Recognizing a Saint: Part 4 of 5

30 NOVEMBER 2009. Reviewing the Church's process of declaring a person a saint, we have reached the step that is most difficult for a person--now called Venerable--to achieve: beatification.

Beatification is the statement by the Church that it is worthy of belief that the person is in heaven, having achieved salvation. The step of beatification can take one of two paths depending on whether the candidate is a martyr or a confessor.

A martyr is one who has voluntarily given her or his life for the faith. For a martyr to achieve beatification, the Pope must make a declaration of martyrdom. This declaration certifies that the Venerable gave her or his life voluntarily as a witness for the faith or in an act of heroic charity for others.

If the Venerable is not a martyr, then she or he is called a confessor--for she or he has confessed, or bore witness, to their faith by the way she or he lived their life. For a confessor, beatification requires proof that a miracle has taken place because of the intercession of the Venerable. In other words, the Church believes that a proven miracle is God's sign that the Venerable is indeed in heaven, enjoying the beatific vision, and God has performed the miracle in response to the Venerable's prayers. Today, the miracles are almost always miraculous cures. For the Church to confirm that a cure is miraculous, the Church must find that a person was sick, no known cure was available for the illness, the person directed their prayer of intercession to the Venerable, and the person was cured. The cure must be instantaneous, spontaneous, complete and lasting, and without medical or natural explanation.

Once the declaration of martyrdom is made or a miracle has been proven, the Church may declare the Venerable to be a "Blessed,"or, in Latin, Beatus or Beata. Each Blessed has a designated feast day, although it is typically only celebrated in the Blessed's home diocese (or other area particularly associated with the Blessed) or within the Blessed's religious order. Churches may not normally be named in honor of a Blessed.

Probably the most recognized Blessed today is Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was declared a Blessed on 19 October 2003 by Servant of God Pope John Paul II the great. Several Blesseds have been profiled on this Blog:

Blessed Margaret of Savoy
Blessed James Benfatti
Blessed Simon Ballacchi
Blessed Raymond of Capua
Blessed Dominic Spadafora
Blessed Jordan of Pisa
Blessed Robert Nutter
Blessed Adrian Fortescue
Blessed Pope Benedict XI
Blessed Junipero Serra
Blessed Osanna of Mantua
Blessed Diana and Blessed Cecilia

The next and final installment in this series will examine the final step in the Church's recognition of sainthood: canonization.

IMAGE: Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

29 NOVEMBER 2009. Today the Church celebrates the first Sunday of Advent and the turning over the calendar to a new liturgical year. Actually, the new liturgical year begins with first vespers on the Saturday night (last night) before the first Sunday of Advent. Last night's first vespers service with Pope Benedict XVI was shown here in the U.S. on EWTN, and our friends at New Liturgical Movement have posted pictures here.

So, to begin: Happy New Year Church!

Advent (from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming") is the first season of the liturgical year, and celebrates the expectant anticipation of the coming of the Word into the world, the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Latin word itself comes from the Greek word parousia, commonly used to reference the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. So, in this sense, then, Advent is both a reminder of the expectant waiting for the celebration of Christ's birth, and the waiting today that we Christian's endure in anticipation of Christ's Second Coming.

Advent actually has two phases. In the first two weeks of Advent, the Church focuses on the final coming of Christ. Here, at the beginning of a new liturgical cycle, we are invited to reflect on the end of time. For a follower of Christ, it is important to always keep our death--the end of our days--in mind.

Our destiny--the very purpose of our life--is to share eternity with God after a lifetime on earth.

The third and fourth weeks of Advent, however, are devoted to preparation for Mary's miraculous gift of motherly love to all of humanity--the birth of Our Savior.

There is some commonality between Lent and Advent. The liturgical color for both seasons is purple. Both are seasons of preparation and anticipation. And,both seasons are penitential in nature. As in Lent, the faithful are encouraged during Advent to make extra efforts to engage in spiritual activities (similar to the spiritual exercises that are traditional during Lent) and to, especially, avail themselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this way, we truly act to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ.

True to the first phase of Advent, today's readings focus on end times. The first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah recounts the words of the Lord: “The days are coming when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah.” (Jer 33, 14). This is a promise of a happy and secure life, a promise of justice and peace.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples: “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Lk 21, 36) In the second reading, Saint Paul advises the early Christian community to prepare for judgment by the Lord, who will judge us according to how we have loved our neighbor. “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father.” (1 Thes 3, 12)

So, as we begin this new year with an eye on the end, let us pray to be able to attentively listen to the call of Christ and the Church. I pray that we may each take this First Sunday of Advent as the new opportunity to  begin again to live our lives in a manner that will be pleasing to the Lord at the end of time.

Recognizing a Saint: Part 3 of 5

29 NOVEMBER 2009. This third installment in the series examines the next step in the Church's process of recognizing a saint: the declaration of the candidate as Venerable.

Following the transfer of the candidate's information to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the postulator continues to collect information. When enough information has been gathered, the Congregation will recommend to the Pope that a proclamation be issued recognizing the Servant of God's heroic virtue. This proclamation confirms that the Servant of God has exhibited the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance, all to a heroic degree in her or his earthly life.

If the Holy Father gives his consent, a proclamation of heroic virtue is issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, declaring the candidate a "Venerable Servant of God." No special ceremony surrounds the issuance of the proclamation.

For Knights of Columbus, we know that Father Michael J. McGivney, our founder, was declared a Venerable Servant of God under Pope Benedict XVI on 5 March 2008.

While a Venerable still has no feast day, and no churches may be built in his or her honor--as the Church has still not made an official statement of its belief that the person is indeed in heaven--prayer cards and other printed materials may be distributed to encourage the faithful to pray for a miracle, wrought by the intercession of the Venerable, as a sign of God's will that the Church recognize the Venerable as a saint. As an example, the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild, which was formed to promote Father McGivney's canonization, provides a prayer for his canonization here.

After the declaration of "Venerable Servant of God," the next step in the Church's process is beatification, which will be examined in the next installment of this series.

IMAGE: Father Michael J. McGivney

Recognizing a Saint: Part 2 of 5

28 NOVEMBER 2009. This second installment in the series on the process of sainthood is an examination of how the Church declares a person to be a Servant of God.

The process of canonization--by which an individual is officially recognized by the Church as a saint--begins at the diocesan level. A bishop who has jurisdiction over the person whose life will be examined for recognition as a saint (the candidate), usually the bishop of the place where the candidate died or is buried (although another ordinary may be given this authority), must give permission for an investigation to be opened into the virtues of the candidate. This is normally done at the request of the members of the faithful or the bishop may decide to open the investigation ex officio on behalf of the faithful.

The diocesan investigation cannot be opened for the first five years after a person has died. However, the Pope has the authority to waive the five-year waiting period, as was done by the great Pope John Paul II for Mother Teresa of Calcutta and by Pope Benedict XVI for his predecessor, Servant of God Pope John Paul II.

Normally, a guild, organization, or the candidate's religious order will promote the cause of the candidate's sainthood. An exhaustive search is made of the candidate's writings, speeches, and sermons and a detailed biography is written and eyewitness accounts of the candidate's life are gathered. When a sufficient body of information is gathered about the candidate's life, all of the information gathered at the diocesan level about the Servant of God is presented by the jurisdictional ordinary to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Once at the curia, a postulator is appointed to continue to gather information about the Servant of God. Religious orders that deal regularly with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints have their own designated postulator general. Father Vito Thomas Gomez, O.P., is the Postulator General for Dominican causes.

A Servant of God is not yet a saint. He or she has no feast day, and no veneration in public worship is yet allowed. The Servant of God, though, is on the way to sainthood.

The following Servants of God likely includes names you recognize:

Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul I
Dorothy Day
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Louisa Piccarreta

The next step in the Church's process of canonization is for the Servant of God to be declared Venerable, which will be described in the next installment in this series.

Recognizing a Saint: Part 1 of 5

27 NOVEMBER 2009. Over the course of the year the Church celebrates hundreds of saints and blesseds, and many hundreds more are celebrated by particular religious communities and local churches due to particular or local devotions. As the Acta Sanctorum Blog seeks to celebrate with the Church all of these saints and blesseds, it seems like now (as a new liturgical year is about to begin) may be an opportune time to examine how the Church comes to recognize a person as a saint.

To begin, this first installment in the series will look at the basics of the Church's recognition of saints and provide a short introductory history.

As discussed in an earlier post, a saint is a "'holy one' who leads a life in union with God through the grace of Christ and receives the reward of eternal life. The Church is called the communion of saints, of the holy ones." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2d ed. (hereinafter CCC), glossary (emphasis added)) Thus, the declaration of a person as a saint is a statement of belief by the Church that the person is indeed in heaven, having received the reward of eternal life for having lived a holy life in union with God, through the grace of Christ. 

