Canonisations are unforgettable events for those lucky enough to attend one. But the memory of the day when St John Henry Newman was raised to the altars is likely to endure more than most because of the sheer joy and beauty of the occasion, and not least because of the active presence of Melissa Villalobos, the Chicago mother pulled back from the brink of death at his intercession, along with her family.

The focus of the entire Catholic world was upon Melissa, her husband David and their seven children as they climbed the steps of St Peter’s to present the offertory to Pope Francis.