004, a fellow priest gave him a relic of Brandsma’s habit, a tiny piece of black cloth, which he applied to his head each day as he prayed to the martyred Carmelite. The Diocese of Palm Beach also asked its parishioners to pray to Brandsma for Driscoll’s recovery.
After an investigation that lasted a year and the half the committee sent their report the Vatican, where the final decision on sainthood will be made.
It could take months or years for the Vatican to review the findings and make a decision on whether or not Brandsma will be named a saint.