The cause for the sainthood of Fr Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Boys Town, is heading for Rome. The Omaha Archdiocese in Nebraska closed the diocesan phase of the investigation with a June 18 Mass at St Cecilia’s Cathedral. The notary for the diocesan tribunal investigating the cause said he was struck by stories Read more
Another step is soon to be taken in the path to canonisation of the “smiling pope”, John Paul I. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone announced that the position document for the beatification of Pope John Paul I will be submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the northern autumn. This sets out the pros Read more
A nun who challenged Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid could one day be declared a saint by the Catholic Church. Sante Fe Archdiocese has received permission from the Vatican to open the cause of Sr Blandina Segale, who was a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati. Sr Blandina taught poor children in Colorado in the 1870s Read more
On 15 April Pope Francis authorised the Congregation of the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the heroic virtues of Bishop Alain-Marie Guynot de Boismenu, the second vicar apostolic of Papua New Guinea. This is the first step in the process that leads to sainthood. His cause was opened in 1984 and was forwarded Read more
Theologians have approved a miracle attributed to the intervention of Pope Paul VI. Experts at the Congregation for Saints Causes have recognised the healing of an unborn child through the intercession of the late Roman pontiff. This is another step on the path to possible canonisation as a saint for Paul VI, who was one Read more
The Sisters of Compassion have announced that as part of the process for obtaining the canonisation of Suzanne Aubert, an historical consultation took place on 4th February. The votes were unanimously positive for her cause to proceed. The process for seeking sainthood for Suzanne Aubert began in the 1980s. Jessie Munro wrote a biography of Read more
Vatican officials have approved what they believe to be a miracle attributed to the intercession of Pope Paul VI, putting the pontiff who served for much of the 1960s and ’70s one step closer to possible sainthood. The Vatican’s Medical Commission of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints said the healing of an unborn Read more
Somewhere in purgatory there must be a very large room filled with artists and writers doing time for the bad paintings, statues, and biographies of female saints they produced during their lifetime. I do not want this to be the case. Yet, when I think about all the images of consumptive 14-year-old girls that adorned 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