I read today that the late Bishop Fulton J. Sheen is being considered as a candidate for sainthood. Looking through the Catholic Encyclopaedia and SD Archives resulted in mental novacaine (the former) and enjoyable but tangential diversion (the latter), but neither brought me what I wanted: I remember from Catechism, and was reminded by the CE, that verified miracles, among other things, are required for canonization. Who does the verifying? What are the criteria? No offense to the late Bishop, but someone claiming a cure from hugging the TV while he was on doesn’t seem like it would fill the bill. Rome’s pretty down on what some people call “faith healing” anyway, right?
Is Mother Teresa being considered for sainthood. As far a I know, she isn’t credited with any miracles, unless you want to define her work as a miracle.
The basic process of canonization, although considerably simplified in 1983, is still complex and fraught with difficult hurdles.
As a brief overview, the petition for sainthood is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. With their approval (technically, nihil obstat signifying they have found no reason not to proceed), a formal inquiry is opened into the life of the prospective saint, managed by the diocese in which the candidate lived or worked. A postulator is appointed, someone to advocate the advancement of the cause.
A documented miracle is required at this first stage (beatification) - not one which occurred during the prospective saint’s life, but later, based on his intercession from heaven. More than miracles, though, it must be found that the candidate has lived a life of exceptional holiness and virtue.
The Church through the diocesan investigation gathers all the documentation and historical information about the servant of God and makes a judgment about the holiness of that person’s life and work. But even if that judgment is positive, the Pontiff looks to God for some confirmation. The miracle required for beatification (and then another for canonization) is God’s approval of the proposed beatification or canonization.
The results of the investigation are referred by the diocese back to the Congregation for Causes, and their recommendation is given to the Pope, who makes the final determination personally.
That’s an overview. More details on request.
- Rick
Wow, no kidding? I believe he confirmed me – he was bishop of Rochester (New York) when I was a girl!
My mother always said she wondered what he had done to get exiled to Rochester . . . .
-Melin
MT is being considered for saint hood, in fact many of the rules have been waived for her and she is expected to be canonized in record time. I believe at one time a saint had to have three “proven” miracles, now days only one will suffice. If is also a shame that MT is going to be declared a saint, the whole MT thing is one of the biggest snowjobs of all time. “Mother” Theresa did not repeat did not care for the suffering, she thought suffering was good “the world is helped by the suffering of the poor,” “when we suffer we are in communion with Christ,” “when you suffer Jesus is kissing you.” People brought to her "clinic " expected to be given pain killers were not treated because MT did not believe in easing pain her main task was to give a Catholic death and convert the Hindus to Catholicism. The medical care was of the most primitive rudimentary kind even though she was given millions of dollars by people expecting this money to help the poor. The money was used to open new convents for her religious order or collecting interest in banks all over the world. MT traveled the globe hobnobbing with the rich and powerful, when her health is in jeopardy she received the best care money could buy unlike the poor people in her clinic. It is a tragedy this woman is considered a great humanitarian.
Icerigger:
I beg your pardon, but you have made a number of rather astonishing assertions, seemingly without any cite to authority. I believe this makes them gratuitous assertions, and as my high school debate teacher was fond of saying, “A gratuitous assertion may be equally gratuitously denied.”
Mother Teresa is commonly regarded as a caring and compassionate woman. What evidence do you have that the charges you’ve levelled are accurate?
- Rick
I believe, also, that Mother Theresa was misunderstood. I recall seeing a newspaper article in the Grand Rapids Press about 5 years ago showing a picture of MT. She was shown at a statue of Mary with some of her convent, all were praying. The picture was labeled, “Mother Theresa and her convent, praying to a statue of the Virgin Mary”.
Well, guess what? That is not what Catholics believe. She wasn’t “praying to the statue”.
Anyway, my point is that she and her convent are misunderstood by many. She has traveled around the world and in doing so, been offered very nice furnished hotel rooms, which she promptly turned down.
-Dragwyr
“If God had meant for man to eat waffles,
he would have given him lips like snowshoes”
-Rev. Billy C. Wirtz
Icerigger: No rules have been waved for Mother Theresa. For starters, there is a kind of waiting period that must occur before causes for sainthood can be advanced. This is to let the “celebrity effect” dissapate. It will be several years, perhaps decades, before the canonization process gets anywhere. I have no doubt that she will eventually be St. Theresa of Calcutta, as she is an exceptionally holy and faith-filled person.
Where did you get your information from, BTW? Did it come from India? Many Hindus are currently on an ultra-nationalist kick. They have come out with quite alot of baseless propaganda against Christians, Muslims, and other religions in the past few years. Probably has to do with the Pakistan conflict.
