History repeats
The advice “break a leg” traditionally given to actors
about to walk on stage is said to be a curse in reverse for a profession
notorious for being superstitious. It means “good luck.” But to actually say
“good luck” would be a jinx tempting the opposite. You might trip over a cable
and, well, break your leg. So you inform the performer that you sincerely hope
he fractures a femur and brings the show and perhaps his entire career to an
embarrassing screeching halt. There, you’ve dared to say it; now everything
should go smoothly.
Eleven years ago, on Friday, April 29, 1994, the
actor-pope John Paul II actually did break his leg. As a result, the Vatican
announced that the beatification of Father Damien DeVeuster set for Sunday, May
15, of that year, would be postponed indefinitely.
There was nothing strange or superstitious about the
pope’s injury. It was simply an unfortunate mishap not uncommon with the frail
elderly.
It was, however, bad luck for the 500 people from Hawaii who had made
travel arrangements for the Belgian beatification and who could not cancel
their plans.
This past Friday, April 29, a Catholic News Service story
from Rome, citing an official at the Vatican
Congregation for the Causes of Saints that day, said the Sunday, May 15,
beatification of Mother Marianne Cope in Rome
was postponed indefinitely.
Rumors had swirled that the May 15 event would be
postponed due to the cascade of events related to end of one papacy and the
start of another. But nothing had been officially cancelled or confirmed. Then
the April 29 story confirmed the broken date as definitively as a broken bone.
Our first thought: “Not again!”
A coincidence? Well, we are not superstitious.
Like 11 years ago, it was too late to change travel plans,
so the more than 350 people from Hawaii and Syracuse were prepared to resign themselves to a week’s
vacation in May in Rome
instead of a beatification pilgrimage.
However, things worked out differently this time. Thanks to
a whole lot of prayers, fruitful discussions between the bishop of Syracuse and the Vatican and perhaps the flood of
disappointed e-mail (not an option a decade ago), the beatification was quickly
rescheduled.
Father Damien’s beatification was eventually celebrated a
year later on June 4, 1995. Mother Marianne’s will be celebrated a day earlier
on May 14 or a day later on May 16, 2005.
It’s been said that Mother Marianne’s cause had been put
on the fast track, speeding in months through steps that usually take years.
Once again, this seems to have been proven true.
A coincidence? No, now we’re beginning to think this was
meant to be.