Group eyes sainthood for accident survivor

WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts woman who nearly drowned in a swimming pool at the age of 3 was touched by God and should be deemed a saint, a group says.

The Little Audrey Santo Foundation has asked Vatican officials to consider Audrey Santo for sainthood, alleging she was saved from drowning in 1987 by a divine touch, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

The group's request was made under the auspices of Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Roman Catholic Diocese in Worcester, Mass. The church official said he granted the foundation a "canonical blessing" that opened the door for such Vatican requests.

"I gave them what you call 'canonical recognition,'" McManus said.

Prior to Santo's death in 2007, the woman reportedly was connected to occurrences of weeping statues and blood-stained communion wafers. Even with the unsubstantiated miracles credited to Santo, McManus said the road to sainthood will not be an easy one.

"It could take years and years and years," McManus said. "In some cases it's taken centuries for some people to be named saints."

The Catholic official told the Globe Santo would have to credited with a minimum of two authenticated miracles after her death before she could be deemed a saint by the church.