French nun says miraculous cure has strengthened her faith

Vatican City, Apr 4, 2007 / 08:05 am

Sister Marie Simon Pierre, the French nun who was cured of Parkinson’s after praying for the intercession of John Paul II and whose case is under study for the late Pontiff’s beatification, said this week about her sudden cure “with faith all things are possible.”

In an interview with Vatican Radio, the French nun said, “Words are not sufficiently strong to say what has really happened.  Surely it is a great grace.  I have felt great interior peace, something that has coursed through my entire body, a sort of lightness, I felt light, distinct, completely different.  Moments later I felt an attraction towards adoration of the Eucharist.  As a religious, I already practiced Eucharistic adoration and attended Mass daily.  It was a powerful moment.  In reality it was in the middle of the night when I felt the need to go and pray before the Most Blessed Sacrament.”

In recalling the experience of praying with her entire community for the intercession of the beloved Pontiff, Sister Marie Simon said, “All of my little sisters prayed, the entire Congregation was praying.  Therefore we were part of the communion of saints, with all those who are in Heaven.”

“Ours is a Congregation at the service of life and the family; John Paul II always defended the value of human life, he always proclaimed throughout the world, and we are at the service of life, the family and of the unborn.  I was ill with the same disease as John Paul II, Parkinson’s,” she added.

Regarding the changes she has experienced in her spiritual life, Sister Marie Simon said, “My interior life, my prayer life is different.  How it so is difficult to explain!  For me it’s the Eucharist, adoration.  They were first in my life but now I feel an even stronger call.  Before I loved Mary, and now Mary is more important for me.  John Paul II was very close to Mary.”

“I was ill and I now I am cured. That is all.  It’s true that now in Rome they have to study the case and decide whether or not the cure is miraculous.  For the moment what I can say is that I was sick and now I am cured.  Nothing is impossible for God.  I think I should say it: With faith all things are possible and everything is in the Father’s hands,” she said.