The news that Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters, has been declared venerable by His Holiness Pope Francis.was celebrated last Thursday by the Presentation Sisters in New Zealand. “For Presentation Sisters, associates and friends of Nano throughout the world, Nano has been and continues to be a source of inspiration and challenge as we Read more
I am intrigued by an article by Christopher Howse in the Telegraph of Saturday 17th August. Entitled “Is Chesterton to be made a saint?” It discusses the great GKC’s particular qualification for this singular honour: his optimism – “no facile cheeriness but a deep conviction that the world was fundamentally good”. This is a significant Read more
The Vatican this week said Pope Francis will host a meeting of cardinals on September 30 to formally approve the canonization of Blesseds John Paul II and John XXIII. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, said the date for the canonization will be announced after the meeting. He said only Pope Read more
Pope Francis has approved the canonisations of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII— in the latter case waiving the requirement for a second miracle. Papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said both canonisations could take place before the end of this year, and Vatican journalists are speculating that both pontiffs could be declared saints at Read more
Today’s announcement by Pope Francis of the canonization of Blessed John Paul II was not a surprise. From the time of his death in 2005, when crowds shouted “Santo Subito!” in St. Peter’s Square, to Pope Benedict XVI’s waiving of the normal five-year rule (the process of canonization normally doesn’t begin until five years after Read more
In his first canonisation ceremony, Pope Francis will raise to the altars an estimated 800 Italian laymen martyrs killed by Ottoman soldiers in the 15th century. Many of the martyrs’ skulls adorn the walls of the sanctuary in the cathedral at Otranto, a small port town at the eastern tip of southern Italy, where the Read more
A committee of doctors has confirmed that there is no medical explanation for a second healing attributed to the intercession of Blessed John Paul II. The alleged miracle now requires the approval of theologians and then the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, before being submitted to Pope Francis for Read more
Pope Benedict XVI canonized seven new saints on Sunday. In his homily, the pope praised each of the seven new saints as examples for the entire church. They “lived their lives in total consecration to God and in generous service to their brothers,” the pope said. The canonization coincided with the Synod of Bishops on Read more
On Sunday Blessed Marianne Cope was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica. St Marianne died in 1918 of kidney and heart disease at age 80. She dedicated 30 years of her life, from 1888 to 1918, helping Hawaiian-born patients suffering with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) who were exiled to the Kalaupapa peninsula Read more
The Catholic Church will canonize seven new saints on Sunday, October 21, in St. Peter’s Square. Among the new saints, two come from the United States, Blessed Marianne Cope of Molokai and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Mother Marianne (Barbara Koob, 1838-1918) was born in Germany and grew up in Utica, New York. She joined the Sisters Read more