During October 2004, in St Bernadette’s Parish, a mother was admitted to hospital a month before giving birth. When she did give birth, the child was declared clinically dead because the baby’s brain was not functioning. So, the child was taken to intensive care and placed on a machine. After four days, the medical team told the parents that there was no hope that the child could live.
The parents requested baptism for the child before the removal of the machine. Our meeting was deliberately scheduled when the Novena of Our Lady are held regularly in the parish, so that the whole community could pray for this intention.
All we could say was “this is a miracle”, especially given that the doctor was not an adherent believer.
On my way to the hospital, I had a feeling that the child would live. I remember switching off the radio and praying all my way to the hospital particularly through the intercession of our Founder, Joseph de Piro.
While performing the initial rite there was some movement of the child’s feet, which left the people present in commotion. By the time I finished the Sacrament, we noticed more movements, so the parents called the medical staff for observation.
By morning I was informed that the child’s brain was functioning. All we could say was “this is a miracle”, especially given that the doctor was not an adherent believer. This case has been the subject of various media interventions. The child, Brittania Bajada is now a teenage girl, and since then has lived a normal life.