Servant of God Cora Evans

Media Contact Michael McDevitt 310-880-1704 Mike@CoraEvans.com

 

California Sainthood Cause Moves to Rome – Vatican Phase Begins

Press Release

November 29, 2023, ROME: The Ordinary Congress of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints entrusted to the Most Rev. Relator Msgr. Tagliaferri Maurizio to Cause of Servant of God Cora Louise Evans.

Wednesday, May 31, 2023, ROME Decree Issued from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints: Affirmative Opinion on the Validity of Diocesan Inquiry

"In the Ordinary Congress, held on May 31 of this year 2023, this Dicastery of the Causes of Saints debated the following doubt: "whether is evident the validity of the Diocesan Inquiry held at the Monterey Ecclesiastical Court in California, on the life and virtues as well as the reputation of the sanctity and signs of the Servant of God Cora Louise Evans, Christian faithful and mother: whether the witnesses have been properly examined and the documents produced legitimately presented in the case and to the effect in question". This Dicastery, having carefully considered the opinion from the office in charge, states: in the affirmative, on the validity of the aforesaid Diocesan Inquiry in the case and to the effect in question. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary. Given at Rome, from the see of the same Dicastery, on the 31st day of 2023"  

Thursday, April 20, 2023, ROME the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints formally opened the Acts of the Inquiry (break the seal) for the cause of Beatification and Canonization of Servant of God Cora Louise Evans. The procedure represents the Church’s official acceptance of the cause and sets the stage for submitting the Positio (a summary of the Acts) and future examination by Vatican-appointed historians and theologians.

In commenting on the importance of this event, Michael McDevitt, Executive Director of the organization sponsoring the cause stated, “This stage of Cora’s mission perfectly ties in with the current focus on Eucharist in the United States. What we receive is living bread, not a thing, we receive Him. The devotion to the Mystical Humanity of Christ, Cora’s mission, is about the divine indwelling. We are blessed with the opportunity to take Jesus with us wherever we go.”

Cardinal Semeraro with Michael and Pam McDevitt, Amy Earley (their daughter) and Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, postulator for the Rome phase of the cause.

Federico Favero, Officer of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints opens the Acts of the Inquiry

 

March 30th is a co-anniversary for Cora Evans. It is the date of her Baptism (1935). It is the date when she crossed the threshold to Eternal Life (1957). Let us join together in prayer asking for her intercession for our needs and those of others.

Approved Prayer for the Intercession of Cora Evans

First: Visit the Blessed Sacrament

Incensory Prayer

This prayer was composed by Cora’s spiritual director, Fr. Frank Parrish, S.J.
Dearest Jesus,
You blessed Cora Evans with many supernatural mystical gifts as a means of drawing us
to a deeper and more intimate union with your Sacred Heart through Your Divine
Indwelling, Your Mystical Humanity. I ask You through her intercession to help me in my
special request
(name the favor)
and my efforts to do Your will here on earth and be with You, Your Blessed Mother,
Saint Joseph and the whole Court of Heaven forever.

 

Say Three Times:The Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father

Imprimatur: Most Reverend George H. Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, February 18,
2011

For Prayer Cards and
to Report Answered Prayers
Michael McDevitt: Mike@CoraEvans.com, 310-880-1704

 

_{Bishop Daniel Garcia seals the Acts of the Inquiry. On the left, Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, postulator for the Rome phase of the cause.}

January 22, 2023, Cathedral of San Carlos, Monterey,California:  Today Bishop Daniel Garcia presided over the closing session for the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Servant of God Cora Louise Evans. The ceremony was preceded by the 5:30 Mass attended by over 250 parishioners. Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, postulator of the Rome phase of the cause stated, “Following the celebration of the last session, the Acts of the Inquiry will be delivered to the Vatican’s Dicsastery for the Causes of Saints, and the Roman phase will begin

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 16, 2022, BALTIMORE: At their fall General Assembly, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) today approved by voice vote the canonical consultation of canonization for Servant of God Cora Evans. Sought by Bishop Daniel Garcia of Monterey, California, the voice vote is in keeping with the Episcopal consultation process as a step in the Catholic Church’s process towards declaring a person a saint.

