Out of the dozens of saints, blessed and venerable holy men and women in the United States, none have been officially recognized by the Catholic Church from the state of Minnesota.
This could all change with the cause of canonization of Sr. Annella Zervas.
After the U.S. Bishops approved her cause in November, the Vatican has given its "nihil obstat" to the process as well.
OSV News stated that, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota has scheduled a Mass on October 9 to officially open Sr. Annella's cause for canonization. This came after he, "received a declaration of 'nihil obstat' from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints indicating that the Holy See sees nothing standing in the way of advancing the cause for Sister Annella, who died in 1926 at 26 years old after cheerfully and faithfully suffering a terrible skin condition that ravaged her body."
This will be the first major step in her cause for canonization, which still has a long road ahead.
After October 9 she will now be referred to as, "Servant of God," and her life will be examined to determine if she lived a life of "heroic virtue." Once that is determined, the Vatican will review her life as well before proclaiming her "venerable."
Before she can ever be proclaimed a saint, miracles will also need to be attributed to her intercession.
Who was Sr. Annella Zervas?
Sr. Annella was born in Moorhead, Minnesota, on April 7, 1900, to a German immigrant family. She attended the Catholic school at her local parish and felt drawn to join the Benedictine sisters who taught there.
At only 15 years old she joined St. Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota and eventually become a music teacher and organist with the Benedictine sisters.
According to the USCCB, "Sister Annella was known for her devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary, as well as for her kindness, generosity, sense of humor, musical talent and artistic abilities."
Then her life changed. In 1923 she became afflicted with a rare skin disease. This caused her a great amount of suffering, which she offered up to God as a sacrifice.
Sr. Annella died when she was 26 years old, but her saintly example was an inspiration to the local community.
According to the Catholic News Agency, "Those praying for the Benedictine sister’s intercession have reported miracles and answers to prayers."
Bishop Cozzens "shared that he too is inspired by the nun’s story, which he first learned about through his own sister. He acknowledged receiving many requests from people to begin the formal process of investigation to determine her holiness."