–It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
here is an interesting article about Sheen:
http://niwg.op.org/wogftsh1.htm
Some may call a miracle his alleged foreshadowing of Stalin’s death. (from the great urban legends page www.snopes.com):
The Most Reverend Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, was an unassuming cleric who offered inspiration and instruction via his radio show, and then on a regular TV spot in the 1950s. From a studio mock-up of a study, complete with blackboard, he broadcast weekly lessons in life and morality on a show called “Life Is Worth Living.” A common subject of his talks was the evils of communism, and one of his shows on this topic in early 1953 was long remembered because of an eerie coincidence. On that occasion, Bishop Sheen gave a dramatic reading of the burial scene from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, with the names of prominent Soviet leaders – Stalin, Beria, Malenkov, and Vishinsky – substituted for those of Caesar, Cassius, Marc Antony, and Brutus. From the Bishop’s lips came the pronouncement, “Stalin must one day meet his judgment.” Stalin suffered a stroke a few days later and was dead within the week.
Phouchg
The waiting period before one can be considered for sainthood has been waived in the case of MT she is on the fast track to sainthood. Suggest you all read The Missionary Position by Christopher Hitchens who went to India to check out the legend vs the reality of MT. As far as the Hindus are concerned I don’t blame them, Catholic missionaries are working to destroy the faith of a Hindu nation. Pure hypocrisy! In Mexico and Brazil Mormon and born again Christians are making inroads into converting Catholics and the Catholic hierarchy are screaming bloody murder. The born agains are doing exactly what the Catholics are doing in India.
How can I make this any clearer, Icerigger?
WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT! After Mother Theresa’s death, Pope John Paul II specifically announced that there would be no fast-track for MT. This upset some people, but most understood. Alot of people may want a fast-track cannonization, but it’s not happening. I’m sure people are gathering info to advance her cause, but that’s something that’s happening at an unofficial level.
–It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
Even though Icerigger wears knee-jerk atheism on his or her sleeve and spews anti-Catholic propaganda, the truth is that some elements of the process are being waived in MT’s case.
Oh, BTW, Icerigger: Sure, Catholic officials in Latin America may be upset at Mormon (et. al.) inroads just as Hindis are upset at Catholic inroads; but, the Catholics aren’t persecuting, pillaging, torturing, or killing the Mormons.
Where, Icerigger, is your condemnation of the blatant human rights abuse against Catholics in India? And how can you justify comparing those abuses to the mere upsetness of Catholics in Latin America?
You seriously lack proportion.
Peace.
Moriah
You have my condemnation of any violence against any people for any reason. I am appalled at violence against Catholics in India and Africa as well. It is true that Catholics are not torturing and killing Mormons at present but they have done so in the past (to other religions during the reformation) as well you know. Are you of the belief that any criticism of the CC is Catholic bashing? My original comments concerned Mother Theresa and what she believed in. Common perception was that she eased the suffering of the poor and sick, this is not correct. MT BELIEVED LIKE MANY CATHOLICS THAT SUFFERING IS GOOD!!! Call me crazy but many atheists
such as my self believe we should work to reduce suffering.
I beg your pardon.
Not that “suffering was good,” but rather, “there is a good side to suffering.”
A rather important difference, especially if you believe that some suffering is inevitable in life. (See the Buddhist thread.)
Are we moving into GD territory now?
- Rick
skipping lightly over the MT issue - I read in the paper today that the US Conference of RC Bishops (I probably don’t have that right, but you know what I mean) is putting forward a list of about 20 Americans to the Vatican for consideration for sainthood.
The most prominent person on the list is Martin Luther King Jr., who was not RC.
What are the rules about the RC church considering a non-RC for sainthood? does that happen very often?
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
MLK is just being considered to be classed as a martyr, not as a saint. Not all martyrs are Saints (with a capital S).
The US Bishops can nominate 20 people as candidates to be considered martyrs, but Rome still has to agree to it.
However, it would be very unusual for a non-RC to be considered for such a high honor, especially someone who changed his name to Martin Luther.
he changed his name? I thought he was named after his father, MLK Sr.?
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe
Beg to differ, but canonization as an official Martyr automatically makes one an officially canonized Saint.
Martyrs for the faith usually get the fast track approach (as fast a things move in the Vatican, that is) for canonization since from the first centuries of Church history, those who are martyred for the faith are automatically considered to be in heaven (since giving one’s life on behalf of the faith is the ultimate sacrifical act of being a Christian.)
In fact, the whole ‘Saints thing’ in the RCC comes from honoring the martyrs on the anniversary of their death with a graveside service (also the origin of the Christian observance of Halloween to which Pagan elements were added and then secularized).
Aside from the Holy Innocents (the children in Matthew’s Gospel who were killed by Herod who was trying to kill the new born ‘King of Jews’ that the Magi told him about), I can’t think of any non-Catholic martys (the Holy Innocents weren’t even Christian).
The U.S. Bishops might have a hard time proving to the Vatican that MLKjr was killed for his Christian faith and not merely for political reasons. There isn’t much of a history for declaring martyrs those who are killed for their social justice stands, even when their social justice stands are based in their Christian faith. So far, people who fall in that category have been Catholic clerics or religious (like Bp Oscar Romero or the martyred Salvadoran sisters who are all being considered for Sainthood-Martyrdom also).
Peace.