‘A miracle of God’
For Pariona, what happened is a miracle from God. “I felt freer, because I touched his [the pope’s] hand and said: ‘Please help me, help me.’ And well, the next day the doctor comes to do an exam and tells me that my son has no blood clots, that the fracture will close in six to eight weeks.”
“Today I say: ‘Yes, it’s a miracle, it’s a double miracle,’ because Pope Francis is the godfather of my son, he baptized him and helped me heal him. For me, it has been too great a gift from God,” she added.
The call from Pope Francis
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Two and a half months later, in his room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, Pope Francis learned that Marcela, the boy’s mother, had gone on June 8 to the hospital hoping to meet him.
The young mother wanted to spend an afternoon together so that the pope could get to know her family better, since they consider the pope a part of their lives. That same day, Marcela received a surprise phone call from Pope Francis, who assured her that he would be delighted to see her and spend some time together.
Pariona expressed her gratitude to Francis with two large cards wishing him a quick recovery from his abdominal surgery, on which she included photos of her family with messages in her children’s handwriting and signatures. She went to the hospital several times to send greetings to the pope and even spoke with Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who operated on the pontiff.
The baby’s brothers, José Miguel, 13, and Massimo Antonio, 11, decorated the card with drawings of hearts and photographs of their family, and one of Pope Francis blessing their baby brother. On June 11, Pariona was also accompanied by the older sons’ stepfather, Edwin Alberto Bedriñana Zegarra, 32, who is Miguel Ángel’s father and works in Bologna.
The family of a baby whom Pope Francis baptized during his stay in March 2023 sent the pope a poster June 8, 2023, thanking him for blessing baby Miguel Angel and wishing him a speedy recovery. Credit: Vatican Media
Pariona’s testimony
Pariona describes her family as “five hearts and one beat.” Despite the trials and crises they have faced, she is grateful to have her three children and her husband.
Before giving birth to Miguel Ángel, she had three miscarriages and at one point lost her faith. However, she found comfort in her spouse. During her pregnancy, Pariona expressed her gratitude to heaven for the blessing of being a mother. She said she is grateful to feel her son’s heartbeat and all the emotions that come with it.
When she became pregnant, she recalled: “I looked up to heaven and said: ‘Thank you, I owe you one.’ That’s all I said. Thank you, thank you for giving me this blessing, thank you for feeling again these little kicks, this heart that we have within, these emotions.”
Appointment at Santa Marta
Pariona and her family will celebrate the baptism of her other two children on June 18. In addition, she sent a message of hope: “God,” she added, “does not abandon his children and gives the most difficult trials to his strongest warriors. I bowed before God at a time when my son was with the needles [in the arm], recovering. I asked him for the life of my son, that he be well. And so, little by little, I am giving my life back to God.”
The Holy Father already has a pending appointment with his “Peruvian family” at Casa Santa Marta as soon as possible and when the doctors allow it.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Baby Miguel Ángel and a handwritten note by Pope Francis that says: “On the day of the date (below) I baptized Miguel Angel Bedriñana Pariona, in Gemelli Hospital. Rome, 31 March 2023 Francesco.”. Credit: Vatican Media
