Audrey Marie Santo (19 December 1983 - 14 April 2007), often referred to as Little Audrey, was an American girl from Worcester, Massachusetts, who, at the age of three, experienced a near-drowning accident that left her in a persistent vegetative state. Unable to speak or move, Audrey became the centre of a religious phenomenon as her family and others reported a series of extraordinary occurrences in her presence. News of these events spread, drawing thousands of pilgrims to the Santo home, many believing Audrey to be a "victim soul" who suffered for the sins of others and interceded with God on their behalf. Media coverage brought international attention to Audrey's case, fuelling both fervent belief and skeptical scrutiny.
The Catholic Church, while acknowledging the family's dedication to Audrey's care, initiated an investigation into the reported phenomena. The investigation found no evidence of fraud but maintained that praying to Audrey was contrary to Catholic teaching. Bishop Reilly of the Diocese of Worcester, seeking to contain the burgeoning phenomenon and protect the family's privacy, placed restrictions on public access to Audrey, while permitting continued private veneration by the clergy. Though the Church has yet to pronounce on the veracity of the claims surrounding her, a foundation dedicated to Audrey's beatification and canonization continues to operate, gathering testimonies of healings attributed to her intercession.
Audrey Santo was the youngest of four children born to Linda and Steve Santo. On August 9, 1987, three-year-old Audrey was playing outside in the driveway with her four-year-old brother Stephen. When Stephen came inside alone, Linda and her twelve-year-old son, Matthew, went to look for Audrey and found her face down in the backyard swimming pool. Matthew dove in and pulled Audrey from the pool, and she was rushed to the hospital. [1]
Audrey remained in a coma for about three weeks, in intensive care at UMass Medical Center in Worcester. [2] After four months at UMass Medical Center, Audrey was discharged to her family home on South Flagg Street in Worcester, where she remained under her family's care until her death in 2007. [3] [4]
Once she returned home, Audrey required 24-hour nursing care, provided by her family and a team of nurses provided by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. She breathed through a ventilator and was on a feeding tube for sustenance, purportedly taking only communion wafers by mouth. [1]
Audrey's family reported that she was in a state called akinetic mutism—unable to speak and with limited movement, but fully alert and awake. [4] However, Edward Kaye, the pediatric neurologist who treated her for eight years following the accident, told The Washington Post that "the cell death is about as bad as you can get and still be alive. Her EEGs are profoundly abnormal. She has brain stem activity, but very, very little above the brain stem." [1] A coma specialist, Ed Cooper, brought in by Linda Santo to help Audrey communicate with her hands, told CBS's 48 Hours in 1999, "If she can become consistent with movements of her hands, down for 'yes,' up for 'no,' or vice versa, it would be meaningful. Right now it's inconsistent." [5]
About a year after the accident, Linda took Audrey to Međugorje, which is a popular pilgrimage site in the then Yugoslavia, where the Virgin Mary is purported to have appeared periodically to six local Catholics since 1981, and Linda believed it could result in Audrey being healed. [6] [3]
While in Međugorje, Audrey did not experience a physical healing, but reportedly showed signs of animation when visionary Ivan Dragicevic relayed a message to her from the Virgin Mary. [4] Linda states that Audrey communicated directly with the Virgin Mary and agreed to become a victim soul. [3] Though not an officially recognized term in the Catholic Church, a "victim soul" is generally understood as a pious individual, often chronically ill or disabled, who willingly takes on the suffering of others as a form of spiritual sacrifice, interceding with God on their behalf. [7] [8]
Numerous miracles are associated with Audrey. These reported miracles, primarily taking place in her family home, attracted thousands of pilgrims and garnered international media attention. As word spread about Audrey, visitors began coming to pray for healing near Audrey's bedside. Eventually, the family set up visiting hours and built a window in Audrey's bedroom wall through which visitors could view her. The window was later removed by order of the bishop. [9] Audrey was also on several occasions taken to a nearby college stadium or a large church, for a mass at which she could be viewed by the public. [1] [6]
Witnesses, including Audrey's mother and nurses, reported red stripes appearing across her body, likened to whip marks, a year after the accident. [3] [10] Marks, variously described as "creases", "cavities", "purple marks", or "wounds", were observed on Audrey's palms, feet, and forehead. [10] Reports claimed that on Good Fridays, Audrey would position herself with arms outstretched, reminiscent of the crucifixion. [9]
Beginning in 1993, statues and images in Audrey's bedroom, including a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe, were reported by Linda to weep oil and blood. [3] [11] Linda also claimed that chalices in Audrey's presence would also pour forth oil, which mysteriously dried up during Lent. [12] The oil was collected in cups and given to visitors on cotton balls. [9] Even after Audrey's death in 2007, the Santo family home continued to experience mystical occurrences, including religious objects secreting oil. [4] A laboratory analysis of the oil found on religious objects in the Santo home revealed a mixture primarily composed of olive oil. [11] [1]
