On July 17, a new step was taken on the path toward the beatification of Father Esteban Gumucio. The Bishop of Iquique, Isauro Covili Linfati, handed over to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts the documentation needed to move the cause forward at the Vatican.
The investigating commission, chaired by the Bishop of Iquique himself and made up of Friar Juan Rovegno OFM (judicial delegate), Fr. Franklin Luza (promoter of justice), and Doris de Ferrari (notary), thus brought to a close a process that involved gathering testimonies, documentation, and consultations with medical experts. All the material was handed over to the vice-postulator of the cause, Father Álex Vigueras sscc, who will now begin proceedings before the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican.
The Provincial Superior of the Sacred Hearts, Sandro Mancilla sscc, was present at the milestone and explained that this handover closes the diocesan stage of the investigation into a possible miracle attributed to "Tata Esteban," which took place in Iquique, following the work of a team that carried out the entire canonical process, supported by witness testimonies and by medical experts who have certified the possibility that this is indeed a miracle.
Toward the Vatican stage
The Provincial noted that, with the diocesan stage now closed, the documentation must be sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, a step handled through the Congregation's postulator general, based at the curia in Rome.
On this point, he specified that the Postulator General, Father Andrzej Lukawski sscc, is the official contact responsible for delivering the documentation to the dicastery, which will carry out the canonical process to determine whether this is indeed a miracle — a necessary step for Father Esteban's recognition as blessed.
Father Lukawski, a Polish national, is a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts and has served as Postulator General and Procurator General of the institution since his appointment in 2019.
A joy for the Church
Visibly pleased with the news, Father Sandro Mancilla sscc stated that "everything related to Father Esteban is a joy, because it is a testimony of God's passing through his life," noting that people who never knew him personally have now become involved in this miraculous event, offering external testimony backed by an objective investigation.
He added that the figure of "Tata Esteban" continues to inspire not only the Congregation but represents good news for the whole Church, both for those who knew him and for those who will come to know his story through this process.
The Provincial also called on the community to continue giving thanks to God through the figure of Father Esteban, recalling his teaching to keep "our eyes fixed on Jesus," inspired by Sacred Scripture, and inviting the faithful to live with their hearts set on the Lord, with hope and great joy.
Finally, highlighting his legacy, Father Sandro Mancilla concluded: "He passed on to us that joy of trusting in a God who is love, who does not abandon us, who is present in simple things — in poetry, in song, in cooking, in human relationships." A legacy, he stressed, that the community is called to keep living with the same joy that Father Esteban himself lived it.
08/06/2026