SENGLEA THROUGH THE AGES – 68

 

A miracle on a Senglean paves the way for the beatification of Dun Gorg Preca

 

     When Dun Gorg gave life to the Society of Christian Doctrine (M.U.S.E.U.M) in 1907 he had as his right hand man a youngster from Senglea, Ewgenju Borg. Ewgenju was the first Superior General of the Society and the case for his beatification has just commenced. (1) The Society soon opened a premises in Senglea at 88 Crucifix Street. It was a centre for the teaching of Christian doctrine to young girls. During the inquest held by the local church to see whether the Society should be allowed to continue its activities, Dun Salv Galea (the brother of Dun Manwel who later on became Bishop) on the 2nd February 1916 testified that ‘a lot of good is coming out of the teaching of religion by this society which also results in more frequent use of the sacraments. These women apostles are a good example to all.’ (2) Also in 1916, a centre for young men was opened in St Ursula Street. (3)

 

A miracle was required

 

     Dun Gorg has already been declared as Blessed and Senglea played a great part in his Beatification. The Church did all the research possible to see if Dun Gorg could be declared a saint but the final proof has to be through divine intervention. A miracle had to be done and attributed to Dun Gorg’s intervention before he could be beatified. The miracle had to be one which could not be explained by known scientific and through the intervention of Dun Gorg. This miracle will confirm the validity of the process taken by the Congregation for the declaring of Saints.

 

     A miracle which was performed on a person who hails Senglea was approved by this Congregation. There were eighty eight persons who gave witness of what they know about Dun Gorg. The declarations of these witnesses, and many other documents and articles were published in a book which is available for all to read, but since most of the witnesses are still alive, it is not prudent to have all the contents available for the general public. (4)

 

     The last two witness of this process were Carmelo Zammit Endrich and Doctor Vincenzo Tabone. We are going to concentrate on these two witnesses only. One is the person who was healed and the other is the doctor who was faced with this healing.

 

The declaration made by Zammit Endrich

 

     Mr Zammit Endrich was called to make his statement at the Archbishop’s Curia in Valletta on the 9th June 1981 during the 260th session held to hear various people tell of their experience of Dun Gorg. (5) These is what was written about Zammit Endrich’s statement: This witness was born in Senglea in 1926. When the Servant of God (Dun Gorg) died he (Zammit Endrich) was thirty six years old. He is married and a pensioner. He was employed with the Government. The witness was called to talk about the grace he received through the intercession of Dun Gorg Preca.’ (6) During the process he declared: ‘I am Carmelo but everybody calls me Charles Zammit Endrich. I am fifty five years old. I was employed with the Government. I am married and a practicing Catholic. I was born in Senglea but at present live in the parish of Christ the King in Paola. I am neither a relative of the Servant of God nor did I have any close friendship with him. I have nothing to gain from this process and nobody told me what to declare.’ (7)

 

    He was asked the following question: Can you say, in a few words, what was the extraordinary grave you received through the intercession of the Servant of God?

 

     He replied: ‘In September 1963 that is not too long after the death of the Servant of God, (8) I started to notice the first sign that the retina of my left eye was starting to dislodge itself from its place.’ (9) The retina is a thin transparent skin, found on the inside of the eyeball, behind the pupil of the eye, and it is considered as an additional optical nerve; it is very sensitive to light, and opens and closes as needed. The specialist was Doctor Censu Tabone who confirmed that there was a dislodgement of the retina. He fixed up a date so that the operation could be held in a private house. (10)

 

Jesus Christ the Redeemer and than Dun Gorg

 

     Zammit Endrich continued with his story: I was waiting in bed and in front of me there was holy picture of Jesus Christ the Redeemer who is venerated in the Basilica of Senglea. I do not have any recollection that I ever asked for the intervention of the Servant of God. For the operation, the oculist I mentioned used only a local anaesthetic and I was awake all through the time of the operation. It is pointless to point out that my left eye was covered.

 

     Nevertheless during the operation all of a sudden I could see the figure of Dun Gorg on the small holy picture in front of me. I reached out my hand to touch this figure of Dun Gorg. Those next to me, among them, Dr Filippu Micallef, who now lives at Old Railway Track, Balzan, could see the movement I made with my hand.

