Mother Leonia’s whole life was aimed at people in need. She shared joys and pains, sufferings and hopes with everyone. More than material conditions, Mother Leonia offered everyone her maternal heart, solidarity full of mercy, an outstretched hand that relieved pain, indicated the paths and spread tenderness, reviving hope for better days. She said: “Christ needs my heart to continue to love, my hands to continue to save“. After his return to the House of the Father in 1980, the Laity (ICLAM) associated with this noble mission of evangelization were born: the Institute of Claretian Lay Missionaries and the Claretian Ecclesial Fraternity (FEC), evident signs of the spiritual fruitfulness of the charism left by Founders of the Congregation. In Londrina in the Eucharistic sanctuary of the Heart of Mary Institute is the tomb of Mother Leonia. Where many pilgrims go seeking her intercession and thank the Lord that she has bestowed her graces through her intercessions. On 19 March 1998 in the cathedral of Londrina, Parana, Msgr. Albano Cavalin introduced the cause of beatification of Mother Leonia Milito. In September of that year, in the Chapel of the Heart of Mary Institute, the Mother House of the Congregation, the first session of the ecclesiastical tribunal took place, the process of beatification and recognition of the virtues of the Servant of God.
In the first phase of the beatification process, in addition to the ecclesiastical tribunal, the College of censors and the Commission of history experts work. One year into the activity of the ecclesiastical tribunal, more than 100 people have written to the Secretariat of the Postulation for pardons received.
The tomb of Mother Leonia, which lies at the feet of Jesus the Eucharist in the Shrine of her grace, wants to tell everyone that the Eucharist is the surest way to live the Father’s plan by serving and loving everyone, especially the poor. Father Enedir Gonsalves of Bauru, visiting the tomb of Mother Leonia, said: “I return home renewed, full of a new missionary zeal. It is incredible how eloquent the mortal remains of a Saint speak to me“. This is the meaning of a process of beatification in the Church: to encourage the people of God to follow Jesus, through the testimony of the saints.
The saints leave examples of holiness to transform the world by sowing courage, strength, hope, goodness and prophetic dynamism. The saints who contemplate the face of God carved into the face of each brother, like Mother Leonia: “Holiness is love”.