Five years ago, on October 4, 2014, Venerable Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, S. C. was declared Blessed during the first Rite of Beatification to occur in the United States, at the Basilica Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, in Newark, by Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Cardinal Amato was joined by Newark Archbishop John J. Myers, Paterson Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli and Bishop Kurt Burnette, of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Passaic.

Teresa Demjanovich was the youngest of seven children of Alexander and Johanna (Suchy) Demjanovich, Ruthenian immigrants from northeastern Slovakia. Teresa was born on March 26, 1901, and received her Holy Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion, at Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church.

As a child, Teresa’s home life was filled with faith and religion. Teresa had a deep devotion to God. She excelled in all her studies and entered the Sisters of Charity of Elizabeth, in Convent Station, NJ, on February 11, 1925. Teresa professed her initial vows and received her novice’s habit on May 17, 1925. Teresa strived for perfection and holiness all her life, and her spiritual writings reflected this. Sister Miriam Teresa remained a Byzantine Catholic in a Roman Catholic Convent, and took her final vows on April 2, 1927. On May 8, 1927, Sister Miriam Teresa died at 26 years of age. Sister Miriam Teresa created a bridge between the Byzantine Catholic and Roman Catholic religion by embracing two traditions in her heart.

The miracle that led to the beatification of Blessed Miriam Teresa was the miraculous cure of a young boy in New Jersey who was declared legally blind due to incurable bilateral macular degeneration. His sight was restored to perfect vision through the intersession of Sister Miriam Teresa. To learn more about this cure and Sister Miriam Teresa, you can go to the web site of the Sisters of Charity www.scnj.org.

The parish family of Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church is proud and honored to commemorate this special event and promote the cause for Blessed Miriam Teresa’s canonization. As Sister Miriam Teresa wrote on Religious Humility, “Realize that everything you have you owe to God – life, faith, health, talents, virtue, vocation.” (Greater Perfection, pg. 8). She needs a second miracle attributed to her intercession to be canonized a saint. We would be honored to have you join us in prayer for this cause.

All are welcome to join us at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, the Spiritual Home of Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, 15 East 26th Street, Bayonne, NJ, on Saturday, October 5, 2019, at 3 p.m., for the celebration of a Pontifical Divine Liturgy commemorating the Fifth Anniversary of the Beatification of Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich. The Most Rev. Kurt Burnett, Bishop of the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Passaic will be the main celebrant and homilist. The Northern Jersey Catholic Chorale will be singing the responses at the Divine Liturgy. Light refreshments will follow. RSVP by September 30 to the Rectory -201-339-1840 or stjohnsbayonne@aol.com

Carol A. Chambers, Bayonne

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