Cora Evans (1904-1957) was a wife and mother, a writer, and mystic. She was a convert from Mormonism to the Catholic faith. The mission entrusted to Cora Evans by our Lord is the promulgation of the Mystical Humanity of Christ – the divine indwelling – throughout the world. This is Eucharistic spirituality, encouraging the faithful to live with a heightened awareness of the living presence of Christ in the ordinary circumstances of the daily lives. Cora’s mission fully supports the mission of USCCB especially as it relates to Eucharistic renewal in parishes and for the universal Church.

Presentation by Most Rev. Daniel Garcia, 
Bishop of Monterey, California
November 16, 2022 Meeting of the USCCB
Baltimore, Maryland

Thank you, Archbishop Gomez. My brothers, it is my joy to present to you the Servant of God, Cora Louise Evans, a wife, mother, and mystic, who was born to Mormon parents in 1904 in Ogden, Utah. Cora’s family had a special history with Mormonism from its inception, as her ancestors settled in Utah alongside Brigham Young.  At the age of three, Cora had her first mystical experience with the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose message Cora would not understand until many years later.  Cora suffered from multiple ailments as a child, limiting her to merely an eighth-grade education.

When she was 19 years old, Cora was married in the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, but the ceremony itself triggered a sudden process of alienation from her Mormon beliefs. In 1934, she heard a radio broadcast of “The Catholic Hour,” featuring Msgr. Duane Hunt, who was shortly to become the Bishop of Salt Lake City, teaching about the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Catholic faith. Cora realized immediately that this was the same woman who had appeared to her as a child. Following her illness, Cora began taking instructions in the Catholic faith and was baptized and received her first Holy Communion in 1935.

Cora paid a high cost for her conversion.  Her parents and extended family shunned her, and the local community deprived her husband of work. Thus, the Evans family decided to move to California, ready to start a new life. It’s important to note that although Cora had this profound experience in her life, Cora continued to show affection and welcome to her Mormon friends and acquaintances.  She never disparaged or demeaned the LDS beliefs and practices.

Once she arrived in Los Angeles, Cora’s mystical experiences increased, and she sought out spiritual direction from the nearby Jesuit community.

About a year later, Jesus entrusted Cora with a unique mission: to promulgate the teaching of the “Mystical Humanity of Christ” – a Pauline-style Christology that echoed Pius XII’s own Mystici Corporis. Cora also taught a unique way of prayer that encourages people to develop an awareness of the indwelling presence of Jesus in their daily lives, centered always on the Eucharist.

As a part of her mystical life, Cora was commanded by Christ to write extensively of her visions and conversations with Him. Despite her limited education, she presented complex Christological and soteriological ideas consistent with Catholic belief, but with new insights and in a style accessible to the average reader. Her writings total nearly three thousand pages. For the last eight years of her life Cora was graced with the stigmata, whose sufferings she joyfully offered for the needs of those who sought her help and for the conversion of others.

There appear to be three principal elements of Cora’s Mission as she identified them over the course of her life. First, Cora was a “seer” in the mystical life, charged by Christ with relating His messages to the Catholic faithful. Second, Cora saw herself as a convert to Catholicism and as a bridge between LDS believers and her new faith. Third, Cora’s great contribution to Christology or the understanding of Jesus as Savior is found in her most widely read work, The Refugee from Heaven.

The Christ of Cora Evans brings beauty to the world as He embraces people of every race and tongue. As a result, Cora saw Christ as made human in the myriad of cultures and peoples that have lived on the earth since its start. Her unique writings are filled with the urgency of care for the earth, the love of God for all, and her desire to see the message of Christ brought to everyone who would hear it.
Cora was also known throughout her life for the gifts of prophecy, the reading of hearts, extraordinary intercessions for others and for the practice of virtues in an exemplary way.

In her final years, Cora fought cancer with enormous patience and forbearance. By a special grace, Bishop Duane Hunt visited her just prior to her death in 1957 on the 22nd anniversary of her baptism as a Catholic.

