Catholic Fire

Pope Francis has approved a decree that officially declares Msgr. Oscar Romero as a martyr. In the document, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints states that the Salvadorian Archbishop was killed because of hate towards the Catholic faith. With this approval, Msgr. Romero can be beatified without the need of a miracle attributed to him. The late Archbishop was killed in El Salvador on March 24th, 1980 while celebrating Mass in a hospital. During the height of the country's ten year civil war he defended the poor and needy. On his flight back from South Korea, the Pope announced that Romero's beatification process had been unblocked. It was stalled for many years, as the Vatican investigated if he was killed for political reasons or for preaching the Catholic faith. The next step will be for Pope Francis to announce a beatification date for Msgr. Oscar Romero.

Pope Francis is a great devotee of St. Therese of Lisieux. Her parents, Louis and Zelie were beatified back in 2008. Now, the saint's sister, Leonia is also being considered for sainthood. The priest leading her cause for canonization, talked about her life, in a video conference chat. FR. ANTONIO SANGALLI Postulator of the cause of Leonie Martin "She was the third of nine children and probably the less talented among them. She was always put down and described as the one who didn't know how to do anything. If was hard for her to compete to (with) her sister's accomplishments.” But she was actually the first one in her family who decided to embrace a religious vocation. But she wasn't able to reach her goal. She was clumsy and short tempered and her strength wasn't always a constant. She had to leave the monastery twice. Her sister Therese, helped her out, when her self esteem was low. FR. ANTONIO SANGALLI Postulator of the cause of Leonie Martin ...

Declaring someone a saint is a process that takes years. But what's actually involved? Each canonization includes a long process that's divided in several phases. The first one is carried out by the local diocese of the candidate. SILVIA CORREALE Postulator "This includes writing and gathering the testimonies of those who directly knew the person. So documents, letters and declarations that shed light on the candidate's grace.” The information is then sent to the Vatican, where it's reviewed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. If approved, the candidate is declared a Servant of God. The next step is analyzing whether the candidate manifested heroic virtues that reflect the Gospel. If so, the person is recognized as 'Venerable.' CARD. JOSÉ SARAIVA MARTINS Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints "When someone is declared as having heroic virtues, it's based on the way he or she lived. For example, thos...

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has released decrees recognizing 125 martyrs, and advancing three other candidates toward beatification. During a February 7 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Amato, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Pope Francis approved the decrees recognized the martyrdom of Francesco Zirano, an Italian Franciscan priest, who was killed in Algeria in 1603; and of Paolo Yun Ji-chung, a Korean layman, and 123 companions who died in Korean persecutions between 1791 and 1888. All are now eligible for beatification. The Congregation also recognized the “heroic virtue” of the following candidates, who will become eligible for beatification if a miracle is attributed to their influence: Jesus Maria Echavarria y Aguirre (1858- 1954), a Mexican bishop; Faustino Ghilardi (1858- 1937), born Guglielmo Giacomo, an Italian Franciscan; and Maria Rocio of Jesus Crucified (1923- 1956), born Maria Rafaela Rodriguez Xuarez de la Guardia...

During his most recent catechesis on Baptism, Pope Francis referenced the Japanese Catholics under persecution in the 17th Century. POPE FRANCIS "There were no priests left in Japan: they were all expelled. So then, the community went underground, keeping their faith and prayers hidden.” One of the Japanese Catholics that suffered most from outlawing Christianity was Ukon Takayama, the samurai of Christ. The Japanese Episcopal Conference has presented all the necessary documents to open the cause for his beatification. MSGR. JOSEPH MITSUAKI TAKAMI Bishop of Nagasaki (Japan) "He was a great witness to the Christian faith during this period of persecution in Japan, we could even say, in the history of Christianity in Japan. First, he clung to his faith without having doubts, without being swayed by any temporary wealth. He followed Jesus Christ at all times, and he lived a Christian life, according to the Gospel.” Takayama was born in Osaka in 1552. His family con...

March 14 of this year marked five years since the death of Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement. That meant the five-year waiting period, required by Canon Law, to open the cause for her beatification was over. As a result, many Catholics and non-Catholics are calling upon the movement Lubich founded to press for the opening of her beatification process. They consider her to be a role model of personal commitment for the good of humanity. The president of the Focolare movement, Maria Voce, has already signed the official petition, and will hand it to the bishop of Frascati, the diocese where Lubich passed away. The movement's charism focuses on promoting brotherhood and unity among all people from different faiths. They claim about 2.5 million members, distributed among 194 countries.

