Rose Prince arrived at the former Lejac Residential School in British Columbia when she was six years old and never left.
Her grave site on the grounds of the Catholic-run institution at Fraser Lake is all that remains of the school, but it brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous visitors on pilgrimages every year seeking spiritual and physical healing.
Prince was known for her devout faith, compassion, humility and self-sacrifice. But itsa国际传媒檚 the almost unreal circumstances surrounding her death and claims of healing that prompts the pilgrimage to her grave every July.
Her acclaim has gained the attention of the Vatican as a possible candidate for sainthood.
Prince was 34 when she died of tuberculosis in 1949. It has been reported that Princesa国际传媒檚 body did not cool after she died at the former St. Johnsa国际传媒檚 Hospital in nearby Vanderhoof.
When her gravesite was disturbed by construction two years later, her opened casket revealed her body hadnsa国际传媒檛 decayed.
sa国际传媒淭he workers were amazed to find her body and clothing perfectly preserved,sa国际传媒� says a brochure produced by the Prince George diocese.
sa国际传媒淭hey found her body in perfect condition. She seemed to be transparent and looked as if she were sleeping. There was sa国际传媒榡ust a tiny bit of a smile on her face.sa国际传媒� A bouquet of withered flowers was on her chest.sa国际传媒�
Gravediggers, nuns and priests from the residential school reported a floral scent in the air. Only the bouquet of flowers she was buried with had wilted.
Among Catholics, sa国际传媒渋ncorruptionsa国际传媒� of the body is believed to be a sign of a life of holiness and reflects the victory of Christ over death.
Grand Chief Ed John said he cansa国际传媒檛 confirm miracles but has experienced an unexplained phenomenon at Princesa国际传媒檚 grave.
John, who spent seven years at the Lejac school, said he often visits Princesa国际传媒檚 grave to pray and seek strength from her spirit. Many Indigenous people across B.C. already consider Prince a saint, he said, but it could take the church decades or more to decide.
sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 a special person in our peoplessa国际传媒� history and we revere her in many respects,sa国际传媒� said John, the leader of the First Nations Summit, one of B.C.sa国际传媒檚 largest Indigenous organizations. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e heard stories of people who have had miraculous cures. I understand the church has taken steps to document that.sa国际传媒�
He cansa国际传媒檛 logically explain what he felt during one visit to the grave, but John said he experienced her presence.
sa国际传媒淚 was there and I get out of my vehicle and Isa国际传媒檓 walking towards the site of her burial and all you could smell were roses,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 couldnsa国际传媒檛 believe it. It was early enough that there wasnsa国际传媒檛 really any flowers out there yet. I cansa国际传媒檛 make heads or tails of that.sa国际传媒�
Jack Lacerte was 10 years old when he saw Princesa国际传媒檚 body after the coffin opened in 1951 as he helped his father, who was a caretaker at the school.
Lacerte died three years ago and was the last surviving person who saw the body, but his wife Shirley said her husband sa国际传媒� one of Canadasa国际传媒檚 first Indigenous RCMP officers sa国际传媒� never changed his story.
The pilgrimages to the Lejac school site, which started in 1990, bring people from across Western Canada and the North, said Rev. Vince James of St. Andrewsa国际传媒檚 Parish in Fraser Lake, located about 160 kilometres west of Prince George.
Fraser Lake miner Nick Loza told the Vancouver Sun in the 1990s he became pain free after soil from Princesa国际传媒檚 grave was mixed with holy water and rubbed on his damaged spine.
A letter signed by Loza describes the experience he had on Aug. 13, 1991: sa国际传媒淭he afternoon of August 13th, Father Jules Goulet anointed me and prayed for me through the intercession of Rose Prince. Since the anointing I just keep getting better. After three days I was able to walk again having to endure little pain. I was also able to have a full nightsa国际传媒檚 rest every night.sa国际传媒�
James said he sees the pilgrimages as sa国际传媒減eople gathering to share their faith with each other.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚 believe that Rose is a great soul and a holy woman. Some people claim she, through her intercession, theysa国际传媒檙e healed physically or spiritually.sa国际传媒�
He said the church moves slowly on matters of sainthood, but sa国际传媒淩ome knows about Rose. Wesa国际传媒檝e sent information over that we had.sa国际传媒�
James said a Vatican official has visited the parish about Prince.
The Vaticansa国际传媒檚 five steps to sainthood involve waiting five years after the personsa国际传媒檚 death, becoming a servant of God, showing proof of a life of heroic virtue, verifying miracles and canonization.
James said the pilgrimages are emotional gatherings because Prince brings those wanting to share their faith, but many wounded by their residential school experiences also arrive at the former school, which was torn down in 1976.
sa国际传媒淭hey say, I hated the place,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淢y grandmother went here. Isa国际传媒檝e come here not to be happy, but now that Isa国际传媒檝e experienced the weekend I feel good about it. I havensa国际传媒檛 forgiven. Isa国际传媒檝e got a lot of pain in my heart.sa国际传媒�
Among the schoolsa国际传媒檚 darkest chapters was the death of four boys in 1937. Ranging in age from seven to nine, the boys froze to death in January 1937 on Fraser Lake after running away from the school in -29 C temperatures.
Prince was at the school when the boys died.
sa国际传媒淭hey were found huddled together on the ice the next morning,sa国际传媒� said John. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just tragic. Itsa国际传媒檚 heartbreaking for us to see it now.sa国际传媒�
He said the boys were trying to get home, much the same as Chanie Wenjack, the Indigenous youth who died trying to return to his family from a residential school in Ontario. Wenjacksa国际传媒檚 journey became the subject of an illustrated book and recording by the Tragically Hipsa国际传媒檚 Gord Downie, who died this year.
Wilma Pattison said she considers her aunt a saint who lived a devout life where worldly things did not matter.
Prince died when Pattison was three years old, but shesa国际传媒檒l never forget walking into St. Andrewsa国际传媒檚 Parish in Fraser Lake for her first time almost 50 years ago.
Minutes after entering the church, Pattison said Sister Mary Ann gave her a greeting card made by Prince. The card was dated July 1948, the year before she died, and was addressed to the nun.
Sister Mary Ann said she vowed to give the card to the first person from Princesa国际传媒檚 family to come to the church.
Pattison says the card is signed, sa国际传媒淲ith Love from Rose Prince.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淢ay all the days of all the years that God has still in store be filled with every joy and grace to bless you more and more,sa国际传媒� said one of the handwritten verses.
Dirk Meissner , The Canadian Press
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