The third and final installment in a series on social justice in Catholic social doctrine: When the Italian Jesuit Father Luigi Taparelli D’Azeglio (1793-1862) coined the term “social justice” in the middle of the 19th century, he probably could not have foreseen its mention in an 1894 curial document and a 1904 encyclical, nor the Read more
The next World Youth Day, in 2016, will be in the Polish city of Krakow — where the WYD founder, Pope John Paul II, was archbishop before he was elected to the papacy. After the announcement at WYD in Rio de Janeiro, thousands of Poles who were scattered across Copacabana Beach cheered loudly. The late Read more
Oscar Romero, now back on the path to sainthood, was called to conversion by ordinary Salvadorans. Among the welcome news coming on the heels of Pope Francis’ election was an April announcement that the canonization cause of Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador has been, in the words of Italian Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, who leads 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
Theologians at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints have approved a second miracle granted through the intercession of Blessed John Paul II, moving him closer to being declared a saint. Although the process is supposed to be secret at this point, the Italian news agency ANSA reported that the proclamation of sainthood “needs only 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 Francis and the United Kingdom’s Catholic bishops expressed sadness and prayed for the soul of Baroness Thatcher, the Iron Lady” who led the British government from 1979 to 1990. The Pope recalled with appreciation “the Christian values which underpinned her commitment to public service and to the promotion of freedom among the family of Read more
Although Pope Benedict XVI’s highly unusual resignation is said to be for reasons of health, it fits the character of his papacy: all his initiatives remain incomplete. He was elected to rescue the church from itself, but he failed to finish what he started. The assessments of his papacy have so far focused on Benedict’s Read more
Blessed Pope John Paul II is a step closer to being declared a saint with evidence of a second reported miracle being investigated by a commission of medical experts. John Paul II was beatified in 2011 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints accepted evidence of the healing of a French nun, Sister Simon Read more