Posted on 04/10/2007 4:41:32 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
In the old days, you had to wait a long time before they made you a saint. It was 500 years before they canonised Joan of Arc........For the first 400 years you had to be a martyr to be a saint. But then confessors (outstanding teachers and bishops) and hermits and virgins began to be added. It was the acclamation of local people which was the deciding factor.
Eventually Rome got fed up with this. In AD993, the first saint to be declared by a pope arrived - Ulrich of Augsburg, who was pronounced by Pope John XV. Within about 200 years Pope Alexander III declared that no one should be venerated as a saint without the authority of Rome.
In 1734, Pope Benedict XIV set up a formal system requiring two miracles for beatification, two more for canonisation and a promotor justitiae (Devil's Advocate) whose job it was to thwart the proposed canonisation by any lawful means.
Benedict waved the waiting period (as JPII had previously done for Mother Teresa), the customary requirements for sainthood are still intact. There was talk initially of naming JPII a martyr because of the assassination attempt (though it is very unusual, there is no requirement that a martyr actually die), but that seems to have been dropped.
There have been saints in the past who had a fairly quick route to the altars and were practically canonized by acclamation. However, the process that has been in place for quite some time now is slower and more demanding.
The article does have a rather peculiar point of view; I’d hazard a guess and say the writer is way on the liberal side!
That said, however, I’d feel a little better if they waited on canonizing JPII. Popularity shouldn’t be an automatic passport to sainthood. I’d like more discussion of the reasons for his canonization. He wasn’t in the “Doctor of the Church” category, so I suppose it would be heroic virtue of some kind. I thought he died a very good death, very humble and unafraid of suffering and humiliation.
I had forgotten about that...good point.
So did JESUS and his apostles if I remember correctly. They converted them.
This alone should be in the "no" category. It isn't up to the laity to decide "who's in, and who's not." Despite what the liberals who have infected the Church would like to think.
He bore his final illness with extraordinary fortitude and commitment to his church's teachings on the sanctity of life.
God bless him, but extraordinary?
Though he had his faults, the criteria for sainthood allow those to be outweighed by his "heroic virtue"
Never mind kissing the Koran (or was he checking to see if the cover was leather...I always forget...) giving it some sort of "reverence", or the liberal ecumemania at Assisi, where the theme was "Can't we all get along?" But, I guess we'll have to see just what "virtues" will outweigh his "faults."
Heck, the US military used to retire folks a grade higher than their active duty rank....
IMO he ought to be canonized as a “white martyr” thus forgoing the need for miracles. Plus he ought to be officially styled “John Paul the Great” and he ought to be declared a Doctor of the Church. “The Mercy Doctor” since he promulgated the devotion and feast of Divine Mercy and died on the vigil of that feast day.
And for his feast day? Maybe move Our Lady of Fatima to 13 October when the miracle of the Sun happened and have his feast day on 13 May when the attempt was made on his life.
I think his relic ought to be brought to the main floor of St Peter’s and a monument erected as one enters the basilica.
He must never be forgotten! He is the Pope, the saint of the Third Millenium!
Both the Left and the Right hate him but the people love him!
I'd say it's pretty clear what the author's agenda is.
Absolutely.
Some of your stuff is funnier than others.
Oh, no! Say it ain't so, Padre Pio!
What a cruddy journalist! Almost makes me cheer for an early canonization for JP, even though I'm more inclined to let the bureaucratic wheels grind slowly and exceedingly fine.
Yes. He had all the usual lefty buzz-words in there.
GAG
Okay, I recognize the different people can see the same person in different ways, and certainly many revere the person I mentioned (I mean, there is at least one college named after him). And some thoughts can remain unstated from time to time.
This thread was about JPII and while I have no particular opinion on what the RC Church should do, I’ll repeat my oft-stated opinion that JPII was 1/3 of a 20th century holy trinity consisting of Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thather and JPII (in addition to his other ordained mission of shepharding his Church). So of any 20th century figure deserving of such recognition, JPII ranks right up there.
Actually, I am thinking better of #10, so I’m committing self-abuse and asking that it be pulled.
Yep. So much so it's not worth the time argue against its faults. Not one of your better posts, but I appreciate your trying.
Bravo.
Maria Goretti? She was canonized by Pius XII, not JPII. Not only is the author's agenda showing, but he didn't even check his facts.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.