Catholic Fire

It was a unique day to say the least. The canonization of John Paul II and John XXIII will forever be recorded in the history of the Catholic Church. The setting itself was impressive. From the two giant tapestries of the two new saints, hanging from St. Peter's Basilica, to the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, dignitaries, presidents and leaders who made it a point to attend the ceremony. The day of four Popes, as its now being described, began with the arrival of Benedict XVI. Cardinals greeted him and then Pope Francis did the same. Then, on Sunday morning, before the Universal Church, the Pope read the decree, officially declaring John Paul II and John XXIII as saints. Applause quickly followed in the Square, as thousands payed their respects in Rome and throughout the world. Relatives of John XXIII and also the woman cured through the intercession of John Paul II carried the relics of the two new saints. In his homily, the Pope explained why they both exemplif...

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...

 Servant of God Madre Margherita De Brincat, foundress of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Vatican City, January 27, 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the audience he authorized the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes: MARTYRDOM - Servant of God Pietro Asua Mendia, Spanish diocesan priest, killed in hatred of the faith in Liendo, Spain in 1936 . HEROIC VIRTUES - Servant of God Giuseppe Girelli, Italian diocesan priest (1886-1978). - Servant of God Zacarias of St. Theresa (ne Zacarias Salterain Viscarra), Spanish professed priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (1887-1957). - Servant of God Marcelle Mallet, Canadian foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Quebec (1805-1871). - Servant of God Maria Benita Arias, Argentine foundress of the Servants of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament (1822-1894). - Se...

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.

July 9, 2013 (Romereports.com) The life of late Cardinal, Francis Xavier Van Thuan was unique, and perhaps even saintly. From being imprisoned for over a decade to becoming one of the main prelates of his native Vietnam. WALDERY HILGEMAN Van Thuan Cause for Canonization “Saints stand out from the rest, not because they were perfect but because they made it a point, despite the challenges, to follow Christ closely. It's about living one's Christian vocation at a heroic level.” The first stage of his canonization process,  known as the Diocesan Process, has come to a close. It involved thousands of pages that include testimonies, his own writings and accounts on his life and how he carried out his faith. LUISA MELO Cardinal Van Thuan Canonization “The presence of Cardinal Van Thuan is alive. He may not be here physically, but spiritually he is. I feel it.” He served as a Cardinal and as the President of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Justice and Peace...

May 9, 2013. (Romereports.com) A person is not born a saint. In fact, the process of actually being declared a saint is quite lengthy. It includes an investigation on the life, faith and possible miracles the person interceded in. If they are approved  the candidate becomes canonized, which means being declared a saint. The process itself is divided into four main stages. The first begins at a local diocese. It's here that a detailed report on the life and virtues of the candidate is prepared before being submitted to the Vatican. If it gets the green light the person is declared a Servant of God. The next phase is being declared 'Venerable.' That happens when historians, theologians and cardinals agree that the candidate's heroic virtues merit that title. In the third stage the person is declared a Blessed. For that to happen a miracle has to be attributed to his or her intercession. The miracle has to be scientifically inexplicable and it must be approved by sc...