The cause for beatification and canonization of Rhoda Wise has now been officially sent to the Vatican for an important review.

On July 7, the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, announced that the positio has been officially submitted to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican for the cause of Rhoda Wise.

This is an important step in the cause for the beatification and canonization of Rhoda Wise, as it marks an end to the "diocesesan" phase, moving on to what is often called the "Roman" phase. It will now be up to theologians at the Vatican to review Wise' life and determine if she lived a life of heroic virtue. If they discover there is enough evidence, then they will recommend to the Holy Father that she should be declared Venerable.

While many in the United States may not be familiar with Wise, many Catholics are familiar with Mother Angelica, the lively nun who founded EWTN and whose broadcasts continue to touch hearts around the world.

Mother Angelica was inspired by the life of Rhoda Wise, whom she knew when she was living in Ohio.

Born into a Protestant family, Wise developed a large ovarian cyst in 1931, which was removed, but soon after she suffered a number of other ailments that kept her confined to a bed.

During one of her stays in the hospital she befriended one of the Catholic sisters who worked at the hospital. She taught Wise how to pray the Rosary, as well as about St. Thérèse of Lisieux. All of this had a great impact on Wise, who converted to the Catholic Church in 1939.

Eventually the pain and complications from her various ailments became so severe she was sent home to die. However, it was there that she began having visions of Jesus and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

In one vision Jesus said he would come back with St. Thérèse to heal her, which he did. Wise was miraculously healed from many of her ailments.

Later on Wise would receive the stigmata, the wounds of Jesus, on her forehead, hands and feet.

While a teenager, Mother Angelica visited Wise in hopes of receiving spiritual consolation and potentially a miraculous healing of a "dropped stomach." Wise told Mother Angelica to pray a novena to St. Thérèse and at the end of the nine days, she was healed.

This healing propelled Mother Angelica to join the Poor Clares, eventually founding EWTN. If it wasn't for Rhoda Wise, there would be no EWTN.

Wise died on July 7, 1948, and her cause for canonization was opened in 2016. Miracles continue to occur through the intercession of Rhoda Wise.