Nun who lost voice meets pope
An Ossining nun who has a rare muscular disability says she had a dream come true when she met the pope during his visit to the United States this week. Maryknoll Sister Noel Divine has primary lateral
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Sep 27, 2015, 1:15 AM
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Updated 3,419 days ago
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An Ossining nun who has a rare muscular disability says she had a dream come true when she met the pope during his visit to the United States this week.
Maryknoll Sister Noel Divine has primary lateral sclerosis, a condition that causes weakness in voluntary muscles. Because of it, she has lost her ability to speak.
When she met with Pope Francis at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York Thursday evening, she used an electronic white board to communicate messages.
By Divine's account, she wrote "Viva la papa," or "Long live the pope," when she sat down with Francis. Then he smiled and gave her two pats on the cheek.
Divine calls the encounter a miracle. She had posted a prayer of meeting Francis to Facebook, where it received thousands of shares.
A short while later, she received an invitation to meet the pope during his visit to New York City.
During a speech there, Francis thanked nuns like Divine for their devotion.
"I love the sisters," Francis said. "What would the church have done without you?"
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