Domitilla and Danny Hyams Cause of Beatification and Canonisation Timeline of events to date

1918
May 7
Domitilla Birth

Domitilla Maria Rota was born in the Albenza house of her grandfather, Carlo Pietro Rota. His house was known as “Grumello”, and Domitilla was the last of the Rota grandchildren to be born at “Grumello”.

May 8
Domitilla Baptism
Church of San Rocco in the locality of Albenza, Almenno San Bartolomeo (Italy) and where Domitilla was baptised and where she married Danny

Church of San Rocco in the locality of Albenza, Almenno San Bartolomeo (Italy) and where Domitilla was baptised and where she married Danny

1921
June 1
Danny Birth

Daniel George Hyams was born on June 1, 1921, in Jeppestown, Johannesburg. He was the second child of Louis George Hyams and his wife, Mary Joseph Hyams.

1922
December 10
Danny Baptism

Although he was Jewish himself, Hyams senior insisted that his two sons  have a Catholic upbringing, in accordance with their mother’s religious background. Accordingly, on March 10, 1922, Daniel George Hyams (or simply Danny, as he came to be known throughout his life), was baptised by Fr Francis in St Anne’s Catholic church in the eastern Johannesburg suburb of Belgravia, with his maternal grandfather Louis Bretton and aunt Lucy Bretton as sponsors.

1924
September 8
Domitilla Confirmation
1937
December 1
Danny Matriculated
From the very early age of four, both Danny and his older brother Louis Jnr were sent to boarding school at the Dominican mission in Potgietersrust (now known as Mokopane). Later, they attended the Little Flower College in Pietersburg (Polokwane) in the northern province of Limpopo. Little Flower, run by the Flemish Brothers of Charity, provided the two brothers with a sound grounding in academics, spiritual development and sports. Danny completed his secondary schooling at the tender age of 16, and as head boy and an accomplished track and field runner.
1940
June 1
Danny WWII & POW
Danny Hyams (left), mother Agnes Le Breton, sister Dina and brother Louis just before WWII

June 1940 to September 1943

With the outbreak of World War II, and after persistent persuasion, Mr Hyams finally relented and allowed his youngest son to take the oath to volunteer for active service in North Africa with the Rand Light Infantry (RLI). His older brother, and boyhood hero Louis had already joined the recruiting queues of the various regiments and services.
Mobilisation orders arrived for Danny on June 8, 1940, a week after his 19th birthday. Almost a year later, on June 21, 1941, Danny disembarked from the Ile de France at Port Tewfik, at Egypt’s Suez Canal, to participate in the North Africa Allied campaign.
Image caption: Danny Hyams (left), mother Agnes Le Breton, sister Dina and brother Louis just before WWII
1943
September 1
Danny Escaped POW
South-African-Troops-Marching-During-South-Africa-Union-Day,-Milan,-Italy,-June-1945

September 1943 to May 1945.

The dawn of Sunday, June 21, 1942, saw Tobruk in flames. Corporal Hyams and other members of the RLI Composite Company started a 100km trek eastwards towards Egypt’s eastern borderline. After several narrow escapes avoiding Axis Forces, and suffering from a shortage of food and water, the group reached the Egyptian-Libyan border, and fate intervened. On June 27, Danny and his fellow troopers were captured by Mussolini’s fascist insurgents. A series of transfers to various prisoner-of-war camps took place until they were sent to “Campo Concentrate to Grumellina” in Bergamo.
With the September 8, 1943, Badoglio Proclamation announcing the armistice between Italy and the Allied Forces, the POWs at Grumellina walked out of the unguarded camp (the guards having abandoned their posts) and escaped to the mountains behind Bergamo. To their relief they were well-looked after by the local population, who shared what they could with the escapees from their own meagre resources. The POWs had kept remarkably well during the first winter, but later a nasty boil developed below Danny’s chin.
Palmina, a local villager who was allocated the responsibility of looking after Danny, insisted that the corporal get help from La Signora Elvira Rota — Domitilla’s mother — in the neighbouring village of Albenza.

