Benefactor of Blessed Angela miracle passes away

Lillian Halasinski, the Dunkirk native whose miracle paved the way for the beatification of the foundress of the Felician Sisters, Blessed Mother Mary Angela Truszkowska, passed away of old age on April 17 at the age of 95.

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec issued a statement praying for eternal peace for Halasinski.

“(She) was living proof that miracles happen and that with prayer, nothing is impossible,” he said.  “She was a woman of great devotion.  She will always be remembered for the important role she played in the beatification process for Blessed Angela and for the shining example of faith she provided to us all.”

Because of her connection to a Vatican-certified miracle, Halasinski’s passing was noted in Italy . 

“Lillian has a special place in the heart, spirit and life of the Felician Sisters,” said Sister Mary Barbara Ann Bosch, CSSF, minister general of the Felicians.  “Lillian was a gentle, serene and humble woman who lived a life of deep faith and prayer.  The sisters have expressed that in their many contacts with Lillian, she always radiated joy and peace.  She always spoke with gratitude to God for being cured through the intercession of Blessed Mary Angela.”

The provincial minister of the Felician Sisters in Buffalo also expressed her condolences.

“Lillian emulated kindness, gentleness, a quiet demeanor, prayerfulness and an unassuming character, the same virtues attributed to Blessed Mary Angela,” said Sister Mary Lorianne Tylczynski, CSSF.  “We are challenged to model the legacy Lillian Halasinski leaves behind.”

It was nearly a quarter-century ago when Halasinski was in such ill health, she began praying to Blessed Angela on a daily basis.  A condition known as diabetic neuropathy caused severe pain and swelling in Halasinski’s legs, and limited her mobility.  Doctors considered amputating the legs of the then 71-year-old.  But a Eucharistic minister told Halasinski of Blessed Angela, who formed the Felician order in Warsaw in 1855 and was a pioneer for social justice in Poland .

“For three months I said a prayer every day,” Halasinski told the Western New York Catholic in 2002.  “I’ve been going to the hospital and they said they couldn’t do anything.  I suffered quite a bit.”

On Jan. 4, 1984, her prayers were answered.  While lying on the couch in her home at 9 p.m., Halasinski said she saw Blessed Angela come through the house.

“I could sense her presence right through the kitchen door,” she said.  “I could smell her beautiful flowers, and I suddenly felt no pain.”

Halasinski’s daughter poured vinegar over a cloth on her legs, and her mobility suddenly improved.  Observers were stunned when Halasinski walked to Mass without the use of aides or walkers.

“After a very painful day, I experienced a bit of heavenly peace,” Halasinski wrote in a testimony about her miracle.

As doctors and Vatican officials investigated Halasinski’s sudden recovery, they determined there was no medical explanation for what she experienced.  Pope John Paul II, who shared many of the same Polish roots as Blessed Angela and officially opened her cause for canonization, presided over the beatification ceremony in 1993.  Halasinski was among the local congregation who attended the event at St. Peter’s Basilica.

A Mass of Christian burial was held for Halasinski at St. Hyacinth in Dunkirk on April 19.  More than five years ago, Halasinski reflected upon her devotion to Blessed Angela using many of the same words others would say about the Dunkirk woman’s life.

“We now hope for a miracle so that (Blessed Angela) can be made a saint,” Halasinski said.  “She was a good person, very humble, but she suffered.”