Towards the Beatification Process of the Servant of God, Veronica O'Brien

At their meeting on 6 March 2021, the members of the General Assembly of the FIAT Association unanimously agreed that the Association should be the Promoter of the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of its founder, Veronica O'Brien. 

 

This agreement was expressed in response to a proposal by the moderator of CHARIS, established by Pope Francis to coordinate the accompaniment of the charismatic renewal movement.

CHARIS – Monday of Pentecost 2019.

Following the meeting of the members of the General Assembly, the President informed the Archbishop of the composition of the Committee responsible for overseeing Veronica's Cause and also proposed Mr. Waldery Hilgeman as postulator for the Cause. On 17 March 2021, on the feast of St Patrick, Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, granted his ‘NIHIL OBSTAT’ to begin the process of beatification of Veronica, who died on 19 February 1998. In the same letter, Mr. Waldery Hilgeman was appointed Postulator of the Cause.

On 17 March 2021, St Patrick's Day, Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, granted his «NIHIL OBSTAT» to begin the Beatification procedure for Veronica, who died on 19 February 1998. In the same letter, Mr Waldery Hilgeman was appointed Postulator of the Cause.

Veronica O'Brien

On 29 June 2021, Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, asked the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to examine whether there were any obstacles on the part of the Holy See to recognizing Veronica O'Brien as a ‘Servant of God’, thus allowing the diocesan phase of the process for her beatification and canonization to begin.

On 21 January 2022, the Congregation for Saints Informed Cardinal De Kesel, referring to his letter of 29 June 2021, of its ‘Nihil Obstat’ for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God. This was in accordance with the Norms to be observed by Diocesan Investigations in the Causes of Saints, established by this Congregation on 7 February 1983.
Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect and
Fabio Fabene, Archbishop ad personam of Montesiscone, Secretary.

Veronica O'Brien

On 10 March 2022, during a meeting of the Belgian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Jozef De Kesel asked the assembled bishops for their opinion on the possibility of introducing the Cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Veronica O'Brien (1905-1998), Laywoman and Foundress of FIAT.

An editorial about the Cause was published in “Pastoralia”, the magazine of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, in its July-August 2021 issue (No. 4). Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, Metropolitan Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, also appealed to the faithful therein to send him any material, documents and information that could contain useful information about the Servant of God, Veronica O'Brien. This edict was countersigned by Canon Luc Terlinden, Chancellor.

Veronica O'Brien

On 30 March 2022, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels appointed the following people as members of the Tribunal of the Cause:

  • Father Michel Coppin, SDS, Episcopal Delegate
  • Father Marcel De Pauw, MSC, Promoter of Justice
  • Mrs Cecile Ryckaert, Notary, and
  • Dr. John Alonzo Dick, Assistant Notary

On 30 March 2022, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels also appointed the following people as members of the Historical Commission:

  • Mr. Jean-Luc Moens, President
  • Mr. Roger Matthys, Secretary
  • Monsignor Dirk Smet, Member
Veronica O'Brien
On 31 May 2022, under the chairmanship of Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, the first session of the Tribunal of the Cause was held, attended by the persons concerned, some members of the Servant of God's family, community leaders, some friends of the Charismatic Renewal and the Legion of Mary, as well as Friends of FIAT. The Vicar General, Canon Luc Terlinden, was the rapporteur for this first session.
After the first session, a Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Cardinal Jozef De Kesel, concelebrated by Monsignor Frederic Testaert, Father Abbot of the Premonstratensian Monastery in Postel and companion of the FIAT apostolate. In addition to Deacon Paul Van Assche, there was also Father Michel Coppin, SDS, Episcopal Delegate, and Father Marcel De Pauw, MSC, Promoter of Justice for the Cause of the Servant of God.