Recently in Sainthood causes Category

When I was a high school student at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT, I learned about Brother André but sadly the Brothers of Holy Cross didn't make too much of Brother André. I thought this was weird. The only saint candidate among the Brothers of Holy Cross and nothing much said to the students, faculty, alumni or benefactors. Really, knowing Brother André's story is to be filled with gratitude for the witness to simple, deep faith, the tenacity of his devotion and his virtue in the face of disappointment. Mind you, it is reported that he had a cold personality. A friend in Canada emailed me to tell me that Blessed André's cause for canonization is closer, elevation to the altars for God's praise and glory.

Twenty-six years ago today God called Terrence James Cardinal Cooke, 62, to Himself. Under the motto of "Thy Will be Done" and at the age of 47, he was nominated archbishop of New York, succeeding Cardinal Spellman. The Cardinal lived his life in dedication to the Lord, often quiet and formal. His cause for canonization was introduced in 1992 and named a Servant of God by Pope John Paul II.

Almighty and eternal Father, we thank you for the exemplary life and gentle kindness of your son and bishop, Terence Cooke. If it be your gracious will, grant that the virtues of your servant may be recognized and provide a lasting example for your people. We pray through Our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The cause for beatification and eventual sainthood of Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, took another step on September 22, 2009, with the submission of a supplemental report on a potential miracle attributed to the priest's intercession.

The Knights of Columbus announced today that officials from a supplemental tribunal of the Archdiocese of Hartford -of which Fr. McGivney was a parish priest- formally sent a new report to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints through Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, the current postulator of McGivney's cause. The information gathered by the tribunal included testimonies from witnesses to the supposed miracle as well as the statements of several medical doctors about the circumstances surrounding the reported miracle. Dominican Father Gabriel B. O'Donnell, the current vice-postulator and former postulator, has worked on the cause for a number of years with the assistance of a variety people, not least was Millie Millea, the former secretary at the McGivney Guild.

In the context praying Sext (midday prayer), the brief ceremony in which the new report was signed and presented to Archbishop Henry J. Mansell was attended by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, other Supreme Officers and other Knights of Columbus officials, three relatives of Father McGivney and a number of archdiocesan officials.

The submission of the new report "marks an important step forward. The Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints will now have valuable additional testimony that clarifies and adds significantly to the original submission," Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said.

"Father McGivney's beatification would be an important event," Anderson added, "not only for Knights of Columbus, but for the many thousands of parish priests who quietly do the Lord's work in parishes each day and regard him as an outstanding example for priests everywhere.  In this 'Year for Priests' it is an especially appropriate step forward." When beatified, McGivney will be the first US diocesan priest beatified.

The cause for Father McGivney's sainthood was opened by Hartford Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin in December 1997. In 2000, the cause was presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints;  Pope Benedict XVI declared him "Venerable Servant of God" on March 15, 2008.

Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 and died on August 14, 1890 at the age of 38. At the time of the founding of the Knights of Columbus he was a curate at Saint Mary's Church (New Haven, CT).

For pictures of the event see this link.

[this articled was first published at CNA and edited for clarity] 

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

26 August 1910 to 5 September 1997

"This celebration of Mother Teresa should remind us that the work of mercy, charity and compassion still have a fundamental place in our being disciples of Jesus today. During her life Mother put into practice in many ways Charity in Truth (Fr Cedric Prakash, SJ, Sept. 5, 2009).

Eric Giunta, a law student in Florida takes a look at some reasons why Pope John Paul II ought not be beatified with subsequent canonization in mind. For the record, I think Eric Giunta is off his rocker in his assessment of John Paul's holiness and heroic virtue, human and papal. He lumps too many things together and he lacks certain theological nuance in doctrine and teaching and when considering matters of ecclesial governance. Additionally, I think he's trying to hammer a wedge between the papacies of John Paul and that of Benedict which is unfortunate and wrongheaded. Giunta politicizes the Church which is common enough in today's era, that is, he speaks of the Church more as an institution and does not consider that the Church is first and foremost a sacrament founded by Christ. Miss this point you miss the essential understanding of Christianity.

In 1890 on today's date, Father Michael J. McGivney, a priest of the Hartford Diocese and founder of the Knights of Columbus, died at the age of 38.

The Holy Father recognized the 2001 healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan as a miracle by way of the Venerable Servant of God Cardinal John Henry Newman's intercession. This was the final step in the beatification process of the English cardinal; of course, the canonization process will continue to its natural end. Now the details of the beatification ceremony are pending which is likely to be England.

Yesterday morning [June 30] there was help at the Congregation for Causes of Saints the second meeting of the theological consultors tasked to examine the "Positio," that is the documents and testimonies of the cause for beatification of John Paul II. In the first meeting, about which Il Giornale has spoken, was held on 13 May. But it had an intermediate (or interlocutory... "interlocutorio") outcome, because of critical point raised not about the personal sanctity of Pope Wojtyla but about the manner in which the work was advanced and the lack of documentation.  The postulator of the cause, Msgr. Slawomir Oder, responded in writing to the objections and yesterday there was held the second and final meeting of the theologians, which had given a favorable majority opinion. Two of them maintained the initial "suspended judgment" ("sospensivo") because they though that the proofs and documents ought to have been integrated ("il quadro probatorio e documentale debba essere integrato"). This is the article that was published in today's Il Giornale. Now the "Positio" goes to the cardinal and bishop members of the Congregation, who before the end of the year will make a decision about the heroic virtue of Pope Wojtyla. Then it will fall to Pope Benedict to promulgate the decree which will bring his predecessor to beatification.