Image caption: South African Troops Marching During South Africa Union Day, Milan, Italy, June 1945

1944
January 1
Domitilla & Danny meet (approximate date)
1945
March 31
Danny Proposes to Domitilla
May 13
Danny Returns to South Africa
1947
July 21
Danny Returns to Albenza
September 8
Danny & Domitilla Married
Danny Hyams (left), Domitilla Rota (right) and her mother, Elvira (centre) on the wedding day, 8 September 1947

Danny Hyams (left), Domitilla Rota (right) and her mother, Elvira (centre) on the wedding day, 8 September 1947

December 8
Domitilla and Danny Arrival in South Africa
1949
August 15
Birth of 1st child Mary Teresa
1957
January 9
Birth of 6th child Tarcisio Louis
Domitilla and Danny’s children ca 1957

Domitilla and Danny’s children ca 1957

Top  from left: Veronica Mary – 1952, Mary Teresa – 1949 (eldest), Elizabeth Mary – 1951. Bottom from left: Agnes Mary – 1954, Tarcisio Mary – 1957 (youngest), Lucy Mary – 1953

1960
January 1
‘Angels of Mercy’ Prayer Group

ca 60s

1967
February 1
DGH/DH call 1st meeting at Hyams home of potential supporters
February 27
‘LITTLE EDEN’ name proposed and accepted
May 11
‘First 5 applicant children assessed for acceptance at LITTLE EDEN
May 15
LITTLE EDEN Society opens its doors in a room loaned by the Methodist church
Domitilla inspecting what was to become LITTLE EDEN's first part-time premises at the Methodist Church, Edenvale in 1967

Domitilla inspecting what was to become LITTLE EDEN’s first part-time premises at the Methodist Church, Edenvale in 1967

June 6
Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Domitilla Hyams
1970
May 1
Bapsfontein property purchased (i.e. Elvira Rota Village – ‘ERV’)
LITTLE-EDEN-Edenvale-Home-under-construction-ca-1975

Image Caption: After 15 relocations the permanent LITTLE EDEN Edenvale Home under construction ca 1975

1973
January 1
LITTLE EDEN admits first child of colour at Domitilla’s insistence
1976
April 4
LITTLE EDEN Edenvale permanent home opens to its first residents
Domitilla-left-with-some-of-her-beloved-‘angels’-in-the-70s

Domitilla (left) with some of her beloved ‘angels’ in the 70s

1991
February 11
Initiation of Elvira Tota Village
1992
May 6
Official opening of Elvira Rota Village Phase 1; Phase 2 commences
1993
March 6
Blessing of LITTLE EDEN Edenvale Chapel ‘Our Lady of the Angels’
1994
September 10
Domitilla Hyams nominated as Chairlady of LITTLE EDEN Society
1997
July 25
Official opening of Elvira Rota Village Phase 2
December 18
Danny and Domitilla approach Archbishop George Daniel re Chapel at ERV
1999
June 2
Honoured with title of Cavaliere by the Italian Republic
2002
December 3
Danny awarded Benemerenti recognition by the Holy See
Danny awarded Benemerenti recognition by the Holy See
2007
June 6
Domitilla turns the first sod for the future Elvira Rota Village Chapel
Domitilla-and-Danny-turning-the-first-sod-for-the-future-Chapel-of-the-Holy-Family-at-LITTLE-EDEN-Elvira-Rota-Village-Bapsfontein-in-2007

Image caption: Domitilla and Danny, turning the first sod for the future Chapel of the Holy Family at LITTLE EDEN Elvira Rota Village, Bapsfontein in 2007

2008
January 14
Domitilla awarded Benemerenti recognition by the Holy See
Domitilla awarded Benemerenti recognition by the Holy See
2010
January 30
SIC nuns presence established at ERV
January 31
Blessing of ERV ‘Holy Family Chapel’
July 31
LITTLE EDEN Foundation established
2011
January 16
Domitilla translocation
January 18
Death of Maria ‘Domitilla’ Hyams née Rota in her home at Edenvale
2012
January 21
Associazione Domitilla Rota Hyams Onlus
Maria ‘Domitilla’ Hyams née Rota old

Associazione Domitilla Rota Hyams Onlus – a PBO/NPO established in Italy to ensure the legacy of the founder of LITTLE EDEN Society, Domitilla Rota – operates to preserve and nurture that precious gift of faith which enabled Domitilla to clearly witness the image of God in children with profound disabilities.

December 28
Death of Daniel ‘Danny’ George Hyams in his home at Edenvale
2018
May 25
Declaration of Petitioners of the Cause
June 18
Appointment of Postulator
August 1
SACBC Pleneray Session supports Cause opening
October 18
Publication of Petition to open Cause
2019
April 3
Request for Nihil Obstat from Congregation for the Causes of Saints
July 15
Nihil Obstat received from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

Received for Domitilla

September 26
Nihil Obstat received from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints

Received for Danny

2021
April 10
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE DIOCESAN INQUIRY OF THE HYAMS CAUSE

Holy Mass was celebrated to mark the canonical opening of the diocesan inquiry.