Vatican investigates alleged ‘miracle’ at Connecticut church
- Wafers distributed during Communion multiplied inside the ciborium
- Reverend: "God duplicated himself in this moment"
- The Vatican's investigation will last approximately two weeks
THOMASTON, Conn. (NewsNation) — The Vatican is now investigating an extraordinary event that allegedly took place during a mass at a Roman Catholic Church in Thomaston back in March, leaving the faithful in awe.
Rev. Joseph Crowley, the head of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, was leading Mass at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston when he reported the wafers distributed during Communion multiplied inside the ciborium, which is the container used to hold the wafers, also referred to as Communion host.
“God duplicated himself in this moment. Very powerful, very awesome, very real, very shocking. But also, it happens,” Crowley said.
A parishioner who was assisting with distributing the Communion wafers allegedly reported that there was a shortage of hosts. However, they then found there were plenty of wafers remaining.
Now, the alleged event is being investigated as a possible “miracle” by the Vatican.
Although the multiplication of communion wafers may seem relatively inconsequential, it holds great significance for Catholics.
In the 21st century, only four eucharistic miracles have been recognized throughout the world, according to Magis Center.
The Eucharist, or Communion, is considered the holiest sacrament in the Catholic faith. Catholics believe the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ during the blessing, rather than mere symbols of his presence.
The news quickly reached the Archdiocese of Hartford, prompting an investigation to determine whether a genuine miracle had occurred within the church.
Now, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith, the entity responsible for safeguarding the Catholic faith worldwide, has been alerted and has initiated its own investigation into the matter.
The alleged miracle at St. Thomas Church has a special connection to the late Father Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus. He spent the final years of his clerical career at St. Thomas Church and is just one more verified miracle away from final consideration for sainthood.
If McGivney were to be canonized, he would become the first man born in the United States ever to be elevated to sainthood.
The Catholic Church has a meticulous process for verifying miracles. The Vatican’s investigation is expected to take approximately two weeks.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the reported miracle has reignited debates about faith, miracles and the supernatural.
Devan Markham contributed to this report.