|
|
Church in the WorldVatican may abolish miracles for saint-makingVatican 1 January 2005Pope John Paul II is reported to be considering a proposal to abolish miracles as requirements for sainthood The claim comes from a highly credible source, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone of Genoa, who, until two years ago, was secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, from where the proposal originated. Cardinal Bertone told the Genoa newspaper Il Secolo XIX there is a growing feeling that the key requirement for sainthood is a life of “heroic virtue” and that miracles are “anachronistic”. An official of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints refused to discuss the issue, but indicated that doing away with the miracle requirement would be little short of revolutionary. Asked for how long miracles have been required for sainthood, he replied “Always”. There have been only two major reforms in saint-making over the centuries. Pope Sixtus V centralised the process at the Vatican in 1588, and John Paul II streamlined it in 1983 by cutting the number of miracles required from four to only one for martyrs and two for other candidates. John Paul II strongly believes in the importance of offering saints as exemplary figures in an increasingly secular world. In 26 years, he has proclaimed 483 saints and 1,345 blesseds, more than all his predecessors combined over the past five centuries. At present, the three steps leading to sainthood are determination that the candidate has lived a life of heroic virtue and is therefore venerable, followed by beatification and canonisation. Those who do not qualify for beatification through martyrdom must be shown to have performed a miracle. Another miracle is required of all candidates after they have been declared blessed in order to qualify for consideration for sainthood. The miracles are often cures of terminally ill patients, who prayed to the candidate to intercede for them. A panel of five medical experts, drawn from a pool of 100, must certify the cure was “sudden, complete and permanent” and has no medical explanation. Abolishing the miracle requirement could open the door to sainthood for candidates whose cause is stalled because they lack the kind of charisma that attracts prayer. Foremost among them are Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890), who is still at the venerable stage, and Robert Schuman, the post-Second World War French foreign minister who was a founder of the European Economic Community. Peggy Polk, Rome |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
|
