[Oratam]

The example in this article is quite unusual; a saintly nun asks a saintly pope to canonize a conspicuously saintly priest. What about little known people who lived lives of heroic virtue, perhaps long gone to their reward?

I understand canonization requires miracles to have occurred which are attributable to the intercession of the saintly person in question. It appears to me that the remission of cancer is the miracle most often sought. May a miracle be something less than being pulled from the brink of death?

At what point or what stage may one ask for the intercession of a given "venerable" person? I'm referring to the very initiation of this long road to canonization.

In short, may I ask a person I believe to be in Heaven to pray for me for whatever need I have?

[Mrs. Don-o]

In a word, yes.