Following her death, many have received favors through her intercession, though no miraculous events have been reported. Yet during her life, there is evidence of parents seeking her intercession for a severely ill child, who was cured.

The Diocese of Monterey has sponsored this cause since its opening in November of 2012 by my predecessor, Bishop Richard Garcia. Thank you.

The Importance of the cause for the local and universal Church

The mission entrusted to Cora Evans by our Lord is the promulgation of the Mystical Humanity of Christ – the divine indwelling – throughout the world. This is Eucharistic spirituality, encouraging the faithful to live with a heightened awareness of the living presence of Christ in the ordinary circumstances of the daily lives. Cora’s mission fully supports the mission of USCCB especially as it relates to Eucharistic renewal in parishes and for the universal Church.

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Cora Evans, middle age		Cora Evans
Fr. Frank and Cora		Cora Evans typing

About

Biographical Data of Servant of God Cora Louise Evans

Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah

July 9, 1904 Cora Louise Yorgason is born in Midvale, Utah to Laura and Robert Yorgason.
1912 Cora is baptized into the Mormon church. 
June 4, 1924 She marries Mack Evans at the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City (worldwide headquarters for the Mormon church). After the ceremony, Cora rejects Mormon religion based on the secret ritual and what she considers to be false teachings about God. Cora begins ten-year search for the true religion. 
December 9, 1934 In Ogden, Utah, Cora listens to a radio talk by Monsignor Duane Hunt (later Most Reverend Duane Hunt, Bishop of Salt Lake City) and decides to visit the local Catholic Church. 
March 30, 1935 Cora is baptized a Catholic by Father William E. Vaughn, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Ogden, Utah. 
March 31, 1935 Cora receives her First Holy Communion. 
1936–1939 Cora influences more than 1000 Mormons to visit Saint Joseph Catholic Church; numerous conversions follow. 
July 1938 Her mystical life: During deep ecstasy, Cora makes choice to serve God for the rest of her life, describing the state of her soul as intimately united to God. Cora refers to this as her “vow day.” 

Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California

March 17, 1941 Cora moves to Southern California and is active at Saint Cecilia’s Parish.
May 21, 1942 Saint Aloysius Gonzaga appears to Cora.
February 20, 1945 Father Frank Parrish, S.J. is appointed Cora’s confessor and spiritual director by Father Joseph King, S.J., Provincial of the California Province of the Society of Jesus. 
December 24, 1946 Jesus reveals the mission He will entrust to Cora Evans. Cora learns she is to promulgate the Mystical Humanity of Christ (the divine indwelling) within souls—as a way of prayer in the United States and throughout the world. Jesus promises to foster the devotion. 
1945–1957 Based on ecstasies and in complete obedience to her spiritual director, Cora writes numerous profound manuscripts and diaries. She experiences mystical phenomena witnessed by priests, religious, and lay people. Many testimonies are written. 
July 30, 1947 Cora begins experiencing the stigmata. She endures frequent pain for the rest of her life in the palms of her hands, head, feet, and over her heart. 
1948 Cora prays that our Lord will allow her to be like Saint Therèse of Lisieux, helping souls on earth after her death. 

