How does someone become a canonized saint in the Catholic Church? To become a recognized saint in the Catholic Church takes many years. There are cases where men and women are recognized as canonized saints rather quickly. For example, Pope John Paul the II will be canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2013, only eight years after his death. Below is the step-by-step process of someone becoming a canonized saint in the Catholic Church. This process is long, and arduous, but it is necessary and good because God brings forth the saints that need to be recognized.
Death
The first step of any person being canonized is they have to die. A saint is simply a person who is in heaven. A canonized saint is someone who is in heaven interceding for God. This is impossible unless they have died and gone to heaven.
Diocese Level – Servant of God
The next step is to wait. The waiting period is usually five years. Once the appropriate time has passed lay people and parishes from the diocese of the person may appeal to the bishop of their diocese to open an investigation for the sainthood of a person. The bishop of the diocese must be presented with the life of the person who is considered to be a saint. If the bishop approves that the person lived the life worthy (pray, practice virtue to a heroic degree, and imitated Christ) then he will pass it up to Rome. “When a person has died having the reputation of sanctity, and the report is circulated that God works miracles through him, the bishop of the diocese prepares a statement from the oaths of trustworthy witnesses, which confirms the fame of the person’s sanctity and the authenticity of the miracles. This statement is sent to the Congregation of Rites at Rome. From this point if they have found the person to be someone who led a faithful life, that person will be on the path of sainthood and they will soon be known as “Servant of God”. This whole process of becoming a Servant of God can be waived by the pope if he feels that it is not necessary. This is extremely rare. Most of the time this only occurs with the person live a very public life in which very little was hidden and much was already known.. Blessed Mother Theresa and Blessed Pope John Paul II are two recent examples.
Vatican Level - Venerable
Once the cause gets passed up to Rome, if they approve then they send several delegates to investigate the person’s life. They will send people who act as advocates for the future saint, and will also send people to try and see if the person has any skeletons in their closet, this people or people are called “devil’s advocate” because they are trying everything they can to test the cause for validity “The Congregation carefully examines it; if it is found to be correct, it is communicated to the pope, who then appoints one of the cardinals of the Congregation commissioner, to procure all the necessary witnesses and explanations for the examination which is now to be instituted into the life of the proposed saint; at the same time some are appointed to oppose the canonization. When this is done, a real jury is composed, that is, cardinals are chosen who solemnly swear that they will carefully try and judge the person’s life; and all witnesses for and against that person. Advocates are summoned to this trial of whom one or more undertake, under oath, the saint’s defense, others the accusation; they must bring up every circumstance, even the most trivial, which could cast an unfavorable light on the life of the saint, so that the truth may be more clearly shown.” If the person has passed this test from the Vatican then the Church will declare them “Venerable” and they can be asked for their intercession.
Beatification - Blessed
One confirmed miracle must be confirmed by Rome in order for the person to become a Blessed. “The miracle usually is an immediate, complete, and spontaneous cure of a serious and pathological disease or condition which medical science cannot explain or refute.” (Saints for dummies cheat sheet, www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-canonization-process-for-sainthood.html ) As a general occurrence, the beatification takes place fifty years after death. During all this time the trial continues; all his works, conduct and actions are investigated, and the least thing found therein that is contrary to good morals, causes the canonization to fall to the ground. When the examination of the miracles has been completed, the trial is discontinued for ten years, in order to bring more witnesses in regard to his character. After ten years the virtues of the saint, his faith, hope, charity, his observance of the four cardinal virtues: fortitude, prudence, temperance and justice which he must have exercised in the highest degree, are subjected to a strict and searching investigation. For this purpose the pope appoints by special bull, which is called Letter of Grace, commissioners who must inquire in the places where the person lived, how he practiced these virtues. After the examination is concluded, the sacred Congregation studies the commissioners’ reports, the testimony of the witnesses, etc., and then the trial with (start of pg. 483) all the documents concerning it has to be submitted to the conscientious inspection and examination of the Consistory, which is composed of all the cardinals, archbishops and bishops of the Roman court. A number of meetings are held, at many of which the pope is present, partly to make personal examination, partly to receive counsel from the bishops. After the pope has done this, always imploring God to enlighten him and also ordering public prayers for the necessary light from heaven, he publishes the bull by which he permits the ceremonies of beatification to take place.
Beatification Mass
The Mass of Beatification for the men and women who will become blessed is a special day for Rome and everyone around the world. On that day we are blessed to recognize and welcome more holy men and women into the special court of blessed and saints. If there is a club we all should strive to get into, this is it! “As the day approaches, on which the solemn beatification is to be made, St. Peter’s church a Rome, the largest and most beautiful in the world, is decorated with all possible splendor; thousands of candles glimmer on all sides of the church, the walls and pillars are draped from top to bottom with the costliest crimson velvet, the high-altar is brilliant with gold and precious stones, and over the altar hangs the veiled picture of the saint whose beatification is about to be commenced. The pope, surrounded by the cardinals and bishops, appears, attended by all his court, kneels down and once more prays for light. Then the cardinal who is to celebrate High Mass, comes forward in a golden cope and wearing a miter, reads in a loud voice the pope’s brief, in which it is declared that the venerable servant of God whose trial is now at an end, can be venerated and invoked in certain countries and by certain religious orders as on of the saints of God. The Te Deum is then intoned, the veil falls from the picture, and amid the roar of cannon, the pope and the people fall upon their knees, venerating the saint and praising God who has so glorified Himself in His servant.”[i]
As great as the person’s beatification is, it is not over yet. The road to sainthood takes many years, and they are not there yet. In order to become a saint another miracle must be attributed to the person. “This is the solemn act of beatification; the canonization is not yet finished, that is, the declaration that the saint can be venerated by the whole Catholic world. Before this is done, it must be shown that since the beatification God has worked new miracles through the saint; so there is a new trial and a new examination, and after the performance of new miracles has been clearly proved, the canonization occurs with the same solemnities that were held at the beatification.”[ii]
VIDEO – The Saints of John Paul II
The video interviews some of the former cardinals who were responsible for the beautification and canonization of saints. Pope John Paul II canonized more saints than all other popes before him combined! The Mystical Body of Christ is far and wide, and now the Holy Father is with the Church Triumphant celebrating with God and the Church.
Canonization
Once a second miracle is confirmed, then the process of canonization takes place. The congregation along with the pope decides when to canonize the person. The same festivities and then some are done for those who are being canonized. Some might ask why does it take so long for a person to become a saint. The reasons are unknown because it is up to God. Some men and women become saints quickly, while others take centuries. The important thing with the process is that saints are chosen and shown to us by God alone. The pope does not choose or pick saints, God does it for us. “From all this it is seen that no trial could be held with more conscientiousness, more care and severity than the process of beatification and canonization, and the final judgment is only given when God Himself by the miracles He works through the saint, decides the question, so that not the pope, therefore, but God only makes saints; He simply glorifies His servants who during their lives sought only His honor and pleasure.”[iii]
VIDEO – Canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva
On October 6, 2002 Pope John Paul II canonized a great saint. A priest who stressed holiness to the working class laity. St. Josémaria Escriva is loved by thousands of people all over the world for his work and founding of Opus Dei. He, along with Blessed Pope John Paul II would want us to be reminded we too must strive to be saints. We should hopefully one day have hundreds of thousands of people come to Rome to celebrate our canonization by the life and example we live. Do not be afraid to be saints of the new millennium!
[i] Goffines, The Church’s Year pg. 483
[ii] Goffines, The Church’s Year pg. 483
[iii] Goffines, The Church’s Year pg. 483