 

     According to the oculist the operation was a complete success. Still, after about four months, the same retina started to come off again this time from the opposite end. In short the oculist fixed me up with another day for a second operation. This time I prayed the intervention of the Servant of God. Here I may add that a member of the Society of Christian Doctrine from the centre of Senglea, Karmenu Spiteri to be exact, who up to today still lives in Senglea, brought me a piece of the shoe lace of the Servant of God. On the night before the operation, while I was watching the television, I suddenly realised that my eyesight had improved quite considerably.

 

     The oculist re-examined my eye thoroughly more than once. He said that there was not need to perform the operation. He said that according to him this was a clear case for which there is not natural explanation. Here I would like to add that my wife was praying to Dun Gorg that he would intervene and cure my eye without the need of an operation by the oculist. Since I have been asked by the tribunal, I will do all I can so that the oculist, who is still alive, will give a written declaration.’ (11) The day of my healing was the 3rd February 1964.

 

Censu Tabone: the oculist who performed the operation

 

     As one can expect, Zammit Endrich’s declaration would be more reliable if it were corroborated by the statement of the oculist. It is a known fact that this man is a well known personality. So Doctor Censu Tabone was asked to appear before the Tribunal at the Archbishop’s Curia in Valletta on the 28th July 1981 to testify. (12)

 

     Censu Tabone was born in Rabat, Gozo on the 30th March 1913 and he was baptised at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady. He declared himself to be a practising Catholic. He was forty nine years old when Dun Gorg died and he had been practising as a doctor for over twenty five years. He specialises in the treatment of eyes and at that time he lived in St Julians. He was married and was also a Member of Parliament on behalf of the Nationalist Party. Later on in 1989 he was elected to the highest position on the islands when he was elected as President of the Republic of Malta. (13)

 

An unexplainable healing

 

     During the process he was asked: You, as a renowned oculist what can you say about the healing of Charles Zammit Endrich of Paola? As you most certainly know, the patient freed you from your professional secrecy vows.

 

     His reply: Some fifteen years ago, (14) my patient suffered from a detachment of the retina. I do not recall whether it was the right or left eye. (15) After a thorough examination I decided that an operation was needed. The operation was carried out in the private house of a certain Karmenu Tabone, who is now dead. The procedure was ‘diathermia’. (16) The patient had a hard time during his convalescence because he was suffering from an inflammation in his eye. Nonetheless, the eye returned to it usual function because the retina went back to its original position.

 

     Some time later, or still weeks after, the same retina detached itself again, which is a common occurrence. After further examinations I decided that another operation was needed on his eye. The day before the operation I call at the home of Mr Zammit Endrich to make the latest preparations for the operation. Naturally I re-examined the eye on which I had to operate. I examined it very thoroughly, but to my great surprise, I could see that the retina had returned to its original place on its own. (17)

 

     The second operation was not made. I met Mr Zammit Endrich on various occasions since than. The retina stayed put and from that particular eye he could see as well as ever. I must point out that I have been practising ophthalmology (18) for thirty five years, but I have never had a healing such as this one. I also do not recall that I ever had one case like this one.

 

      I declare that I do no not have any connection with the Servant of God. I am not a relative and neither were we close together. I do not have any particular interest in this case. Also nobody encouraged me to reach this conclusion. (19)

 

It was a miracle

 

     A medical consultation held on the 10th June 1999 gave its verdict on the healing of Zammit Endrich. Modern science could not explain how the healing took place. The fact that modern medical science could not explain how this healing took place does not automatically proclaim it as a miracle.

 

     The case had to be studied by a Commission of Theologians from the Congregation of the Case to declare Saints. The Commission reached this conclusion and it presented its findings to Pope John Paul II. On the 27th January 2000, thirty six years after this extraordinary healing took place, the Pope declared that the healing of the Senglean Charles Zammit Endrich could be considered as a miracle. This miracle paved the way for the Beatification of Dun Gorg. As we all know, the Pope came himself to our island and on the 9th May 2001 declared Dun Gorg as Blessed together with Nazju Falzon and M. Adeodata Pisani. (20)

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