Pinay says intercession of John Paul II healed son

VATICAN CITY - A 10-year-old Filipino boy is believed to have been healed through the intercession of Pope John Paul II. "With no doubt, I claim that through the intercession [of Pope John Paul II] we are here today and he is healthy," said Jenille Young. The Young family traveled all the way from California to the Vatican. A native of Cebu City, Young pledged to return to Rome after her younger son, Michael, was able to survive pneumonia and sepsis, a deadly bacterial blood-infected disease. The 10-year-old Michael was on a life-support system inside the hospital's intensive care unit for three days during the Christmas holidays. Joining the young family in the pilgrimage is Calvin Kean, a native of Cavite. Kean looks at John Paul II as champion of the youth. He hopes the life of John Paul II can somehow infuse spiritual renewal for many of Filipinos, especially for their political leaders. "I think the inspiration given by Pope John Paul is something that I think is very powerful for even our political leaders," said Kean. Kean said it's also overwhelming to witness two surviving popes--Francis and Benedict XVI--to take the lead in the canonization of two past popes. Kean and the Young family are just among the thousands of pilgrims now in Rome for the canonization of two popes—John Paul II and John XXIII--on Sunday.