In other words, the Church's recognition of an individual as a saint is not what makes that person a saint. Instead, the Church is declaring its belief that the person is a saint and was a saint (even before the person's formal recognition by the Church).

There a number of steps that must be achieved before the Church will declare a person's sainthood: (1) first the person's life undergoes an examination during which the person is given the title "Servant of God;" (2) at some point, the body of the person is exhumed with permission and examined and declaration is made that no heretical cult or superstitious practice has grown up around the person or her or his tomb; (3) then, the person must declared "Venerable" and having heroic virtue; (4) then, the person may be beatified (the most difficult step in the process)--and earns the title "Blessed"--which is an affirmation that it is "worthy of belief" that the Blessed is, indeed, in heaven; and (5) finally, the person may be canonized--thereby earning the title "Saint"--which is the declaration of belief that the person is indeed in heaven, enjoying the beatific vision.

The process to achieve sainthood, which had been around in some from since at least the Thirteenth Century, was simplified further, following reforms by Pope Paul VI, by Pope John Paul II in his apostolic constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister, issued on 25 January 1983, and the norms issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 7 February 1983.

The declaration of sainthood provides for universal veneration of the Saint throughout the Church. While not an express limitation, the veneration of a Blessed, or Beati, may be limited to only a particular diocese or a particular religious order.

Reportedly, there are more than 10,000 named saints and blesseds from history, counting both Catholic and Orthodox sources, but there is no definitive head count. The General Roman Calendar assigns feast days of saints to about half of the days of the year. However, that is only a small percentage of all the saints listed in the Roman Martyrology--the Church's official 776 page list of saints.

The second installment of this series will look more closely at what is involved in a person being named a Servant of God.

Happy Thanksgiving!

26 NOVEMBER 2009. Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday dedicated to giving thanks for all that we have, individually and as a country.

Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the United States since 1863, and has been a national holiday since 1941. While originally a religious holiday to celebrate the end of the liturgical year and to give thanks to God for the blessings of the past year, today in the United States the holiday is primarily recognized as a secular holiday.

The readings for today revolve around giving thanks to God. As others have commented, however, every mass is the supreme celebration of thanksgiving to Our Lord. Still, to recall on this day our need to give thanks to God for all the blessings that we have (especially, as there is no other creator and redeemer for us to give thanks to) seems a liturgically important and fitting celebration.

So, Happy Thanksgiving to all in the United States and everywhere else today that joins us in giving thanks to Our Lord for the blessings we have received over the last year.


Image: The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth (1914) By Jennie A. Brownscombe. From Wikimedia Commons.

Blessed Margaret of Savoy, widow

25 NOVEMBER 2009. Today is the feast day of Blessed Margaret of Savoy, a widow of nobility who left the world and the royal court for the love of Christ.

Born in Fossano, Italy on 21 June 1390, Margaret was the eldest of four children born to Amadeo of Savoy, (Lord of Piedmont and titular Prince of Achea) and his wife Catherine of Geneva. Blessed Margaret was the Marchioness of Montfrerrat from 17 January 1403, until the death of her husband, Theodore II, on 16 April 1418.

Known for her beauty and piety, Margaret's marriage of more than 15 years, however, never produced children. And, when her husband died, Blessed Margaret left the affairs of state to the son of her late husband from his first marriage, John-Jacques, and retired to Alba where she joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic, taking a voluntary vow of chastity. However, because of her beauty, she was pursued by many men for marriage.

Receiving a vision of Saint Vincent Ferrer, her departed spiritual advisor, he counseled her to take the habit of the Third Order to assume a character that would protect her from further solicitations. However, after joining the Order, the Duke of Milan asked for Blessed Margaret's hand in marriage, even obtaining the permission of Pope Martin I for Margaret to be released from her voluntary vows. But, Blessed Margaret did not retreat from her vows.

Margaret was soon attacked, though. by a painful malady, where she was visited and encouraged on her sick bed by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then, Our Lord, Himself, visited Blessed Margaret, accompanied by a a multitude of angels, holding in his hands three arrows labeled: calumny, sickness, and persecutions. Our Lord asked Blessed Margaret to choose from among the three, and abandoning herself entirely to the Divine Will, Our Lord left Blessed Margaret with all three arrows, which she lovingly embraced. The calumny came principally from the Duke of Milan who, having been denied Margaret's hand in marriage, complained to the Pope that Margaret was feeding heresy.

