By: Amanda Zurface, JCL
On November 12, 2024, at the annual Plenary Assembly of the United States Conference of Bishops, Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston presented the potential opening of the cause for canonization of Sister Annella Zervas, OSB.
At the Assembly, Bishop Cozzens shared Sister Annella’s story and invited the bishops’ consultation as he discerns whether to proceed. The bishops responded with an overwhelming affirmation, voting 206–7 in support of advancing her canonization cause.
These steps ensure that a cause begins with broad discernment, input, and support from the wider Church. The final consultation will take place with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome. At that stage, the Dicastery will either issue a nihil obstat—a declaration that nothing stands in the way of opening the cause—or withhold it if they possess information indicating that it would not be appropriate to proceed.
Watch the Presentation
Bishop Cozzens’ Remarks to the USCCB
“My Brothers, It is a honor to share with you the life of Sister Annella Zervas, OSB—a woman whose Catholic faith, courage, and complete surrender to God offer an extraordinary example of holiness. Born and raised in the Diocese of Crookston, in Moorhead Minnesota, Sister Annella’s story has made an impact on the faithful of Minnesota and beyond. Her story touches the heart of our Catholic faith, teaching us that even the greatest suffering, when united with Christ, becomes a powerful means of redemption and intimacy with God, enriching our understanding of what it means to be fully human.
For years, small to large groups have gathered at her grave during spring, summer, and fall, praying for her beatification and canonization, seeking her intercession, and giving thanks for favors received. Her influence has spread beyond Minnesota, with devotion to her growing internationally through documentaries, songs, and booklets that inspire the people of God to seek her guidance.
Sr. Annella was a simple soul, who lived an ordinary Christian and religious life. Through growing in her life of prayer, she was able to embrace intense suffering for love of God and his people. As a child she was drawn to frequent communion and would walk to daily Mass in the Fargo-Moorhead area even in the cold weather of northern Minnesota. As a religious sister, receiving the Eucharist was the most important act of her day. She also knew and valued the importance of one’s vocation, praying with her father’s encouragement that people would not miss their vocations. She can be a special intercessor for our youth, especially so many of our young people who speak about discovering their vocations in Eucharistic Adoration.
Her life exemplifies the value of suffering. She had intense and unexplainable suffering in her short life. Suffering is such a profound part of all of our lives. It is important that when we suffer, whatever the cause, we know that we are not alone. Sr. Annella knew Our Lord was with her in her suffering and she lived this truth daily. She invites us to see that our suffering can have value when we allow the Lord to suffer in us, as Our Holy Father has reminded us in his recent encyclical on the Sacred Heart. Sr. Annella witnesses most especially to the suffering of those who are often forgotten by society often in nursing homes or hospitals.
Her story has been an inspiration for many facing difficult trials, stories that have been shared with us, including recovering from abortion, addiction, severe illness, and the pain of suicidal thoughts. Her intercession has reportedly healed many people, and she has reportedly appeared to people in person and in visions, always extending God’s confidence and peace. Many people have expressed that her witness to the value of suffering has helped them to embrace their own suffering with faith in God’s goodness.
Her life reminds us of what God and the Church desire for us: a Christian family supportive of our vocations, the offering of all things through Mary’s care, reliance on God’s will, a renewed love for the Eucharist, friendship with Christ, total surrender to God, and a renewed trust in His goodness for us even in difficulty.
In this way Sister Annella is a true teacher of the Catholic faith, witnessing that each person regardless of their struggle has great dignity and is created for intimacy with God. She teaches us that God is our truest friend, and our vocations are good and life-giving even when they take a different path than we expect. She provides for us an example of what it means to live fully for God, upholding suffering as a sacred offering that binds us to Christ and makes us conduits of His love in the world.
May Sister Annella’s life continue to inspire, console, and bring hope to all who encounter her story, pointing us all to God’s designs and His never-failing love. Brothers, I ask for your endorsement, that the Church may soon raise to the altar, Servant of God, ‘an apostle of suffering for our day,’ Sister Annella Zervas. Thank you.”
Why This Step Matters
This consultation is not merely a formality; it is integral to the Church’s careful process of discernment. By consulting the USCCB, Bishop Cozzens has ensured that Sister Annella’s cause begins with the full support of the national bishops’ conference. For the Diocese of Crookston, and for the growing number of faithful devoted to Sister Annella, this moment is both historic and hope-filled.
About the Author:
Amanda Zurface, JCL, is the Diocesan Postulator for the Cause of Sister Annella Zervas. Holding degrees in canon law and theology, she was introduced to Patrick Norton in 2020 and moved to assist in advancing the cause. She considers it a grace to share Sister Annella’s story, which shows us how to entrust our pain to God and live in deep friendship with Christ, our truest friend.
