Saint George

Pope turns Maltese priest into Saint George, Nick Pisa writes in The Telegraph:

The Pope canonised a Maltese priest yesterday who has been credited with the miracle recovery of a boy who was suffering from a terminal liver disease. Eric Catania was just a few weeks old when doctors diagnosed a severe liver malfunction and his only hope of survival was considered to be a transplant. But as time went on, no suitable donor was found and Eric's condition began to deteriorate rapidly. As a last resort, his Roman Catholic parents prayed to Father George Preca, a priest revered for his holiness in the island of Malta where the family lives..

The Pope told a crowd of 40,000 faithful: "A friend of Jesus and a witness of the sanctity that comes from him was George Preca. "He was a dedicated priest, from his preaching to his spiritual guidance to his administration of the Sacraments and above all through the example of his life." Referring to all the newly created saints, he said: "Let us be attracted by their example, let us be guided by their teachings." Investigations into the elevation of Father George ended in June 2004 after 38 medical and theological experts had given evidence. The documents were sent to Rome where six months later the Congregation for the Causes of Saints agreed that the case was valid...

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