Saints

The congregation for the cause of saint wanted to know:
Did he die a martyr’s death?
Did he practice heroic values?
Can we prove these facts?
Was his life or his writings unorthodox pertaining to Catholics faith and morals were and did he stay true to his faith until the end of his life? Were their any proven miracles?

The process involved, local area promoting, fund raising, and publicity on the part of those who thought he was a saint then tribunals of investigation by the local bishop administrative procedures by Congregation for the caused of the saints. Official study and analysis, lawyerly disputations between the promoter of faith (devils advocate) and the advocate of the cause and advisory judgement by cardinals of the congregation & the pope & then decoration of Blessed.

1. Prejudicial Phase – Prior to 1917 at least fifty years after death was necessary before the candidate could be discussed for Sainthood. This was to fight off any celebrity or political reasons.
2. In Formative Phase – The bishop institutes the ordinary process. He provides sufficient material for the congregation to determine to start a formal process, Local Bishop establish a tribunal or court of inquiry judges summon witness to testify both for and against the candidate who is now called the servant of God.
3. Judgement of Orthodoxy – All document and personal writings are collected and sent to Rome to examine for unorthodox teaching or opinions
4. Roman Phase – Real Deliberation as soon as the complete information is received from the local bishop to the congregation it is assigned to a postulator resident in Rome. His job is to represent the petitioner of the cause. The postulator also chooses the lawyers who are trained or licensed by the Holy See to handle cases. Then the promoter of the faith or “devils advocate”, started his objections. This exchange often is a debate over year’s even decades. Eventually a printed volume called a “Positio” contains all the material developed thus for. The Positio is studied by the cardinals and official prelates the perfect, the secretary and head of the historical section of the congregation which renders a judgment, if the judgment is favorable it passes to the jurisdiction of the Holy See and called an apostolic process. The process starts all over with the witnesses and all this is sent to the officials of the congregation of theology consulters. The whole process is repeated a Third time but this time in front of the pope.
5. Examination of the Corpse – Some time before the beautification, the body is exhumed for Identification by the local bishop. This is for identification, but if the body is not corrupt, this can influence interest and support for the cause. When Bishop John Newman was buried in 1860, his body was not embalmed, but when opened a month later his body was still intact, but the church does not consider this a sign of serenity. What is needed for beautification and canonization are divine signs of confirming the church’s judgment regarding the virtues and martyrdom of the Servant of God?
6. Miracle Process –The process must establish that God truly performed a miracle and it occurrence through the intercession of the Servant of God. The local Bishop gathers the evidence and takes notarized testimony and sends it to Rome. The Congregation holds several meetings to discuss refute and then sends the evidence to be studied by a panel medical specialist who job is to determine that the cure could not have occurred by natural means. It then goes to a panel of theological consulters to determine if the miracle was granted through the servant of God only.
7. Beautification – a general meeting of the cardinals of the congregation is held for the Pope to decide on beautification. The rule has been reduced from two miracles to one miracle to be venerate the blessed
8. Canonization after beautification – the cause lies dormant until another miracle can be confirmed

Continue to next page for more information on how saints are canonized.