According to nurses, six consecrated hosts have either bled or secreted oil in Audrey's presence. [4] [6] In one instance, a documentary film crew for Audrey's Life: Voice of a Silent Soul, directed by John Clote, captured footage of a priest discovering a bleeding host during a mass at the Santo home. [10] [6] A substance that appeared to be blood also appeared in a chalice at the Santo home, and a statue of Mary appeared to cry blood. [9] The Bishop of Worcester appointed an independent commission to investigate these Eucharistic phenomena. The commission found no evidence of fraud but offered no explanation for the occurrences. [4]
Pilgrims attributed a range of healings to Audrey's intercession, including recovery from cancer, throat cancer, and severe injuries from a motorcycle accident. [13] [4] [5] [6] Andrea Pearson, believing Audrey cured her cancer, was featured in a 48 Hours segment. However, her cancer later returned, prompting questions about the validity of the initial healing. [5] A Rhode Island mother also claims that an intercessory prayer to Audrey saved her choking daughter. [13] Despite widespread belief in Audrey's healing powers, none of the reported healings were officially verified by the Catholic Church or medical professionals. [6] Likewise, despite being bedridden for years, Audrey reportedly never developed bedsores, which medical experts found perplexing. [4]
Visitors frequently reported smelling roses in Audrey's bedroom and the chapel, even when no flowers were present. [3] [6] In 1993, some statues in Audrey's room were found turned to face a tabernacle. [10] On Good Friday in 1996, the tabernacle in Audrey's room reportedly began bleeding. [4]
Though unable to speak or move much, Audrey was said to gaze intently at visitors, turning her head and seemingly acknowledging their presence. [6] Linda Santo and others would read letters sent from around the world to Audrey, who appeared to listen attentively. People claimed to receive spiritual or physical healing as a result of these prayers. [4] Linda described a vision she had while in Međugorje, where she saw Audrey's face radiating from the moon. This vision solidified the belief in a mystical connection between Audrey and the Marian apparitions. [4] Audrey once had a rash similar to a rash usually experienced by those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, evidence that, supporters suggested, she had taken on the suffering of some visitor with cancer. [1]
While Audrey's supporters firmly believed in the miraculous nature of these events, critics attributed them to pious fraud, psychological phenomena, or natural occurrences. The Catholic Church, while acknowledging the dedication of the Santo family, remained cautious in its official pronouncements, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation and adherence to established doctrines.
Audrey Santo passed away at the age of 23 on Saturday, April 14, 2007, at approximately 4:00 am, from cardio-respiratory failure. [2] A vigil was held April 17, 2007 the night before the funeral, both at St. Paul's Cathedral in Worcester, Massachusetts. [2] Both events were open to the public, but the burial was private. [14]
Following years of reported miracles and growing public attention, Bishop Daniel Patrick Reilly of the Diocese of Worcester appointed a commission to investigate the phenomena surrounding Audrey. The investigation, completed in 1998, concluded that there was no evidence of fraud, but did not confirm any of the miraculous claims. The commission recommended further study into the composition of the oils and the possibility of Audrey's awareness and ability to communicate. [8] [3]
Bishop Reilly issued a statement outlining the Church's position. While praising the Santo family's dedication to Audrey's care, he stressed that praying to Audrey was not acceptable in Catholic teaching and urged continued prayers for her and her family. The statement also discouraged pilgrimages to the Santo home, citing concerns for the family's well-being and the potential for compromising Audrey's care. [8] [3]
The reported phenomena surrounding Audrey, while investigated, have not met the Catholic Church's criteria for official recognition. [6] The Church's position remains one of cautious observation, balancing a respect for the Santo family and the faith generated by Audrey's story with the need to uphold doctrinal boundaries and avoid any endorsement of potentially unorthodox beliefs or practices. [8]
A nonprofit foundation is pursuing the process of sainthood for Audrey. [15] The Bishop of Worcester, Robert J. McManus, gave official recognition to the foundation, allowing them to present their application to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, while remaining neutral himself as to whether Audrey should be a saint. [16]
Beatification and canonization require at least two fully documented and authenticated miracles. The board of directors of the Audrey Santo Foundation asked in a web update on August 12, 2013, that "if anyone has specific knowledge of any such miracles, they must come forward [so] that the proper protocol is followed." [17]
A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances during a period of time.
Kateri Tekakwitha, given the name Tekakwitha, baptized as Catherine, and informally known as Lily of the Mohawks, is a Mohawk/Algonquin Catholic saint and virgin. Born in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, in present-day New York, she contracted smallpox in an epidemic; her family died and her face was scarred. She converted to Catholicism at age 19. She took a vow of perpetual virginity, left her village, and moved for the remaining five years of her life to the Jesuit mission village of Kahnawake, just south of Montreal. She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica on 21 October 2012.