Diocese of Monterey, California

1956 Cora moves to Boulder Creek in Northern California, joins Saint Michael Parish. 
January 4, 1957 Most Reverend Duane Hunt (1884–1960), Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, visits Cora at her home in Boulder Creek. 
March 30, 1957 Cora enters eternal life, 22 years to the day of her Catholic baptism. She is buried in the crypt of the Fatima Wing of the mausoleum adjacent to where California Jesuits are buried in Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, California. 
June 15, 2010 Most Reverend Richard Garcia, D.D., Bishop of Monterey, California announces the intention to open a cause into Cora’s canonization. 
January 2011 Father Joseph Grimaldi is appointed Postulator for the cause of Cora Evans. Previously, Father Grimaldi served as Promoter of Justice for the cause of Saint Damien of Molokai. 
February 18, 2011 Prayer for the intercession of Servant of God Cora Evans, written by Fr. Frank Parrish, S.J., is granted Imprimatur by Most Reverend George Niederauer, D.D., Ph.D., Archbishop of San Francisco, California. 
March 29, 2012 Letter from Rome, giving Cora the title of Servant of God and providing Nihil obstat (Lat., nothing stands in the way), grants approval for the sainthood cause to proceed. The letter is from Angelo Cardinal Amato, S.D.B., Prefect, Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Rome. 
2019 The Acts of the Inquiry near completion. These acts include the comprehensive report of the Historical Commission, the work of Theological Censors, and detailed interviews of eyewitnesses and others who have been influenced by the life story and writings of Cora Evans. 
January 2020 Dr. Emanuele Spedicato is appointed Postulator for the Rome phase of the Cause for Cora Evans. 
November 16, 2022 Bishop Daniel Garcia presents Cora’s cause for sainthood as part of the Consultation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). 
January 22, 2023 The closing session for the diocesan phase of the cause takes place at San Carlos Cathedral, in Monterey, California. Following this session, the Acts of the Inquiry (over 5000 pages of supporting documentation) are presented to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome. 
2023 Theologian and Rome Postulator write and submit the Positio (500-page summary of the Acts of the Inquiry) to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The Roman phase of the cause for Beatification and Canonization continues.
 

The Remarkable Story of Servant of God Cora Evans

By Michael McDevitt, Custodian for the Writings of Cora Evans

SERVANTS OF GOD ARE KNOWN BY THEIR STORIES. Their lives were given freely to the Lord in response to the circumstances at the time, and for the good of the whole Church. They did not ask for or expect to be in the situations in which they found themselves. These men and women radiated the holiness of God dwelling within them. It is the story of their lives, how they responded to grace, their impact on others, combined with God’s proof by miracles in their name that led the pope to declare, “We know for certain this person is with God in Heaven.”

Only God can make a saint. At this stage there is no certainty that Cora Evans will become a canonized saint. Today, she is a Servant of God¹, and her cause for Beatification and Sainthood is under way in the Diocese of Monterey, California.

Cora Evans was born July 9, 1904, and she passed away March 30, 1957. Her first mystical experience, an apparition of the Blessed Mother, took place when she was three years old. It was an event she could not fully comprehend and would never forget. Many years would pass before she understood the vision and the message.

Cora was raised a Mormon and was married to Maclellan Evans in the well-known Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. That event was the turning point in her life. She left the secret ceremony disillusioned and disappointed with Mormonism, especially the doctrine that placed man-made gods above the God of Abraham. “I was without a God and religion but had gained a very wonderful husband. As I looked at him and learned to love him more and more, I resolved to help find a God for him.  After ten years of searching, we found the One True God in the Roman Catholic Church.”

During the ten years that followed the marriage ceremony, Cora and Mack had three children. They suffered the loss of a child, Bobby, when he was ten months old.  Cora investigated many religions, but believed it would be a waste of time to even inquire about Catholicism. Although she no longer considered herself a Mormon, she held on to pervasive anti-Catholic warnings she learned growing up in Utah. 

On December 9, 1934, Cora was quite ill. The family lived in Ogden, Utah, at the time. Cora was in bed and the radio was on the other side of the room. No one was home and she was too sick to get out of bed to change the station when the Catholic Hour began broadcasting. Despite her aversion to Catholicism, Cora was forced to listen to Monsignor Duane Hunt² talk about the Blessed Mother and the teachings of the Catholic faith. His message conflicted with the negative stories Cora had been told about Catholics. As soon as she recovered, Cora went to nearby St. Joseph Catholic Church to inquire about the faith and have her questions answered. This was a courageous move for a former Mormon. A series of meetings followed, including debates in her home between the parish priest, Father Edward Vaughn, and several Mormon bishops. Cora quickly became aware of the truth of Christianity and the obvious false stories told about Catholics. She appreciated Father Vaughn’s demeanor and the clarity of his responses to questions about Catholic doctrine. Cora was baptized March 30, 1935, and received her first Holy Communion the next day. Mack and their daughters, LaVonne and Dorothy, followed her lead a few months later.
Cora influenced many Mormons to visit St. Joseph’s, inviting them to open house gatherings. Years later, Father Vaughn wrote a letter confirming that through Cora’s evangelization efforts there were hundreds of conversions of Mormons to the Catholic faith. 
door to eternal life.”

