Khartoum (Fides Service) – On 11 November 1997, Lubna Abdel Aziz, aged 38, mother of four children, was admitted to St Mary’s hospital in Khartoum run by the Comboni Sisters, for the birth of her fifth child with a caesarean section. The child was born without complications but the mother a few hours later was bleeding to death. To stop a terrible haemorrhage she undergoes two operations, but to no avail. The doctors fear there is nothing they can do.
Sister Bianca Benatelli, head of the maternity department, thinks of praying for the intercession of Mgr Daniele Comboni, the only Christian who can be mentioned to a practising Muslim woman, thanks to his fame of holiness earned by a life totally offered for the people of Africa. After asking the woman and her husband for permission to pray to Comboni to intercede for her recovery and receiving a positive reply, Sister Bianca called all her Sisters to pray for this intention.
After yet another unsuccessful operation, all they could do was to wait for the end. Instead Lubna regained consciousness and her condition began to improve; a few days later the doctors confirmed that she was well and she was discharged from hospital. Two Muslim doctors also examined Lubna and their findings were included with the acts of the process of canonisation.
“Sudden, complete and lasting cure, scientifically unexplainable” was the unanimous statement issued by the medical consultation on 11 April 2002 . On 6 September of the same year theologian consultors recognised the woman’s miraculous healing through the intercession of Blessed Daniele Comboni. SL (Fides Service 26/9/2003 EM lines 21 Words: 305)