Update on the incorruptible remains of Sr. Wilhelmina

A statement from Bishop James V. Johnston, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph on the investigation into the remains of the Benedictine sister.

When Sister Mary Wilhelmina of the Most Holy Rosary (1924-2019), foundress of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, was exhumed last year, she was found in a remarkable state of preservation, leading many to believe she was an incorruptible. The public interest was intense, and Bishop James V. Johnston, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph ordered a formal investigation.

I’ll paste the entire Bishop’s entire statement below, but here’s the summary:

• Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster died on May 29, 2019 and was buried several days later.

• There was no embalming or any other form of preservation done on her body.

• She was buried in soil in a plain, unsealed wooden casket.

• She was exhumed on April 28, 2023 in order to move her remains into the Abbey church for interment.

• The body “did not exhibit signs of decomposition that would normally have occurred after nearly four years of burial under the conditions described above.”

• The Bishop commissioned a team of local medical experts, led by a Doctor of Pathology and assisted by two other medical doctors and a former county coroner, to examine the remains, inspect the casket, and interview witnesses.

• The team concluded that “the condition of her body is highly atypical for the interval of nearly four years since her death, especially given the environmental conditions and the findings in associated objects.”

• The soil was also tested and had no unusual properties.

• The Bishop has concluded: “Within the limits of what has been observed during this time, the body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster does not appear to have experienced the decomposition that would have normally been expected under such previous burial conditions.”

• Incorruptibility is not a factor in canonization, and no cause is being opened for Sr. Wilhelmina, although the Bishop hopes “Sister Wilhelmina’s story continues to open hearts to love for Our Lord and Our Lady.”

  

  Photo credit: Kelsey Wicks, CNA

  Statement of Bishop Johnston

Most Reverend Bishop James V. Johnston, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, releases results of examination and evaluation by medical experts concerning the remains of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, OSB

Sister Wilhelmina 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 monastery in Gower, Mo. She was buried without any embalming or other treatment of her body, in a simple unsealed wooden casket. Following the exhumation of the body of Sister Wilhelmina on April 28, 2023, for the purpose of moving her body into the Abbey church for interment, it was discovered that her body did not exhibit signs of decomposition that would normally have occurred after nearly four years of burial under the conditions described above.

On May 24, 2023, as the Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, I commissioned a team of local medical experts to conduct an examination and evaluation of Sister Wilhelmina’s body.  The team was led by a Doctor of Pathology, who was assisted by two other medical doctors and a former Missouri county coroner.  In addition to examining and evaluating the mortal remains of the deceased, the team inspected the casket, and interviews were conducted with eyewitnesses to events immediately preceding the burial in 2019 and the exhumation in April 2023.

In the final report, the investigative team noted that the condition of Sister Wilhelmina’s body during the examination was notable for a lack of any detected features of decomposition. The lining of her casket had completely deteriorated, but her habit and clothing showed no features of breakdown. The report also noted that the related history of Sister Wilhelmina’s death and interment does not describe conditions that would be expected to protect against decomposition.

The investigative team was only able to conduct a limited examination but still concluded that “the condition of her body is highly atypical for the interval of nearly four years since her death, especially given the environmental conditions and the findings in associated objects.”

Along with the evaluation by medical experts, additional tests were soon conducted on the soil in which the burial took place. After analysis, no unusual elements were found which would have impacted the condition of Sister Wilhelmina’s body when it was exhumed.

In conclusion, within the limits of what has been observed during this time, the body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster does not appear to have experienced the decomposition that would have normally been expected under such previous burial conditions.

The Catholic Church does not have an official protocol for determining if a deceased person’s body is incorrupt, and incorruptibility is not considered to be an indication of sainthood. There is no current plan to initiate a cause for sainthood for Sister Wilhelmina.

The condition of the remains of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster has understandably generated widespread interest and raised important questions. I pray that Sister Wilhelmina’s story continues to open hearts to love for Our Lord and Our Lady.

+Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr.
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph