On August 10, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila presided over the solemn closing session of the diocesan inquiry of the cause of beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Julia Greeley.
Mass was celebrated at Christ the King Chapel in the St. John Vianney Seminary, followed by the closing session.
Since the Diocesan Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Denver began the investigation on December 18, 2016, 25 witnesses were interviewed to give their testimonies and thousands of pages of documents were gathered.
During the closing session, the documents were sealed in the presence of the Diocesan Tribunal presided by Archbishop Aquila.
In total, David Uebbing, Vice Postulator of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, will be taking 11,750 pages of documents to Rome next month.
These documents were hand-bound in 36 volumes with ribbons and sealed with a wax seal. They were then placed inside larger boxes tied with ribbon and sealed with a wax seal, which bears the stamp of the Missio Pastoralis Postulation Office.
“When the Vatican’s Congregation for Causes of Saints reopens in September, I will transport the documents there from Denver,” said Uebbing. “Together with Doctor Waldery Hilgeman, the Roman Postulator for Julia’s cause, I will present the documents, and they will be officially accepted.
“Once the documents are opened, the Roman phase of Julia’s cause will begin.”
During his homily the day of the closing session, Archbishop Aquila called those in attendance to strive to serve Jesus whole-heartedly, just like Julia, who “was one who put Jesus first, and she did it very quietly,” he said.
Her selfless service to the poor and firefighters is a true example of Christ-like love, he said.
Once the documents are opened, the Roman phase of Julia’s cause will begin.”
“That is a tremendous witness of what it means to be a servant and also to be a missionary disciple,” he said. “How many people did she bring into relationship with Jesus Christ? None of us really know; only God knows that.
“But we know she gave witness to him,” he added. “And we are called to the same.”
When it comes to Julia’s cause, the prayers of the faithful are still needed.
“I encourage the faithful to keep communicating with both me and the Julia Greeley Guild about any potential miracles received through Julia’s intercession,” said Uebbing, “since they will be needed for her to be beatified.”
