A Missouri nun, Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, who died in 2019 was found to be in a remarkably preserved condition when her body was exhumed in April 2023. Despite not being embalmed and buried in an unsealed wooden coffin, she had not decomposed as expected. Thousands of people traveled to Gower, Missouri to venerate and view her body, viewing it as a modern-day miracle. Bishop James V. Johnston of Kansas City-St. Joseph commissioned a team of local medical experts to examine and evaluate Sister Wilhelmina’s body, led by a doctor of pathology, two medical doctors, and a former Missouri county coroner. The investigative team found that the body showed a lack of features of decomposition, and her clothing had not deteriorated, which was considered highly atypical.
The investigative team concluded that the condition of Sister Wilhelmina’s body was unusual given the nearly four years since her death and the environmental conditions at the burial site. Despite the deteriorated lining of the casket, her body remained preserved. Soil tests did not reveal anything unusual that would prevent decomposition of an un-embalmed body. The Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox traditions have documented cases of individuals not decomposing after death, known as “incorruptibility.” However, Sister Wilhelmina has not been officially designated as incorrupt, and there are no plans to initiate a cause for her canonization.
In the Catholic Church, a deceased person typically needs to be deceased for at least five years before an official cause for canonization can be initiated. Sister Wilhelmina has only been dead for just over five years, and incorruptibility is not considered an indication of sainthood. The bishop emphasized that the focus should be on loving God and the Virgin Mary, rather than solely on the miraculous preservation of Sister Wilhelmina’s remains. Her legacy continues to inspire contemplation of God’s gifts and the promise of resurrection and eternal life.
The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, to which Sister Wilhelmina belonged, expressed their belief that her preservation pointed towards God’s glory and Resurrection. They emphasized the importance of recognizing the hidden miracles that exist in the world. Sister Wilhelmina’s remains have been placed in a glass case in the abbey’s church, where visitors can view them daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The abbey’s statement affirmed that her life and death were miraculous, leading others to recognize the divine presence in their lives. The story of Sister Wilhelmina continues to inspire devotion and reflection on the spiritual aspects of life.
