Free Republic

Cardinal Newman, the Anglican cleric whose conversion to Roman Catholicism scandalised Victorian Britain, appeared closer to sainthood today after his case was backed by a senior Vatican official.   Cardinal Newman The head of the Vatican department that examines the causes of saints said that he would like the Cardinal's beatification - the step before canonisation - to take place very soon. His comments suggest that the Vatican is close to attributing a miracle to Cardinal Newman, which means that the 19th century cleric could be beatified before the end of the year. The controversial theologian and writer of the...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican is preparing to issue a set of instructions to promote "greater caution and more accuracy" in the opening of new sainthood causes by local dioceses, a top Vatican official said. Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, head of the Congregation for Saints' Causes, said the instructions were needed to reflect the "new spirit introduced by Pope Benedict XVI in beatification procedures." The cardinal spoke in an interview published Jan. 8 by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, under the headline: "More precision will be asked in diocesan canonization processes." Cardinal Saraiva Martins said the new document will...

Today's canonization was marked by heavy rain: The rain was the most obvious protagonist of this morning’s canonization of 4 new saints, as it poured down relentlessly on the ocean of coloured umbrellas, on the sick, on the ministrants and bishops gathered in St Peter’s square. Every step of the ceremony, the readings, processions – with the exception of the rites preformed around the papal altar – were hindered by the opening and closing of the multi coloured umbrellas as they were passed from hand to hand, covering heads but drenching the shoulders and robes of the cardinals and 40...

Today, Pope Benedict continues his apostolic journey to Brazil for a third day, celebrating the canonization Mass of Brazil's first native-born saint (Bl. Fr. Antonio Galvao) and then spending the night near the famous Shrine of Aparecida. Once again, this post will be updated and expanded throughout the day, so keep visiting! NB: Complete roundup of my coverage here, the best photos from the trip here. Highlights of Friday's papal itinerary (all times EST): 8:30 AM Canonization Mass of Blessed Frei Galvão at Campo de Marte in São Paulo3:00 PM Vespers with the Bishops of Brazil in the Catedral...

Roman Catholic Church officials passed a key milestone in the drive to make Pope John Paul II a saint Monday, closing an investigation into his life during a ceremony on the second anniversary of the beloved pontiff's death.Also Monday, church officials from France delivered to the Vatican a dossier detailing the purported miraculous cure of a nun who prayed to John Paul — a key requirement for beatification, the last step before possible sainthood.The remarkably fast pace underscores the Church's keen interest in beatifying John Paul and responding to the calls of "Santo Subito" or "Sainthood Immediately!" that erupted after...

PARIS (AP) — Sister Marie-Simon-Pierre is the French nun whose testimony of a mystery cure from Parkinson’s disease will likely be accepted as the miracle the Vatican needs to beatify Pope John Paul II, an official at the Paris maternity hospital where she works said Wednesday. The identity of the nun has been one of the Catholic Church’s most closely guarded secrets. The nun says that she was cured of Parkinson’s after she and her community of nuns prayed to John Paul. The nun, a member of the ‘‘Congregation of Little Sisters of Catholic Motherhood’’ in Aix-en-Provence in southeast France,...

THE VATICAN is close to making the late pope John Paul II a saint after investigating three "miracles" attributed to him. John Paul had already been credited with curing a nun of Parkinson's disease and now it has emerged he has been credited with two other cures, proof of which will confer on him beatification and then canonisation.This weekend the cardinal in charge of the process said he expected the checks performed by the local dioceses on all three miracles to be complete by April. A formal announcement is expected on April 2, the second anniversary of John Paul's death,...

The late Pope John Paul II praying in front of the remains of Blessed Gorg Preca at the MUSEUM chapel in Blata l-Bajda in May 2001 The Congregation for Sainthood Causes in Rome has approved a second miracle that should lead to the canonisation of the Blessed Gorg Preca, the Archbishop's Curia said yesterday. The decision was taken following a discussion held at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican headed by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins on Tuesday. The decision was originally expected in the middle of last year but was delayed. Pope John Paul II beatified Dun Gorg in...

Pope Benedict XVI gave Catholics four news saints Sunday, bestowing the honor on a 19th century nun who struggled in the American frontier, a bishop who tended to the wounded during the Mexican Revolution and two Italian clergy.French-born Mother Theodore Guerin endured harsh conditions on the American frontier and resisted the objections of a local bishop in pursuing her dream of establishing Catholic education for pioneers. She established a college for women in Indiana, which enrolled its first student in 1841.Among those at the ceremony on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica were ailing Chicago Cardinal Francis George and five...

Interesting article on Phil McCord the currently non-Catholic whose miraculous healing of his eye is attributed to Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin and was used as proof for the second miracle leading to her canonization this Sunday. He was the son of a Baptist lay minister and he worked for nuns, overseeing the facilities owned by the Sisters of Providence, composting and all. McCord was never much of a praying man. But concern for his eye and the notes from an organ brought him into the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the large, ornate church on the St. Mary-of-the-Woods campus. He...