The Diocese of Worcester is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in central Massachusetts in the United States. The diocese consists of Worcester County. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston. The patron saint of the diocese is Paul the Apostle.
A weeping statue is a statue which has been claimed to have shed tears or to be weeping by supernatural means. Statues weeping tears which appear to be blood, oil, and scented liquids have all been reported. Other claimed phenomena are sometimes associated with weeping statues such as miraculous healing, the formation of figures in the tear lines, and the scent of roses. These events are generally reported by Catholics, and initially attract pilgrims, but are in most cases disallowed by the Church as proven hoaxes.
Therese Neumann was a German Catholic mystic and stigmatic. Neumann has been considered Servant of God by the Catholic Church since 2005.
Miracles is an American mystery-drama television series starring Skeet Ulrich and Angus Macfadyen that aired on ABC from January 27 to March 31, 2003. The series created by Richard Hatem and Michael Petroni, the series was dubbed a "spiritual version of The X-Files" by its creators. Following the pilot, David Greenwalt, co-creator of Angel served as the show's executive producer and head writer for the remaining twelve episodes.
Rhoda Greer Wise was an American Catholic stigmatist and mystic from Canton, Ohio. Between 1939 and her death in 1948, Wise reported seeing regular visions of Jesus Christ and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux in her Canton home. Wise has been associated with a number of sudden and unexplained healings, including the healing of Mother Angelica, the founder of the Catholic television network EWTN, from a painful stomach ailment. In 2016, Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown declared Wise a Servant of God.
Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, SC was an American Ruthenian Greek Catholic Sister of Charity who was beatified by the Catholic Church in 2014. The beatification ceremony was the first to take place in the United States, being held in Newark, New Jersey.
Teresa of Jesus of Los Andes, OCD was a Chilean nun of the Discalced Carmelites.
A number of people have claimed to have had visions of Jesus Christ and personal conversations with him. Some people make similar claims regarding his mother, Mary. Discussions about the authenticity of these visions have often invited controversy. The Catholic Church endorses a fraction of these claims, and various visionaries it accepts have achieved beatification, or even sainthood.
The concept of a victim soul is an unofficial belief derived from interpretations of the Catholic Church teachings on redemptive suffering. A person believes themselves or is considered by others to be chosen by God to suffer more than most, accepting this condition based on the example of Christ's own Passion. Neither the Catholic Church, nor any other Christian denomination, officially designates anyone as a victim soul. As it is not considered dogma, the Church classifies belief in victim souls as a matter of private revelation and thus not obligatory for members to subscribe to.
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello was an Italian Roman Catholic professed religious and the founder of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence. Frassinello married to appease her parents in 1816 but the couple decided to lead a chaste life and both pursued a call to the religious life with Frassinello joining the Ursulines in Capriolo at Brescia. But husband and wife later reunited after setting out to establish schools for the education of girls and the pair moved back to Genoa where she founded her order in 1838 based on the Benedictine charism.
Our Lady of Medjugorje, also called Queen of Peace and Mother of the Redeemer, is the title given to the visions of Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to have begun in 1981 to six Herzegovinian Croat teenagers in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The visionaries are Ivan Dragičević, Ivanka Ivanković, Jakov Čolo, Marija Pavlović, Mirjana Dragičević and Vicka Ivanković. They ranged from ten to sixteen years old at the time of the first apparition.
Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State for 26 years from October 1978 to his death, on 2 April 2005. Since his death, many thousands of people have been supporting the case for beatifying and canonising Pope John Paul II as a saint. His formal beatification ceremony took place on 1 May 2011.
Angelik Caruana is a resident of Birżebbuġa in Malta who has reported a series of visions of the Virgin Mary since 21 April 2006, including a number of times at a hill in Borġ in-Nadur where he delivered monthly messages to the public.
Cora Louise Evans was an American wife and mother who was raised Mormon and eventually converted to Catholicism in 1935, moving away from the Mormon faith. She is considered to be a Catholic mystic and she is currently being considered by the Vatican for canonization. In 2022, the move to canonize Cora Evans was sealed by the U.S. bishops and sent to Rome for formal consideration. All this was at the behest of the Catholic Diocese of Monterey, California, which opened the process of canonization in 2010.
Manuel González García was a Spanish bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Palencia from 1935 until his death. He was also the founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth and also established both the Disciples of Saint John and the Children of Reparation. He was known for his strong devotion to the Eucharist and became known as the "Bishop of the Tabernacle" due to this devotion; he made it an objective of his to spread devotion to the Eucharist and encouraged frequent reception of it.
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