The Move to Southern California and Spiritual Guidance

Due to religious and cultural prejudices, it was virtually impossible for Cora’s husband, also a convert, to hold down a job. In 1941 the family moved to Southern California. In retrospect, I recognize this as God’s plan. Cora began having mystical experiences with much greater frequency. In response to her search for spiritual guidance, on February 20, 1945, Father Frank Parrish, S.J.³ was appointed her confessor and spiritual director by the Provincial⁴ of the Society of Jesus. The meeting took place at Loyola High School in Los Angeles. 

On December 24, 1946, Jesus revealed the mission entrusted to Cora. She learned that she was to promulgate the Mystical Humanity of Christ, a way of prayer that encourages people to live with a heightened awareness of the indwelling presence of Jesus in their daily lives. It is Eucharistic spirituality, and Jesus promised to foster the devotion.

Father Frank served as the spiritual guide of Cora’s soul for the rest of her life. His written account of events is testimony to Cora’s heroic virtues and her reputation of sanctity. 

Cora is considered a hidden mystic, and although there were many friends, including priests and religious, she was not known publically. There are many examples of visionaries who where unknown at the time of their death, including Saints Margaret Mary (devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus), Catherine Laboure (Miraculous Medal), and Sister Faustina (Divine Mercy). Like these women, there was never any publicity about Cora’s private revelation. 

The life story of Cora Evans, wife and mother, is that of a remarkable woman who practiced Christian virtues and earned a reputation for holiness. She became a daily communicant and one of her favorite devotions was the Stations of the Cross. At times she would say the stations in reverse, mirroring the way the Blessed Mother saw them as she walked home from the crucifixion. 

Cora’s gifts of mysticism⁵ are not in and of themselves sufficient grounds for the declaration of sainthood. It is the story of her life with the proof of heroic virtues that places everything else in context. 

Prior to opening the cause, in conformance with Canon Law, Bishop Richard Garcia obtained the nihil obstat⁶ for the cause for Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God, Cora Evans. Bishop Richard J. Garcia passed away in 2018. 

Bishop Daniel E. Garcia who was installed Bishop of Monterey, January 29, 2019, authorized the Acts of the to proceed.

The purpose of Cora’s life, the suffering she endured, and her writings inspire the faithful to live with awareness of the living indwelling presence of Jesus known as the Mystical Humanity of Christ.

Footnotes

1. “A Catholic whose cause of beatification and canonization has been initiated is called Servant of God.” Sanctorum Mater, Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Title II, Article 4, February 22, 2007.

2. Most Reverend Duane G. Hunt (1884-1960), consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, October 28, 1937. Bishop Hunt visited Cora in her home in Boulder Creek, California, shortly before she passed away in 1957.

3. Fr. Frank Parrish, S.J. (1911 - 2003) is best known in Catholic circles for his blessing of terminally ill Fr. John A. Houle, S.J. with the relic of Blessed Claude la Colombiere on February 23, 1990. This led to a miraculous cure – a first class miracle. Colombiere, who had been the spiritual director of Saint Margaret Mary, was declared a saint and canonized by Pope John Paul II, May 31, 1992.

4. Fr. Joseph J. King, S.J. (1900 - 1986) served as provincial from January 1943 to August 1948. The geographic area served in 1945 included California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

5. Suffering the wounds of Christ, the fragrance of roses associated with her presence, visionary experiences, and profound writings.

6. Nihil obstat granted by Angelo Cardinal Amato, S.D.B., Prefect, Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Rome, Italy. Letter March 29, 2012.

Frequently Asked Questions

A list of frequently asked questions about Cora Evans and her canonization process can be found here.

