A ceremony to honor Charlene Richard, a twelve-year-old girl that passed away from Leukemia on Aug. 11, 1959 will take place on Saturday. The event will be held at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Church Point. Many Catholics believe Richard performed miraculous work through her prayers. Vicar General Curtis Mallet said he has witnessed people visiting Richard's grave for prayer.
"I've seen people literally draped over her tomb crying," Mallet said. "They received such terrible news in their life and they go out there and ask Charlene to pray for them."
Father Brennan was Richard's Chaplain at the time of her death. According to the Diocese, Father Brennan sat with Richard the last two weeks of her life, where Richard continued to help others despite her own illness.
"She would ask Father Brennan who are we going to pray for today," Mallet said. "There were conversions, healing, and all kind of miracles that happened during that time."
While some only knew of Richard after her passing, her brother John Dale Richard remembers her for her outgoing personality.
"Charlene was very popular in school, she loved sports, she was the captain of the girls basketball team," John said. "She had lots of friends."
John said it's very humbling to know his sister will be remembered in a sacred way.
"I still know a lot of very good people in this community, but he chose Charlene, and I think that is a credit to her faith, especially being so young," John said.
