Bishop of Alicante opens cause of canonization of young Spanish woman

Madrid, Spain, Mar 12, 2009 / 13:43 pm

The Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain announced that this Saturday it will hold a ceremony opening the cause of canonization of Rebeca Rocamora, a young woman who died in 1996 at the age of 20 after enduring a serious illness.

According to the diocese’s website, the event is “one of most anticipated events of the recent months” and “will be a huge event” presided over by the local ordinary, Bishop Rafael Palmero.

Rebeca died on May 26, 1996, at the age of 20 in her native town of Granja de Rocamora.  According to the promoters of her cause, “her simple life as a parish catechist and her acceptance of her illness and manner of facing death with joy, had a deep impact on those who knew her.”

In October of 2008, Bishop Palmero informed the diocese about her cause and underscored “the growing reputation of holiness for her virtues and intercession among those who know and pray to her, so that her remembrance will serve as an example to the youth and concretely to catechists.”

Rebeca’s life

Rebeca was born into a Christian family on September 7, 1975, in Granja de Rocamora.  Blond-haired and blue-eyed, she was known as a child for her smile, innocence and vitality.

In 1985 she contracted a serious illness, which she accepted with courage and strength, becoming for all around her an example of joy, humility, simplicity and charity.

According to the diocese, “later on, with the onset of a new and unexpected illness, her soul matured quickly, and she was encouraging to all and accepting of her fate.  Many testimonies bear witness to her intimate and daily living out of human and Christian virtues, in a hidden but extraordinary way, that reveal a heart full of great and profound faith.  During her last days, her response to those who insisted she pray for her health was: ‘The Lord already knows that if it would be good for me, He would grant it. I pray that he increases my faith.”

She died on Sunday, May 26, 1996 (the Solemnity of Pentecost), leaving behind a testimony of life full of youth and beauty surrendered to God, at the tender age of 20.