“Reading souls, expelling demons, gift of prophesy”Petition for sainthood filed with Los Angeles archbishop on behalf of Claretian priest credited with miraculous cures
The first step in the process toward canonization has been taken for a Claretian priest who ministered in California before his death in 1981 and is buried at the San Gabriel Mission.
A petition for sainthood was submitted to Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez in March for Fr. Aloysius Ellacuria, described on the Fr. Aloysius Project website as a “well known Basque Claretian mystic, with a reputation as a miracle worker in California, especially in the Los Angles area, in the 1950's through the 1970's.”
[Image]“During these years, even the very famous would visit him, or seek him out for advice, or in some cases, receive through his intercession miraculous cures,” according to the website. “Father Aloysius always attributed the many graces which people received to the goodness of the Almighty God. Among his many ‘gifts,’ Father had the charism of reading souls, expelling demons, and the gift of prophesy. He became well known for his unique presence, as he reflected peace and goodness. He was always grateful to God for many graces which God granted in request to his prayers on behalf of others. Gratitude to God was, for Father Aloysius, most important.”
“Three decades after his death, a steady stream of visitors from around the country still pay homage to the San Gabriel Mission grave site of Father Aloysius Ellacuria,” reports the Pasadena Star-News. “Now, the Basque Claretian Missionary priest, who had a reputation as a miracle worker and ministered for many years within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is on a path many of his devotees hope will lead to sainthood.”
“In addition to having great love and devotion to the Virgin Mary, the father had a tremendous interest in invoking the intercession of St. Anthony Mary Claret -- who founded the Claretian Missionaries in 1849 -- on behalf of the sick, said Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia,” theStar-News reported.
"Father Aloysius had great compassion for the sick, a great empathy for those who were suffering, especially from cancer," Cardinal Rigali told the newspaper. The cardinal, said the Star-News, knew Fr. Aloysius personally “when Rigali lived in Los Angeles more than five decades ago as a seminary student.” The Claretian priest prayed for Cardinal Rigali’s mother, who was suffering from cancer and later recovered after treatment, said the newspaper.
“Among those who support the priest's beatification, is Frederic Anthony Riaza of Murrieta, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5 and given only three months to live,” said the Star-News story. “After Father Aloysius and his guilds prayed ‘non-stop’ for Riaza and the priest offered Masses to him, the boy and his family were told by a baffled doctor following two weeks of tests that he could leave the hospital.”
“Riaza said he is confident he was healed as a result of Father Aloysius' prayers for him,” reported theStar-News.
“Kenneth M. Fisher of Anaheim recalls seeing his late nephew's ‘crooked arm’ straighten before his very eyes while the teen was being blessed by Father Aloysius in Fountain Valley,” the newspaper reported.
"From my perspective, the church at this time needs examples of heroic sanctity and holiness, which would certainly counteract... the scandals of the recent past," Fr. Kevin Manion, a priest of the Archdioceses of Guadalajara, Mexico, who submitted the petition for sainthood and who worked with Fr. Aloysius as his secretary for eight years before his death, told the Star-News. "Aloysius was in charge of formation; he formed priests to be holy. If there is anything needed today, it is priests who are holy."
To visit the Fr. Aloysius Project website, Click Here.
The first step in the process toward canonization has been taken for a Claretian priest who ministered in California before his death in 1981 and is buried at the San Gabriel Mission.
A petition for sainthood was submitted to Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez in March for Fr. Aloysius Ellacuria, described on the Fr. Aloysius Project website as a “well known Basque Claretian mystic, with a reputation as a miracle worker in California, especially in the Los Angles area, in the 1950's through the 1970's.”
[Image]“During these years, even the very famous would visit him, or seek him out for advice, or in some cases, receive through his intercession miraculous cures,” according to the website. “Father Aloysius always attributed the many graces which people received to the goodness of the Almighty God. Among his many ‘gifts,’ Father had the charism of reading souls, expelling demons, and the gift of prophesy. He became well known for his unique presence, as he reflected peace and goodness. He was always grateful to God for many graces which God granted in request to his prayers on behalf of others. Gratitude to God was, for Father Aloysius, most important.”
“Three decades after his death, a steady stream of visitors from around the country still pay homage to the San Gabriel Mission grave site of Father Aloysius Ellacuria,” reports the Pasadena Star-News. “Now, the Basque Claretian Missionary priest, who had a reputation as a miracle worker and ministered for many years within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is on a path many of his devotees hope will lead to sainthood.”
“In addition to having great love and devotion to the Virgin Mary, the father had a tremendous interest in invoking the intercession of St. Anthony Mary Claret -- who founded the Claretian Missionaries in 1849 -- on behalf of the sick, said Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia,” theStar-News reported.
"Father Aloysius had great compassion for the sick, a great empathy for those who were suffering, especially from cancer," Cardinal Rigali told the newspaper. The cardinal, said the Star-News, knew Fr. Aloysius personally “when Rigali lived in Los Angeles more than five decades ago as a seminary student.” The Claretian priest prayed for Cardinal Rigali’s mother, who was suffering from cancer and later recovered after treatment, said the newspaper.
“Among those who support the priest's beatification, is Frederic Anthony Riaza of Murrieta, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5 and given only three months to live,” said the Star-News story. “After Father Aloysius and his guilds prayed ‘non-stop’ for Riaza and the priest offered Masses to him, the boy and his family were told by a baffled doctor following two weeks of tests that he could leave the hospital.”
“Riaza said he is confident he was healed as a result of Father Aloysius' prayers for him,” reported theStar-News.
“Kenneth M. Fisher of Anaheim recalls seeing his late nephew's ‘crooked arm’ straighten before his very eyes while the teen was being blessed by Father Aloysius in Fountain Valley,” the newspaper reported.
"From my perspective, the church at this time needs examples of heroic sanctity and holiness, which would certainly counteract... the scandals of the recent past," Fr. Kevin Manion, a priest of the Archdioceses of Guadalajara, Mexico, who submitted the petition for sainthood and who worked with Fr. Aloysius as his secretary for eight years before his death, told the Star-News. "Aloysius was in charge of formation; he formed priests to be holy. If there is anything needed today, it is priests who are holy."
To visit the Fr. Aloysius Project website, Click Here.