Lessons from the Life of Cora Evans by Jeannie Ewing

After her disillusionment with the Mormon faith of her childhood, Cora Evans – wife and mother – converted to Catholicism in Utah in 1935. A rather radical decision at the time, Cora was drawn by an innate mystical spirituality of drawing in unitive love with Our Lord. For her, it could only be fulfilled in the Catholic faith, though she did not know this with certitude until she was in her thirties. 
She was only twenty at the time of rejecting the Mormonism into which she had been baptized as a child. At that point, she spent a long ten-year quest to search for truth. She discovered it in the Catholic Church after spending many hours listening to a radio program hosted by Monsignor Duane Hunt.

Although she was never formally educated alongside her peers, she felt a conviction to write. This, to her, was clearly inspiration from the Holy Spirit. She had suffered from various illnesses throughout her childhood, which had prevented her from completing her academic studies. Despite her lack of schooling, she followed this divine prompting and penned beautiful personal letters, descriptions of her visions, and conversations with God.

Since these are known as private revelations, there is no obligation to accept the musings of Cora Evans. Still, based on her life – which some may label ordinary – we can glean hints of the ways in which she exemplified virtue and grew in holiness, also encouraging others to do the same.
Cora Evans’ spirituality is, quite possibly, so remarkable, because of her ordinariness. She was a lay woman, married with children, and did not possess any spectacular abilities or talents. Yet she strove, in her own way and along her own journey on Earth, toward Jesus. Her particular love for the Eucharist fortified her to perhaps even love the ordinary, rather than seek pomp and popularity.

Yet she accomplished, without trying, what so few of us do in our lifetime – the conversion of not only her own soul, but the soul of thousands of others. In the span of three years, Cora persuaded a plethora of Mormons to visit St. Joseph Catholic Church, and they, too, began a journey into the Catholic Church.

Her mystical revelations began in July 1938. This was the turning point by which she described her “vow day” of dedicating her entire life to God. When God gifted her with the stigmata, she learned of the perpetual loneliness, rejection, skepticism, and ridicule that accompanied such a miracle.

Despite losing friends and family members after her conversion, Cora clung to Jesus for strength. She was convinced that He was the Source of her life, of her breath, of everything – particularly since she was well aware of her own weaknesses, both physical limitations and lack of proper education.

The Cause for Canonization

The cause for Cora Evans’ canonization is rooted in her exemplary humility, perseverance in trials, and fortitude. She was also supremely obedient to the Magisterium and sought spiritual counsel regarding her mystical experiences, never wavering from what she was instructed to do about and with these. 

The phrase “mystical humanity of Christ” is attributed to Cora, because she believed strongly that all of us can draw nearer to Jesus’ humanity and thus enter into His Divine Heart more closely. Perhaps it is actually the humanity of Jesus that drew Cora nearer to Him during her physical and emotional suffering, because she knew He was the only One who would fulfill the deepest longings of her heart.

Selected Quotes from Cora Evans

We are His portable tabernacles! What a mission in life!

Cora lived her entire life immersed in this truth. She took seriously the responsibility every one of us has to care for ourselves and others, to notice that each of us is a reflection of God and to therefore freely forgive, unconditionally love, and gently correct. If we all carried the image of our souls as portable tabernacles, I wonder how we might change for the better, how we might consider the weight of our words before they are spoken or respond to the Holy Spirit rather than hesitate.

Your life here on earth is but a means of winning the reward of life everlasting.

Only those who have worn the invisible cloak of physical suffering and chronic pain can keep the perspective that we are pilgrims, sojourners on earth and that our final destination is heaven. That is our hope, and it was Cora’s too – that no matter what we suffer on earth, that suffering has been redeemed by Jesus and can powerfully transform us and the world in which we live.

How well it is to learn the rule that we cannot escape life and the unique trials that our chosen vocations bring upon us.

The problem that happens when we fall into dark despondency and even teeter on the brink of despair is this – we forget that no one is exempt from trials. Part of the human condition is learning to live with, and possibly embrace, our crosses. Cora learned this from a young age after suffering from bouts of physical ailments. Most of us squander our sufferings in the vain attempt to “get to the other side,” that is, to get healed or find peace. We forget that healing and peace do not happen without the crucible of suffering, by which our souls are refined and purified.

Souls are masterpieces – our visible life is the canvas upon which we try painting the image of Jesus.

