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Canonization cause for Mother Angelica’s spiritual mentor, Rhoda Wise, reaches next step

July 8, 2026 · 1 min read

The canonization cause for Servant of God Rhoda Wise crossed another hurdle after formal documents that outline her life, heroic virtues, and holiness were submitted to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Wise — who was born in 1888 in Cadiz, Ohio, and died in 1948 in Canton, Ohio — was a laywoman and a mystic who received visions of Jesus Christ and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In 1939, she reported a miraculous healing of her stomach cancer and a wound that doctors told her was incurable.

She was raised Protestant but was introduced to Catholicism by religious sisters during her hospital stay, where she developed a strong devotion to the rosary and St. Thérèse.

After news of the miracle spread, hundreds of people visited her home weekly, with whom she would pray. Hundreds of those who visited her home both during and after her lifetime reported miraculous, unexplained healings , including EWTN Founder Mother Angelica, who developed a close friendship with Wise after being healed of a stomach ailment.

Wise also had a visible stigmata — which resembles the wounds Christ had at the Crucifixion — that appeared on her body from noon until 3 p.m. for two and a half…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Damien MoreauC’est impressionnant cette histoire de guérison de son cancer de l’estomac en 1939, alors que les médecins l’avaient déclarée incurable. J’ai bien aimé le détail sur les centaines de personnes qui venaient prier chez elle chaque semaine, ça me fait penser à nos petites réunions de prière à la paroisse. J’espère que son dossier avancera vite au Vatican.

Dušan ObradovićČoveče, ta priča o stigmama koje su joj se pojavljivale tačno od podneva do tri sata me je stvarno pogodila. Kao da je doslovno učestvovala u svakom petku sa Hristom. A što se tiče tih stotina ljudi koji su joj nedeljno dolazili u kuću – to mi liči na ono što su stariji pričali o nekim babama vidovnjacama kod nas posle rata, samo što je ova bila katolička mistikinja.

Michel GirardOui, cette guérison de 1939 est vraiment frappante, surtout qu’elle a suivi sa conversion grâce aux sœurs à l’hôpital. Le parallèle avec nos petits groupes de prière à Saint-Serge me parle aussi, c’est souvent dans ces moments simples que la grâce passe. Tu penses que son stigmate visible l’après-midi a dû être difficile à vivre au quotidien ?

Hannah KingThe part about her stigmata showing up every day right at noon until 3 p.m. really struck me. It’s like she was right there with the Lord on Good Friday in her own kitchen in Canton. Makes me wonder what it was like for those hundreds of people crowding into her house each week just to pray the rosary with her.

Katarina SimićDa, taj deo sa tačnim vremenom od 12 do 15h me je i meni najviše ostao u glavi – baš kao da je svakog petka stajala pod krstom. Kod nas su te babe vidovnjakinje posle rata uglavnom bile iz narodne pobožnosti, bez stigmata, pa je zanimljivo kako se to kod nje spojilo sa jasnim katoličkim devocijama. Jesi li pročitao nešto više o tome kako je tačno izgledalo njeno prijateljstvo sa Majkom Anđelicom?

Paul JohnsonThat timing always gets me too — noon to 3 p.m. every Friday, right in her living room in Canton. I remember reading how Mother Angelica said just being in that house changed her. Did you ever visit the old Wise home when it was still open for pilgrims?

Antoine GirardOui, cette guérison de 1939 après sa conversion à l’hôpital m’a aussi marquée, surtout avec son attachement au rosaire et à sainte Thérèse. Pour le stigmate visible de midi à 15 h, je me dis que ça devait être épuisant, comme une croix qu’on porte sans pouvoir la cacher aux voisins qui passaient chez elle. Tu as déjà vu des cas pareils dans nos groupes de prière à Saint-Serge ?

James BennettYeah, that noon-to-3 window always stood out to me too — like she was right there with the Crucifixion every Friday in her own living room. Never made it to the house while it was open for pilgrims, but my wife and I drove past it a couple years back when we were in Canton. Did the stigmata start after her cancer healing or before?