This is the miracle that supported Blessed Fulton Sheen’s beatification yesterday. Sixteen years ago, a home birth turned into a nightmare in the heart of Illinois, the same state of Pope Leo XIV. What began as a quiet labor at home, Bonnie Engstrom, the mother, said quickly descended into tragedy when an undetected knot in the umbilical cord tightened during delivery, cutting off the baby’s oxygen supply. When the midwife caught him and placed him in Bonnie’s arms, he was stillborn. As her husband Travis performed an emergency baptism and medical personnel began CPR on the floor, Engstrom felt as if she was falling out of control. In her desperation, her heart turned immediately to Venerable Fulton Sheen, whose name they had already chosen for their child.
Bonnie says ‘In my moment of desperation, my heart and voice continuously called on Sheen to pray for me. I had no idea how profoundly this prayer would change my life — and the lives of millions of Catholics across America, if not the world.’ The ordeal stretched across an agonizing hour. First responders spent 20 minutes performing resuscitation efforts before transferring the infant to the hospital, where doctors spent another 20 minutes trying every available method to restart his heart. Through it all, his body remained cold, blue and without a pulse. Finally, after 61 minutes without a heartbeat, medical staff prepared to declare the baby deceased. At that moment, when all attempts had ended, James’ heart started to beat. Even after his heart restarted, medical experts warned the family to prepare for severe organ damage, severe neurological impairment, and a lifetime of profound hardships. Once again, the family turned to the heavenly intercession of Archbishop Sheen, asking him to pray without ceasing for baby James Fulton. The divine intervention to those prayers surpassed all human expectation. An MRI conducted at three months revealed zero brain damage. As the years passed, James hit every developmental milestone with ease. Independent medical professionals later confirmed there was no scientific or medical explanation for his complete survival without complications. It was confirmed as a miracle through the intercession of Bishop, now Blessed Fulton Sheen. You have to remember that Bishop Sheen did a Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament all through his life, and the baby was saved, or came to life again, after 61 minutes!
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