If we all saw each other the way Cora saw people – individuals, not simply a collective humanity – we might carry with us this image of Jesus in every conversation or encounter. I find that I’m constantly surprised by the connections God places in my life, always when I least expect them.

When I enter a conversation with no pretenses or agenda, I am allowing the blank canvas of the other person to be painted by what is said or not said, by what is shared in the spoken word or in silence. Cora knew that we can hurt or heal by what we do and say to others, and she encouraged us all, as only she could in her gentle way, to keep at the forefront of our minds and hearts the fact that we are images of God but also instruments of God to others.
 
About the author
JEANNIE EWING is a Catholic spirituality writer and national inspirational speaker. Among her eight books, "From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph", is her most popular. She is a frequent guest on podcasts, radio shows, and has appeared on EWTN, CatholicTV, and ShalomWorld. Her deepest desire is to accompany those who suffer and are lonely. Visit her website at jeannieewing.com for more information.

Biographical Data of Father Frank Parrish, S.J.

Spiritual Director for Servant of God Cora Evans

Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California

August 9, 1911 Born in Highland Park, Los Angeles County, California
1929 Graduated from Loyola High School, Los Angeles, and entered the Society of Jesus
1936 Began teaching career at Loyola High School
June 13, 1942 Ordained at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco
May 22, 1944 Held first retreat at Sacred Heart Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut
1945 Appointed Archdiocesan Director of the Apostleship of Prayer and the League of the Sacred Heart, spiritual director for the deaf and hearing-impaired
Confessor and Spiritual Director
1945 Appointed confessor and spiritual director for Cora Evans by Jesuit Provincial, Fr. Joseph King
University Role
September 1948 Appointed Dean, Loyola University (now Loyola Marymount University). Also served as sodality director and professor of theology.

Retreat Master

Served as Retreat Master at the Jesuit Manresa Retreat House in Azusa, California, then as Superior of Columbière House, Los Angeles

Nationwide Broadcaster

1955–1990s Broadcasting ministry, which included “The Catholic Quarter Hour” radio program and The Sacred Heart and Heart of the Nation television programs, aired nationwide over 1000 radio stations and 125 television stations, reaching millions of listeners and viewers. In this capacity Father Frank continued to promulgate the mystical humanity of Christ and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Miracle

February 23, 1990 Called to Santa Teresita Hospital to minister to Jesuit Father John Houle, who was dying from terminal pulmonary fibrosis. Father Frank blessed him with first-class relic of Blessed Claude la Columbière. The canonical tribunal documented the cure needed to declare Blessed Claude a saint. 
May 31, 1992 Sat side-by-side with Father Houle in the front row of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome to witness the solemn canonization of Saint Claude la Columbière. 

Expanding the Promotion of the Mission Entrusted to Servant of God Cora Evans

November 1992 Appointed his nephew, Michael McDevitt, as custodian for the writings of Cora Evans and to continue the mission entrusted to her 
July 12, 1993 Met with Michael Huston and Michael McDevitt to plan the first retreat for the emerging apostolate. Three years later Rob Bussell, Ph.D. would join in the effort and create the model for conducting parish retreats nationwide. 
November 1993 First retreat held, featuring excerpts from the writings of Cora Evans and promoting the divine indwelling of the Mystical Humanity of Christ, Jesuit Manresa Retreat House, Azusa, California. Fr. John Houle, the priest who received the miracle cure, was present and visited with retreatants. 
1999 Founded Mystical Humanity of Christ, Inc. as a Catholic organization with the two-fold mission: 1) promulgate the mystical humanity of Christ as a way of prayer life for the faithful throughout the world, and 2) publish the writings of Cora Evans which will become a catalyst for conversions, especially the mass conversion of Mormons. 
December 29, 2003 Entered eternal life. Buried at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, Santa Clara, California.

Contact Information

Media Contact

Michael McDevitt, Executive Director
Promoter of the Cause

310-880-1704
Mike@CoraEvans.com
Email Mike@CoraEvans.com to request a free copy of Selected Writings – Excerpts from a Servant of God (140-page paperback)

Websites

CoraEvans.com
ParishRetreat.org