GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Northeast Wisconsin could get its very first saint, but it’s still a long process before that can officially happen.
On Friday night at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in downtown Green Bay, catholic officials held a ceremony to formally begin the process of exploring sainthood for Adele Brice.
Brice was born in Belgium and came to Northeast Wisconsin with her family in 1855 at age 24. She lost sight in one of her eyes as a young child.
In 1859, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Brise several times. Brice said that Mary told her to spread the word of the Lord to people in Northeast Wisconsin. She then made preaching the gospel her life mission and did this successfully despite not being able to read or write.
She traveled all around Northeast Wisconsin on foot to fulfill her mission and lived much of her life in poverty.
“It was so beautiful seeing all the young people (at the ceremony on Friday night),” Bishop David Ricken said. “Especially the families since Adele was all about children.”
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Brice built a school, chapel, and covenant in the town of Robinsonville in Brown County. She was also in Peshtigo during the Great Peshtigo Fire. Many credit her prayers as the reason it eventually began to rain, putting out the fire before it could do additional damage.
She passed away in 1896. The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion sits on one of the locations where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Brice.
The process for becoming a saint in the Catholic Church is extensive. On Friday evening at the ceremony, the diocese of Green Bay officially declared her a servant of God and will begin investigating her life, which is step one on the road to sainthood.
“We’re going to learn a lot more about her, and by learning about her we’ll learn more about Jesus, which is what our faith is all about,” Father John Girotti said.
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After exploring their life, the church must then decide if the person lived a life of heroic virtue or was a martyr. The church must then also confirm that a miracle involving the candidate for sainthood occurred.
When the church confirms that a second miracle involving the candidate occurred, the person can officially become a saint.
“I think it will be a big sign of hope to people and give hope to everyone that holiness is possible,” Bishop Ricken said when asked what it would mean to the diocese of Green Bay if Brice became a saint. “We are called to it (holiness).”
Brice would be the first-ever saint from Northeast Wisconsin if she eventually becomes canonized.
“In my 18 years as bishop in the diocese of Green Bay, I have heard many stories of Adele’s life and virtues,” Bishop Ricken said. “Through my continued discernment of Adele’s life and ministry and given the testimonial I have received in recent weeks, I am compelled to open this cause and name her a servant of God.”
