Sainthood not considered for nun whose body hasn’t decomposed after being buried for years
GOWER, Mo. (KCTV/Gray News) - Sainthood is not being considered for a nun whose body has been confirmed to not have decomposed.
The Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph announced on Thursday that the body of late Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster did not experience normal decomposition per a medical examination.
Lancaster died on May 29, 2019, and was buried within days in a grave on the property of the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles.
She was buried in a simple unsealed wooden casket, according to the Diocese.
On April 28, 2023, Lancaster’s body was exhumed to move her to the Abbey for interment, but it was found that her body had not decomposed - even after four years of burial.
The following month, the Diocese commissioned a team of medical experts to examine and evaluate Lancaster’s body.
In a final report, the investigative team noted the condition of her body lacked any detected features of decomposition. The lining of her casket, however, had completely deteriorated.
The investigative team said they also found the condition of Lancaster’s body to be highly atypical for someone who had been buried for nearly four years.
People of the Catholic faith have been visiting Gower for a chance to see, touch and pray with the Sister.
However, according to the team, there is no official protocol within the church to determine if a deceased individual’s body is incorrupt. Incorruptibility is not considered to be an indication of sainthood.
The Diocese noted that there are no current plans to initiate a cause of sainthood for Lancaster at this time.
According to the Archdiocese of New York, being named a saint in the Catholic Church is a very high honor. It means the saint’s name is added to the official catalogue of saints, and that masses and feast days can be celebrated in their honor.
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