Instead of bowing to the Duke of Milan's pressure and retreating from her vows, Blessed Margaret redoubled her spiritual mortifications and joined with several younger women of rank and founded a convent, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalen, placing it under the Dominican Order.

During her life, Blessed Margaret was known to work many miracles, including curing the sick, multiplying the provisions of the convent, and calming a tempest with her prayers before it threatened the City of Alba. It was said that as the storm ceased, the voices of demons could be heard in the air cursing the name of Blessed Margaret for frustrating their evil designs.

Two days before her death, Margaret asked her sisters to lift her out of bed and lay her prostrate at the feet of Our Lord. Although the sisters could not see anything, they complied with her wishes. Then, Blessed Margaret's cell became radiant with light and a sweet harmony announced the presence of angelic choirs and Our Lord, Himself. The same sweet harmony was heard the next day, the feast day of Saint Cecelia. And, as Blessed Margaret was administered the last sacraments, she was seen to be attended by an unknown religious, who was believed to be Saint Catherine of Siena.

Blessed Margaret died in Alba on 23 November 1464 at the age of 74. When Blessed Margaret died the town bell tolled of its own accord, waking to the residents who reported seeing a procession of saints, bearing lighted torches in their hands, processing towards the convent.

Although originally buried in a simple tomb, in 1481 Blessed Margaret's remains were transfered to a more beautiful spelechre in her convent. Many miracles were attributed to her after her death. Blessed Margaret was beatified by Pope Clement IX in 1669.

Prayer

O God,
who didst teach Blessed Margaret
to forsake with all her heart
the pomps of this world
for the humble following of Thy Cross,
grant that, by her merits and example,
we may learn to tread under foot
the perishable delights of the world,
and in the embraces of Thy Cross
to overcome all adversities.
Who livest and reginest world without end.
Amen.

IMAGE: Arms of the Principality of Achea, from Wikimedia Commons

Solemnity of Christ the King

22 NOVEMBER 2009. Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King. Today's readings tell the story that the Church celebrates: truth has triumphed over falsehood. Truth is supreme and conquers all that is opposed to it. Christ is God's very word made flesh for the redemption of humanity. Hail Christ the King! Above whom there is none, and beneath whom all are subject to His dominion.

Blessed James Benfatti

19 NOVEMBER 2009. Today we celebrate the feast day (optional memorial) of Blessed James Benfatti, Bishop of Mantua.

Born in Mantua, Italy, Blessed James also died there on 19 November 1332. He was both a doctor of theology and a priest.

In 1290 Blessed James entered the Dominican convent in his hometown. There he became the friend and brother friar of Nicholas Boccasino, who later became Pope Benedict XI. Under Pope Denedict XI, Blessed James held several important offices including Papal Legate. And, in the course of his service to the Pope, he also served as Papal Legate for Pope John XXII.

In 1303 Blessed James was consecrated as the Bishop of Mantua (some resources say he was consecrated in 1304). There Bishop James was known for his devotion to the poor, earning him the name "Father of the Poor." As bishop, Blessed James rebuilt the Cathedral and refurbished churches in his diocese. He also actively fought against the hatred and division that plagued the city at that time. After his death, Bishop James was credited with many remarkable miracles that occurred, and people began to call him Blessed James in gratefulness for his intercession.

Nearly 150 years after his death, in 1480, when repairs were being made to the church were he was buried, an accident opened his tomb and people were startled to find his body completely incorrupt. Again, in 1604, the same phenomenon occurred.

Blessed James' cult was confirmed in 1859 by Pope Pius IX.

Prayer

Eternal God,
You established Blessed James as a model for your flock
and made him renowned for his zeal for peace
and for his mercy towards your people.
By his prayers and example
may we be united in the truth of your word
and ever ardent in your divine love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. 
Amen.

Dedication of the Basilicas of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

18 NOVEMBER 2009. Today the Church marks the dedication of another two papal basilicas (like the dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran earlier this month) named after the Apostles Peter and Paul.

We read from today's breviary the following:

Anniversaries of dedication were celebrated in the Vatican Basilica of Saint Peter and in the Basilica of Saint Paul on the Ostian Way as early as the twelfth century. the two basilicas had been completed under Pope Sylvester and Siricius in the fourth century. More recently this commemoration was extended to the entire Latin Rite. Just as the Maternity of the Virgin Mother of God is celebrated on the anniversary of Saint Mary Major (August 5), so on this day we honor the two princes of Christ's apostles.

