This New Mexico Nun Could Soon Be Canonized

Canonized means to be made a saint by the Catholic church. While there are several female saints, this nun will be the first one ever from New Mexico.

Sister Blandina Segale was born in Italy but wound up traveling, alone, to the American southwest territory of New Mexico at the age of 22. There, she faced lynch mobs, put politicians in their place and hung out with Billy The Kid.

It's because of her assistance healing one of his buddies that Billy, apparently, would not rob a stage if he saw a nun in it. In that case, he'd just tip his hat and go on his way.

Becoming a saint isn't easy and the process of canonizing Sister Blandina has been in the works for 10 years now. A private detective was even hired to help prove her miracles. Using old prison logs and Sister Blandina's diary, among other things, he's getting it done.

To be named a saint, at least 2 miracles have to be verified - Sister Blandina has almost 50 attributed to her. That's not all she did ...

Segale was instrumental in establishing the public school system, helped found the St. Vincent’s Sanitarium in Santa Fe — now called Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center — and established other hospitals around the state.

One of her skills was bringing out the courage in others, Sánchez said — she helped a teenager rescued from prostitution testify to Congress about human trafficking.

She also handled the burial of dead, indigent locals, helped make their coffins and had handicapped people help her get them to their graves. For these services she got $8 but one County Commissioner refused to pay. Sister Blandina told him the next dead body would "be at his door".

He paid up.

Being an immigrant child herself, once achieving sainthood, Sister Blandina will be named the Patron Saint of Immigrant Children. You can read more here.