Canonization date setOctober 15 chosen for canonization of Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin By Robert L. Flott WVJB Editor Even before Sister Ann Margaret O'Hara took the stage, the room sparkled with excitement. As Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods took the stage, Sr. Ann Margaret had an important announcement to make, however, and the Sisters of Providence are disciplined. Quickly, the room went silent. "It is October 15." The room exploded with cheers and applause--even on "Go Girl!" For the 300 or more members of the Sisters of Providence gathered in O'Shaunnesy Hall on the St....

The Vatican has announced that the next Consistory, a meeting between the pope and cardinals in Rome during which significant papal matters are considered, is scheduled for Saturday, July 1. The date for the canonization ceremony for Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., will be set at that time. Mother Theodore was beatified in October, 1998, and in April of this year, Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree acknowledging a second miracle healing attributed to her intercession through prayer. She founded the Sisters of Providence in 1840. She died in 1856. Sister...

Vatican City, Apr. 27, 2006 (CNA) - As the world watches the Catholic Church in its process for the beatification of John Paul II, the Vatican has released a message from Pope Benedict to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which just finished its plenary assembly. In it, the Pope clarifies the Church’s stance and means for assessing sainthood. The message, released today, was addressed specifically to Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins C.M.F., prefect of the Congregation. The Holy Father wrote that ''From her beginnings, the Church has dedicated great attention to the procedures that elevate Servants of God to...

The inexplicable healing of a French nun could be the miracle that paves the way for beatification of Pope John Paul II. The Roman news agency I Media has learned that a French nun who was dying of cancer experienced a sudden and complete cure in October, after the members of her community prayed for the intercession of the late Pope John Paul. In accordance with Vatican rules, the identity of the nun is not being revealed, as doctors conduct a thorough study of her case. If a miracle is confirmed, it would speed the cause for the Polish Pontiff's...

VATICAN CITY -- Tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square early Sunday as Pope Benedict XVI began a ceremony canonizing the first saints of his pontificate -- two Polish-born Ukrainians, two Italians, and a Chilean.Flag-waving pilgrims packed the giant Vatican square as the 78-year-old pontiff began the ceremony in bright sunshine which burned off the mist that had earlier obscured the dome of St Peter's basilica.Choirs sang hymns in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, and Spanish. During the two-hour ceremony, the pope was to proclaim the canonization of Polish Archbishop Jozef Bilczewski (1860-1923), diocesan priest Zygmunt Gorazdowski...

Sometime in the next few days, Andrea Ambrosi, a Vatican lawyer specializing in the arcane ways of canonization, will leave New Orleans for Rome with a precious cargo: 2,918 pages of memories, testimonies and historical and theological arguments in support of sainthood for his new client, Henriette Delille, the 19th century woman of color who spent a lifetime ministering to slaves in antebellum New Orleans. The thick files are the product of 16 years of prayers, promotion and scholarly research by modern admirers of Delille in and out of the Sisters of the Holy Family, the religious order she founded....

ROME (AP) - The so-called "devil's advocate" in Pope John Paul II's beatification process, who must investigate any possible doubts about the late pontiff's saintliness, pledged Monday to remain objective but hinted that he supported the cause. The Rev. Giuseppe D'Alonzo, the promoter of justice in the Diocese of Rome, said he was neither for nor against beatification for the late pope, who was considered a saint by many even before he died April 2. "It's not for me to decide," D'Alonzo said in an interview with The Associated Press in his office, which had a photo of the late...

The Pope starts Wojtyla beatification The Pope has arranged the immediate beginning of the cause of beatification of Pope Wojtyla, dispensing from the wait of the five years from the dead women previewed from the code. Benedict XVI has announced personally the roman clergy, reading, in Latin, a communication in such sense of cardinal Josè Saraiva Martins, prefetto of the Congregation for the causes of knows to you. The communication has been received a longest applause of present clergymen, raised in feet, therefore like the Pope and Ruini cardinal.

VATICAN CITY - The private secretary of the late Pope John Paul II saw the pontiff perform what could be claimed as a miracle, one of the key stages to becoming a saint, Italy’s La Stampa newspaper reported Sunday.It quoted Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz as relating how an American who was seriously ill received communion from the pope, and was cured.The incident happened in 1998, but Dziwisz, who was John Paul II’s closest confidant for 40 years, spoke of the incident three years ago to reporters, who revealed it Sunday.According to the report, Dziwisz told how an acquaintance had asked him...

Lisbon, Feb. 22 (CNA/CWNews.com) - The Portuguese EFE news agency is reporting that the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima has sent the final documents for the canonization of Jacinta and Francisco Marto to the Vatican. The announcement came just days after the death of their cousin, the third seer of Fatima, last week at the age of 97. "I can confirm that the so-called 'Positio,' the final document for the canonization of the two shepherd children, has been sent," said Bishop Serafim Ferreira e Silva during a Mass dedicated to the visionaries of Our Lady of Fatima. He also said the Portuguese...