DOUGLASTON — Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is set to be canonized on Sept. 7, following a miracle reported in 2020 by a seminarian in Southern California to Msgr. Robert Sarno of Brooklyn.
Msgr. Sarno retired to the Bishop Mugavero Residence for Senior Priests in Douglaston after nearly 40 years as an investigator at the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
During his career, he probed many “alleged” miracles. Some lacked evidence, but others prevailed, like the causes for Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Father Damien of Molokai.
Soon after his retirement, Msgr. Sarno lectured on canon law at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles. One day after breakfast, a seminarian discreetly approached the monsignor to report he was miraculously healed of a torn Achilles tendon through the intercession of Blessed Frassati.
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“This miracle,” Msgr. Sarno told The Tablet on July 17, “was extremely providential. I have to tell you, it shocked me.”
That is because the incident could have remained a secret.
The seminarian, ordained three years ago, is Father Juan Gutierrez, who spent his youth in Texcoco, Mexico, about 23 miles east of Mexico City. He is now serving his second pastoral assignment, this time as an associate pastor of St. Frances X. Cabrini Parish in South Los Angeles.
Father Gutierrez laughs about it now, but at the time, he dreaded the conversation with Msgr. Sarno. Attending Msgr. Sarno’s weekly lectures revealed an opportunity. Still, Msgr. Sarno’s stern exterior rattled the seminarian.
“I would pray, ‘Lord, give me the courage, because I personally don’t want to do it,’ ” he said. But he did, and told Msgr. Sarno how on Sept. 25, 2017, he joined other seminarians at an off-campus gym for a pick-up game of basketball. Running up court, he felt a slight push to the back of his right leg. He heard a “pop,” followed by intense pain.
Father Gutierrez hobbled back to the seminary, where he found some discarded crutches and braces to aid his mobility. But the pain grew. Eventually, after two weeks, he got an MRI, which revealed a full tear of his right Achilles tendon.
Father Gutierrez, following his doctor’s advice, made an appointment to see an orthopedic surgeon for a consultation on Nov. 15.
On Nov. 1, All Saints Day, he considered starting a nine-day prayer novena, appealing for intercession from the Communion of Saints, to request God’s help with the injury.
But, he added, “a little whisper came to my mind and said, ‘Why don’t you make it to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati?’ I remember thinking, Oh, that’s a good idea.’ ”
Father Gutierrez was casually familiar with Frassati (1901-1925). This mountaineer from Turin, Italy, was also a third-order Dominican who became famous for his deep faith, contagious joy, and devotion to Christ. Frassati was 24 when he succumbed to a sudden bout with polio.
“His story is beautiful,” Msgr. Sarno said. “He came from an atheistic-agnostic family, very wealthy, and yet he lived the total opposite.”
About midway through the novena, Father Gutierrez was at prayer alone early one morning in the seminary’s chapel.
A feeling of warmth swelled around his leg. He recalled how people in the Charismatic Renewal described similar sensations of warmth associated with dramatic healings.
Father Gutierrez confessed that he felt some doubt because his sports injury was not life-threatening. He questioned why God would bother.
“I remember saying to myself, ‘Well, Lord, I don’t think you’re healing me, not because you don’t have the power, but because I don’t think I have the faith,’ ” he said.
He wept, got up, and went about his day, but with a diminished need for crutches and braces. A few days later, he kept the appointment with the orthopedic surgeon who, upon examining the tendon, declared it healed.
Father Gutierrez said he was overwhelmed with joy, but he chose to keep mum about the healing, not wanting to draw attention to himself.
Father Gutierrez said that after Msgr. Sarno heard the story, the lecturer asked, “Why did you wait this long to tell me this?”
“I told him, ‘Because you’re very intimidating,’ ” the priest recalled. “He laughed, and he said to me, ‘Yeah, I get that a lot, but I’m just a big teddy bear inside.’ ”
Also on July 17, Msgr. Sarno laughed and said he didn’t recall that part of the conversation. But he confirmed telling the seminarian to keep silent about the incident while he made some calls to Rome. By dinner time, he had permission from the dicastery to take steps toward starting an investigation, but under the authority of Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles.
Msgr. Sarno was appointed to be the archiepiscopal delegate in the diocesan process in Los Angeles that examined the healing.
He requested a second MRI, and Father Gutierrez eagerly agreed. It confirmed a complete reversal of the first test — that the tendon was intact, a condition that was impossible without surgical repair.
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The dicastery’s multi-phased process continued, culminating with Pope Francis announcing that Blessed Frassati’s canonization would be held the same day as the canonization of another young man from Italy — Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint.
Msgr. Sarno said he won’t attend the canonizations, but he is grateful for the opportunity to work on the cause for Blessed Frassati.
“I personally brought the canonical acts of this case to Rome because I knew that the cardinal prefect would be ecstatic,” he said. “They wanted the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati for the Holy Year.”
“And it just worked perfectly.”