• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Argentine Cardinal Eduardo Pironio, former head of the Vatican congregation for religious and council for the laity, is pictured in a photo from 1998, the year he died. (CNS photo/Michael Edrington)

Pope clears way for beatification of Cardinal Pironio

November 8, 2023
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: News, Saints, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has recognized the miraculous healing of a toddler in Argentina as the miracle needed for the beatification of Argentine Cardinal Eduardo Pironio, a close collaborator of St. John Paul II and the person who organized and oversaw the first six international celebrations of World Youth Day.

Cardinal Pironio died of cancer in 1998 at the age of 77.

During a meeting Nov. 8 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis signed the decree recognizing that the healing in 2006 of a 15-month-old baby, Juan Manuel Franco, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, was due to prayers for the intercession of Cardinal Pironio, the city’s former bishop.

The baby had inhaled and aspirated a toxic substance that caused acute respiratory distress. His parents, family and friends prayed that the cardinal would intercede to heal him, and he recovered. Doctors said there was no scientific explanation for why he survived.

The recognition of a miracle clears the way for a date to be set for the cardinal’s beatification.

Born in Nueve de Julio on Dec. 3, 1920, Eduardo Francisco Pironio was the 22nd child of Giuseppe and Enrica Buttazzoni Pironio, who emigrated to Argentina from Italy. After seminary studies in La Plata, Argentina, and Rome, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1943.

St. Paul VI named him an auxiliary bishop of La Plata in 1964. In 1967 he was named apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Avellaneda and was elected secretary-general of the Latin American bishops’ council, known as CELAM. In 1972 he was made bishop of Mar del Plata and was elected president of CELAM.

Pope Paul named him an archbishop in 1975 and called him to Rome as pro-prefect of the Vatican congregation for religious. He was made a cardinal in 1976 and participated in the conclaves that elected Pope John Paul I and St. John Paul II.

St. John Paul named him president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity in 1984, a position he held until his retirement 12 years later. When the pope instituted World Youth Day, he gave the task of organizing the event to the laity council.

Cardinal Pironio welcomed thousands of young people to the first gathering in Rome in 1985; he continued to orchestrate the mega-events later held in Buenos Aires; Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Czestochowa, Poland; Denver; and Manila, Philippines.

At the Nov. 8 meeting with Cardinal Semeraro, Pope Francis also signed decrees recognizing that three religious lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way: Italian Rogationist Father Giuseppe Marrazzo, who lived 1917-1992; Indian Sister Eliswa Vakayil, founder of the Teresian Carmelites, who lived 1831-1913; and Italian Sister Eleonora Foresti, founder of Franciscan Adorers Sisters, who was born in 1898 and died in 1953.

Read More Saints

The fisherman and the pharisee

Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

How a Norbertine nun’s visions led to the feast of Corpus Christi

Fox Nation announces second season for ‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’

Pope sets Sept. 7 for joint canonization of Blesseds Acutis and Frassati

Fathers of the Church: The Greek (or Eastern) Fathers

Copyright © 2023 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Cindy Wooden

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

  • St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

  • Augustinian prior opens up about papal vacation, first encyclical, appointments and tennis

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit

Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war

care of creation

Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass

sorry baby

Movie Review: Sorry, Baby

ICE

ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause
  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en