October 21, 2013. (Romereports.com) Millions of people from all over the world followed this very moment: Benedict XVI declaring John Paul II as a Blessed of the Catholic Church.     BENEDICT XVI May 1st, 2011 “We concede that the Venerable Servant of God John Paul II, Pope, from this hour can be called Blessed. And that it is possible to celebrate his feast in places and according to norms established by law, each year on the 22nd of October.” At the end of September, Pope Francis announced that John Paul II will be canonized on April 27th. The miracle that gave way to his canonization took place in Costa Rica, the same day he was beatified. Since his beatification, a celebration is held every October 22nd to mark his life and his deeds. The date coincides with the inaugural Mass at the very start of his pontificate. This October will be the last time John Paul II is celebrated as a Blessed, since by that time next year, he will be a Saint of the Catholic Church.

May 1, 2013. (Romereports.com) On May 1, 2011, for the first time a Pope beatified his predecessor. Just six years after the death of John Paul II, his successor Benedict XVI beatified him during a ceremony that attracted nearly 1.5 million people to the Eternal City.   The City of Rome went to great lengths to celebrate the beatification of the Polish Pope that spoke 'romanesco,' as the Italian dialect spoken in Rome is called. To be declared a saint, a miracle has to be attributed to the intercession of John Paul II, after he was beatified. A panel of doctors consulted by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints considered valid a supposed miracle presented by his postulator. Before presenting the finding to the Pope, the cardinals and the bishops from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints must approve it.

Colorado Springs, Colo., Apr 3, 2013 / 04:03 am (CNA).- The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration are thrilled at the approved beatification of their German founder, Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, after a Vatican-recognized miracle in Colorado. “We are enthusiastically surprised,” Sister Clarice Gentrup, the congregation's vicar general, told CNA April 2. “After all these years, we’re coming closer and closer to beatification and canonization, possibly.” Pope Francis approved the 19th century nun's beatification on March 27. The ceremony will be celebrated at the Catholic cathedral in Paderborn, Germany on Nov. 10 and her hometown of Olpe will host an event on Nov. 11. The miracle attributed to Mother Maria Theresia involves the healing of a Colorado Springs boy named Luke Burgie. In September 1998, at the age of four, he began suffering from a severe viral infection that caused chronic diarrhea. Many doctors and specialists could not cure him. “Nobody coul...

February 21, 2013. (Romereports.com)  Young people from across the world contributed to a video to give thanks to Benedict XVI. Titled “For a young man of 85,” they thanked the Pope for his generosity, for beatifying John Paul II, for his affection and his humility. The young participants also thank him for his example, his visits to other countries and the three World Youth Days held during his pontificate.

From the NCRegister: According to the Italian daily La Stampa, John Paul II will be beatified on April 2, 2010 — the fifth anniversary of his death. Reporter Giacomo Galeazzi reports that thanks to an acceleration in the beatification process, documents pertaining to John Paul’s cause, called the “positio,” have already been forwarded by a commission of theologians to be examined by cardinals . “This is very good news,” says Msgr. Tadeusz Pieronek, the Polish priest who has been responsible for the diocesan phase of the beatification process in Krakow, La Stampa reported.La Stampa adds that in early March, John Paul II’s former secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, said that the beatification process would be “finished in a few months.” According to Cardinal Dziwisz, Pope Benedict XVI “wants to close the cause as soon as it is practical — the world demands it.” La Stampa’s Galeazzi reports that in the last ten days the work of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has u...

Girl cured of terminal cancer brought new Cuban blessed to the altars The website of the Catholic bishops of Cuba announced just hours before the beatification of Brother Jose Olallo Valdes that Daniela Cabrera Ramos was cured of terminal cancer at the age of three and that her healing paved the way for the Cuban priest’s beatification. Reporter Osvaldo Gallardo Gonzalez interviewed the girl who is today 12. According to the website, she was cured of a fatal type of cancer after her family prayed to Father Olallo for his intercession. Entire Story Related Posts: Pope Benedict speaks on the Beatifications in Japan and Cuba Beatifications Approved by the Holy See

Mercatonet has a story on the French doctor who discovered that a patient with Down's had an extra chromosome at the 21st pair. ...The genetic diagnosis known as Trisomy 21 was born, establishing the first ever link between mental disability and a chromosome disorder -- and heralding a new era in genetics. It was a discovery of incalculable importance to people with the condition and their families -- if only at first from a symbolic point of view. The embarrassing and misleading term "mongolism" was gradually retired (although it still crops up) and the term Down's adopted after John Langdon Down who first described the syndrome. But Lejeune's contribution went beyond the scientific into the realm of what we might call "public relations" as he sought to open people's eyes to the human dignity of those affected by the syndrome and their claim on our love and effort. With his trademark combination of precise observation, moral insight and poetry he o...