From ancient times, one of the places on earth most venerated by Christians is the tomb of Saint Peter in Rome. The Emperor Constantine erected a basilica over the tomb of Saint Peter on Vatican Hill and another over the place of Saint Paul's martyrdom on Ostian Way. Both were eventually consecrated by Saint Sylvester. Both Basilicas, however, from their original founding, have suffered destruction and been rebuilt:

 The Basilica of Saint Paul was destroyed by fire in 1823, but was rebuilt and consecrated by Pope Pius IX on 10 December 1854 on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a which dogma which he had just proclaimed. Today it is called the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls because it is an extraterritorial complex, lying outside of the official boundaries of the Vatican City-State.

Although the original structure of Saint Peter's basilica stood for more than 1,000 years, its neglect (especially during the Avignon papacy) caused it to fall into a state of disrepair. The present structure of the Basilica of Saint Peter was inagurated in 1506 by Pope Julius II and took 120 years to construct. Pope Urban VIII consecrated the completed basilica on 18 November 1626.

Prayer

God,
give apostolic protection to Your Church,
so that as she received the first revelation
about You from the apostles
she may also receive through them
an increase of heavenly grace
until the end of time.


Amen.

Elizabeth of Hungary, tertiary Franciscan

17 NOVEMBER 2009. Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a Thirteenth Century woman who came from royal blood, but lived her life in piety, ultimately leaving the cares of the world to serve as the servant of the poor.

Saint Elizabeth was born on 7 July 1207 at Presburg, Hungary, the daughter of Alexander II, King of Hungary. At the age of four, the child Elizabeth was sent to the court of Landgrace of Thringia, where she was betrothed to his infant son. As she grew in age, Elizbeth's piety grew as well.

In 1221, at the age of 14, Elizabeth was married to Prince Louis of Thuringia. However, despite her royal setting, Saint Elizabeth lived an austere life of simplicity and penance, devoting herself to works of charity. Some histories say that Prince Louis, her husband, was also inclined to religion and encouraged Elizabeth in her virtue. Other histories say that Prince Louis and his family were opposed to her charitable care for the poor. What is uncontroverted, however, is Elizabeth's charity itself.

Elizabeth and Louis had three children before he died from the plague. After his death, Elizabeth left the royal court, made provisions for the care of her children, and in 1228 renounced the world becoming a tertiary of Saint Francis.

During this period, Elizabeth was under the authority of her confessor, a priest and inquisitor named Konrad von Marburg. Konrad was known for his harsh methods, and some histories report that his treatment of Saint Elizabeth was quite harsh, including physical beatings as punishment. Reported in some historical accounts, it was Konrad that ordered Saint Elizabeth to send away her children. However, Saint Elizabeth made vows of obedience to Konrad and followed those vows.

Saint Elizabeth built the Franciscan hospital at Marburg and devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the young age of 24 on 17 November 1231. Her gifts of food to the poor and a large gift of grain to famine stricken Germany earned her the title of patron saint to bakers.

After Elizabeth's death, reports of miracles occurring at her grave, especially miracles of healing, became widely reported and led to Elizabeth's quick canonization less than four years later.

Saint Elizabeth's relics, including her skull which is adorned with the gold crown that she wore in life, are preserved at the convent of Saint Elizabeth in Vienna, Austria. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 27 May 1235.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary is the patron saint of bakers, countesses, death of children, the falsely accused, the homeless, nursing services, tertiaries, widows, and young brides.

Prayer

God,
You taught Saitn Elizabeth to recognize
and serve Christ, in the poor.
Grant, through her intercession,
that we may always lovingly serve the needy
and the oppressed.

Amen.

A prayer for Our Bishop's Fall Assembly

16 NOVEMBER 2009. Dear Bishops engaged in the Fall General Assembly in Baltimore, we the faithful offer our prayers to Our Lord Jesus Christ for the successful and fruitful conduct of your assembly. May your time together both renew your spirit as pastors of the Church in the United States and renew your resolve to faithfully and collegially address the many challenges confronting the faithful in today's world.

May the Holy Spirit, ever the guide of our lives, descend upon you and remain with you through your discussions, contemplation, and work of these assembly days. And, may Our Lady of Guadalupe, protectress of the Americas, protect, indeed, your good work and carry it as an offering to God our Father, by the grace and power of her intercession.

In the name of Christ Our Lord, we pray. Amen.

IMAGE: From Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley’s Blog—www.cardinalseansblog.org