Excited Catholics in the tiny town of Thomaston, Conn., are praying the Vatican confirms the “miracle’’ they say occurred in a local church in March.
The Vatican received reports that during Mass at St. Thomas Catholic Church, a shortage of “hosts” – or wafers used at Communion to symbolize the body of Jesus Christ – was suddenly fixed when the wafers mysteriously multiplied.
As the Holy See, aided by the Archdiocese of Hartford, investigates the case, parishioners are hoping that church officials eventually recognize the miracle as the genuine article.
“We’re all waiting in suspense for word from Rome,” congregant James Clark, 51, told the Post on Monday. “I believe in my heart that it’s real, but obviously you need confirmation before you can say with absolute certainty that a miracle occurred.
“It’s just so heartening to know that God’s children haven’t gotten so spiritually bereft to where He still won’t give us a sign every now and then, a little nibble, to bring us back to faith.”
Carol Buell, the owner of a flower shop next to the church, said she, too, is hoping for the “miracle” to have the Vatican’s official seal of approval.
“When I was a kid, you saw movies about this kind of stuff, and you just say, ‘Could that possibly happen next door?’ I believe it happened,” she said.
Many locals said they are especially thrilled about the prospects of a miracle because of the church’s connection to Father Michael J. McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, who has already had two miracles attributed to him by the Vatican.
McGivney, who founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, had served at St. Thomas and gained fame from his leadership during the 1890 flu pandemic.
Another miracle attributed to McGivney would allow him to be nominated for a chance to be canonized in the Catholic faith as a saint.
A member of the local Knights of Columbus told The Post on Monday that the whole town has been buzzing about the latest “miracle,” with many outsiders stopping by the church.
“You couldn’t believe the amount of out-of-state cars where people would just pull up to take a picture of the church,” said the parishioner, who declined to give his name. “It has the potential to be Father McGivney’s third miracle, which is the path to sainthood.”
McGivney was previously bestowed the title of “Blessed” by Pope Francis after the church recognized a miracle from the late priest where a family praying to him saw their child born successfully despite being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition in utero.
After reports of a miracle in Thomaston, Hartford Archbishop Leonard Blair appointed a priest well-versed in church law to look into the matter and report it to the Vatican.
“The Archdiocese has proceeded accordingly, and will await a response in due time,” David Elliott, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said in a statement.
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