By Christina Galeone
CFP Correspondent
WORCESTER – When God came to live among humanity, he didn’t choose to arrive in the grandest castle. He chose a little stable. When Jesus spoke about why we shouldn’t worry about basic human needs, he reminded us of how God provides for the delicate lilies of the field and the birds in the sky. So, is it any wonder that he would call a sweet, frail little girl to become a great saint?
The Little Audrey Santo Foundation, www.littleaudreysantofoundation.com, doesn’t think so. It firmly believes that its namesake should be canonized. Audrey was thought to have performed miracles after a near-drowning accident at age 3 which left her in a non-speaking state with limited movement, called “akinetic mutism.”
On Aug. 9, in observance of the 32nd anniversary of the accident, the foundation held a public event, including a Mass celebrated by Bishop McManus at Christ the King Church.
Father Peter J. Joyce, diocesan liaison to the foundation, preached at the Mass, which was attended by about 50 people. He spoke of Audrey’s reverence and love for God when she was just a toddler, and said if people spoke during Mass, she would turn around and stare at them until they stopped.
He also compared Audrey’s empathy for the world with that of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, whose feast was that day. He said Audrey’s empathy was manifested in things such as tumors that would appear and disappear, skin irritations from treatments she never had, and the tremendous amount of fluid that spontaneously appeared in her body before Hurricane Katrina hit the mainland and disappeared shortly thereafter.
After the Mass, attendees were welcomed to the foundation’s home on South Flagg Street, where Audrey lived after the accident until her death on April 14, 2007. Many people gathered for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a recitation of “Little Audrey’s Chaplet.”
Visitors toured Audrey’s bedroom. Father Joyce told them about frequent phone calls Audrey received from EWTN foundress Mother Angelica, about what appears to be blood and oil that has flowed from religious statues and pictures in the home and about what are called eucharistic miracles that took place in Audrey’s presence. In the small chapel on the property, visitors were able to pray in the midst of some of those phenomena.
Throughout the day, Linda Santo, Audrey’s mother, welcomed visitors to the home where she raised Audrey and Audrey’s three older siblings. In family photos that hung on the wall, the display of gifts that were sent to Audrey from people around the world and the faith-filled décor, her love for her daughter, her other children, grandchildren and God shone through.
Although it’s clear that the family has embraced the triumph over the tragedy, the day marked a devastating event. Father Joyce said God didn’t cast that experience upon Audrey.
“God does not choose it, but allows it, knowing that he can bring a greater good as a result,” Father Joyce said. “That is the mystery of the cross: that from our inhumanity to the Son of God, we are redeemed; in his suffering, God reveals his divine glory; when we try to disfigure and shame his flesh, he rises above to transcend our limitations and manifest his magnificent power and glory through, or in spite of, our injustices.”
Heather Barber, a member of St. Denis Parish in Ashburnham, shared some of her experiences at Audrey’s home. As with past visits, Ms. Barber said that she felt at peace, and she felt the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist during adoration and while praying. She also enjoyed sharing her faith with other visitors and was moved in an unexpected way at the Mass.
“Before holy Mass began, I kept thinking: ‘From age 3 to 23, Audrey lived a life of empathy, selflessness and service to others and, more importantly, to our Lord, by accepting the divine path God had chosen for her to follow,’” she said. “Then, during Mass, my eyes were drawn to the giant statue of Jesus at the front of the church. The top knuckle of the tiny pinky of Jesus was much more golden than the rest, and I thought, ‘How beautiful, because God made that one tiny piece more shining and more beautiful than the rest, but not all would see it here right in front of our own eyes. Just like us, we are all so beautiful in our own way, as Audrey was, and, as a unified community, we are even more beautiful than anything.’”
Father Joyce expressed hope that the community’s faith will continue to grow. Although he said he grieves the tragedy that Audrey endured, he commented, “I am also strengthened in my faith by the witness of Audrey, by the example of her family and the faith of those who knew her. We might have been as blessed with all of this without this tragedy, but we don’t know. So we must be grateful for what God has given in spite of, or because of, our sin and strive to live by his grace each day that he gives us.”