Closing of the diocesan process of the Cause of Sister Antonieta Böhm

On 8 September 2025, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Cuautitlán, in the great hall San Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, in the offices of the diocesan Curia of  San Buenaventura Cathedral, the closing of the complementary diocesan process took place for the Cause of canonization of the Servant of God Sister Antonieta Böhm, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (1907 – 2008).

Sister Antonieta Böhm was born on 22 September 1907 in Bottrop, Westphalia, Germany. She took her religious vows in the FMA Institute in 1928 and in 1934 she left as a missionary for America. She served her mission in Argentina from 1934 to 1965, in Peru from 1965 to 1969, and in Mexico from 1969 to 2008. She spent the last 29 years of her life in Coacalco, in the State of Mexico, where she acquired a reputation for holiness and performing miracles through the graces she obtained by giving a blessing with a statuette of Mary Help of Christians. She died on 27 April 2008.

Although the diocesan process had already been closed in April 2024, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints requested that additional lay witnesses be questioned about the virtues of the Servant of God. For this, a complementary process was opened in February 2025.

On 8 September, in the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese of Cuautitlán, Monsignor Efraín Mendoza Cruz; the Vicar General Father Martín González Soria; the Episcopal Delegate Monsignor Omar Nemesio Montoya García; the Promoter of Justice, Monsignor Adolfo Martínez Melo; the Notary, Lourdes Jasso; and the Deputy Postulator, Sister María Guadalupe Chávez, FMA; documentation was given of 24 witnesses (21 women and 3 men) who had known Sister Antonieta Böhm closely and were thus able to testify to her life of heroic virtue.

Also present at the event were the Vicar General of the FMA Institute, Sister María del Rosario García Ribas, representing the Mother General, Sister Chiara Cazzuola; the Provincial of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province (MME), Sister Margarita Chavarría Primavera; and Sister Blanca Margarita López Ponce, Provincial Councilor.

All the witnesses stated that they had heard about the fame of holiness and the signs of the Servant of God and that they had turned to her to ask for her prayers, testifying to the graces received through her intercession. Everyone agrees that they continued to frequent her for the peace she communicated to them at each visit, despite the difficulties they were facing. They testified to her virtues, in particular her charity, which manifested itself in an exquisite kindness towards everyone, in her concern for the poor and for the needs of those who turned to her.

They also agree in speaking of a spiritual strength that supported her in her mission, despite her illness, and of a profound humility, since she never gave herself any credit for the graces obtained with her prayer. Above all, they underline her unshakable faith, which not only allowed her to obtain graces and miracles, but also contagioned others, making them grow in faith.

The notary of the court, Lourdes Jasso Arredondo, read the minutes of the complementary session of the diocesan process. The formal act expresses the oath – of having faithfully carried out his role – by Monsignor Efraín Mendoza Cruz, who declared the diocesan investigation closed. The other members of the court were also sworn in. The notary finished reading the minutes, signing and sealing the boxes, together with the Bishop and the members of the tribunal.

Mons. Efraín Mendoza Cruz received the documentation and delivered the original, called “Archetype”, to Father Omar Nemesio Montoya, to be preserved in the archive of the Diocese. He also delivered two copies, called “Trasunto” and “Public Copy”, to Sister María del Rosario García Ribas, who has the task of delivering them to the Postulator of the Salesian Family, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, who will take them to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome.