Today we will talk about a lesser-known blessed in the Catholic Church: Blessed Stefana. She was born in the 17th century into a noble Calvinist family in Gex, France. At that time, there were great tensions between Catholics and various Protestant denominations. Stefana was said to be a cheerful and friendly girl, but she was so immersed in her erroneous beliefs that she mocked the customs and ceremonies of the Catholic Church. She would sometimes sneak into Catholic churches just to play pranks. For example, she would wash her hands in the holy water font and commit other similar acts of irreverence.
However, the Lord did not leave Stefana in confusion. Since no one was there to teach her and help her recognize the truth, the Lord Himself intervened. On the Feast of Corpus Christi, Stefana watched the procession from her home. Then, it was as if Christ were looking at her from the monstrance. Suddenly, a heavenly ray fell upon her soul, illuminating it and making her recognize with complete clarity the truth of Catholicism and the falsehood of the belief she had professed until then. At that moment, her heart instantly decided to convert to Catholicism at any cost and to serve the Lord fervently. She then exclaimed inwardly with the prophet: “bring me back that I may be restored” (Jeremiah 31:18).