MARCH, THE BIRTH MONTH OF PADRE DOMENICO, WITH A LOOK INTO SOME OF THE MANY MIRACLES ATTRIBUTED TO HIS INTERCESSION TO OUR LORD.

In honor of the anniversary of the birth of Padre Domenico da Cese, known as Emidio Petracca on March 27, 1905; I would like to share just a few of the amazing miracles through the intercession of this holy Capuchin priest. For those of you who may be reading the life of Padre Domenico for the first time, let us review a few things. First, Emidio was born in a small farming region in Abruzzo, Italy called Cese. At the age of 4, Emidio was cured immediately of infantile paralysis after his mother Caterina prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the local church, Chiesa di Santa Maria. On January 12, 1915, Emidio predicted an earthquake to fellow classmates. January 13, 1915, a catastrophic earthquake occurred killing over 30,000 people while destroying 15 towns in the Abruzzo region including his 2 younger sisters Elisa and Lauretta. Emidio entered the Capuchin order at the age of 16, and was ordained in Sulmona on October 11, 1931, the feast of the Divine Motherhood of Mary. During his life, Padre Domenico would remain under the watchful care of his Heavenly Mother and that of her son Jesus. During World War II, Padre Domenico served as a military chaplain in various locations such as Slovenia, Croatia, and Dubrovnik. However, before he left he visited Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo from November 19th to the 23rd, 1940. Padre Pio exclaimed upon seeing him, "Finally I have the honor to see a military chaplain with the cassock.", from that moment on the two formed a close spiritual friendship.

(Pictured above is Padre Domenico's crucifix which began to bleed warm red blood from the chest, the crown of thorns, and from the side while in Dubrovnik in October 1941, in the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Basso.) During his priestly life, his saintliness began to spread, many villagers would seek out Padre Domenico for his blessing and prayers.

Padre Domenico had the spiritual gifts of prophecy, healings, the gift of reading souls, bilocation, and the stigmata which was at times visible. Physical attacks by evil spirits, which according to his family members especially on one occasion in 1939 at midnight, Padre Domenico was struck so hard that it left him unconscious until 7a.m., leaving the mark of the blow on his forehead for the rest of his life. ( Note this scar above his right eye.) Just before he passed out, the evil one said to him, "You have defeated me."

From the biography of Padre Domenico by Sr. Petra-Maria Steiner:

Maria Venditti from Pescara, Italy a spiritual daughter of Padre Domenico, underwent eye surgery in Bologna in March 1995. During the surgery, complications occurred, resulting in ocular fluid coming out from a deep cut made to the eye requiring a second surgery the next day. Bandaged and crying, a monk entered the room asking, "Maria, why are you crying?" After telling him he said, "I'll pray a lot for you. Don't you cry but instead pray yourself too!" As the surgeon was preparing to operate again, a doctor went in to remove her bandages, called the surgeon after examining the eye once more exclaimed, "You must have lots of saints in Heaven! You cannot even see a scar here. The eye is healed!" Maria gave her testimony stating,"The monk who came to me could only be Padre Domenico. He knew my name and I didn't know any other friar!". In 1978, Padre Domenico before his death prophesized after the Mass regarding Maria's son Felice, "The mother who is now sad because her son didn't come here too, doesn't have to be sad. But she has to know that her son won't see Padre Domenico anymore." Shortly after, Padre Domenico was struck by a speeding car in Turin, and later died from the injuries. Padre Domenico also advised Maria against doctors' recommendations that she undergo an abortion or else she would not survive longer than a month while carrying her first child. Padre Domenico told her, "This one will be born and you will stay alive too. It will be a boy and will be born after the 15th of May!" Felice was born on May 27, 1958.

I would like to reference a few testimonies given from the book entitled, "Testimonianze firmate da confratelli e fedeli e scritti di P. Domenico da Cese, Frate Minore Cappuccino della Provincia d'Abruzzo". In English, "Signed Testimonials from brothers and faithful and writings of P. Domenico da Cese Capuchin Friar Minor of the Province of Abruzzo". Many testimonies were gathered by a spiritual son and friend of Padre Domenico, Fra Vincenzo D'Elpidio who passed only a few years ago. It was Fra Vincenzo who on February 3, 2006, gave his testimony of a bilocation of Padre Domenico which happened in 1978 around 9:30 p.m., "I was praying. And while I was putting my clothes in order in the closet, Padre Domenico suddenly entered my room, the door was locked. At the sight of P. Domenico I was very moved and amazed that I couldn't utter a word. After a few words, then Padre Domenico disappeared with the door closed.".

(Fra Vincenzo D'Elpido, photograph sent to me by Antonio Bini, a close friend of

Fra Vincenzo.)

Another account of bilocation was during the funeral procession of Padre Pio on September 26, 1968, Padre Domenico was not only seen by people who knew him, but this event was captured on film. Padre Domenico was at the same time assisting pilgrims at the Shrine of the Volto Santo in Manoppello, several hours away.

"Elevation of the Consecrated Host"

On December 19, 1976 Maria Branhanssu Scharrer gave her testimony as follows: "A group of German pilgrims, who had visited Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo four times already, stopped last time to visit the Holy Face of Manoppello. They spoke with Padre Domenico. Then, during Mass, they saw the consecrated host being raised: many of them saw it. They asked the Manoppello friars present in the church at the time if what they had seen was true, and they confirmed it.".

On January 19, 1990, Mrs. Felicia Vito from Ascoli Piceno (pictured above) gave her amazing testimony of being cured through the intercession of Padre Domenico. "For several years I had been suffering from a serious illness (vesicular fibroma, but perhaps something worse). I was admitted to the hospital where it was decided to operate on me immediately given the seriousness of the condition. Being very devoted to the Holy Face of Manoppello, that is, to Jesus Christ and so confidant in the mediation of Padre Domenico who had already helped me prodigiously on other occasions, I began to pray to Padre Domenico to obtain from Jesus the miracle of my healing. In the evening I felt myself being carried towards the hospital window and I felt Padre Domenico's presence and a great chill descending upon me; it was the sign. And I recovered immediately. X-rays and other tests were performed, and I was completely cured. Below are the copies of the x-rays performed, you can see an image of a face!

( The top row: "X-rays of Mrs. Vito Felicia. The Illness."

The bottom row: Mrs. Vito Felicia's second X-rays. It's astonishing!")

Here are just a few of the written testimonies which were gathered, there were over 100 in that book alone. A young man named Massimilliano Ercolani with a brain tumor accompanied by severe pain in his head. After prayers said to Padre Domenico by his mother, Massimilliano felt a "freezing", a stiff cold on his head, and was completely healed. Gina Orfei from Ascoli Piceno healed from lumps in the breast. Martino Frach prediction after visiting Padre Domenico and protection during a car accident. Elisa Pudent prediction of a marriage. Francesca Sgaramella healed at the age of 12 from scoliosis. Vision of Padre Domenico during a successful surgery by Lucia Caracciolo. Prediction to a mother of the return of her missing soldier son in Russia by Caterina Di Fabio. So many more, only our Lord Himself and Padre Domenico know just how many people have been helped. I too, personally believe that Padre Domenico interceded for my son last year when a car struck his on the highway, sending my son's car airborne and flipping over 4 lanes before landing on its roof. Thanks be to God, he was able to get out of the vehicle and walk away. Let us continue to pray for Padre Domenico's intercession so that one day he may be declared a saint. I would like to end this with the evening prayer Padre Domenico would say every night at 8:30, "May God recognize your efforts!".

By: Tamara Klapatch