Probably for the same reason the Baseball Hall of Fame has one - to get past transitory emotions that could cloud the judgment of the decisionmakers, allowing more objectivity into it. But the waiting period can’t be too long, or memories fade.
So that the heat of the popular passions of the moment does not control. Kinda like the Senate.
“To allow greater balance and objectivity in evaluating the case and to let the emotions of the moment dissipate”
Except that a subsequent pope with a more liberal agenda would probably be at least as likely to support John Paul II’s canonization. It’s exactly the sort of thing an astute ‘liberal’ pope might do to reassure potential conservative opponents, not least because it’s a decision that won’t make any practical difference to papal policy on other matters.
Interesting point, but since I’ve already declared myself correct and, because the fifty-some hours in which you or anybody else did not post your disagreement means that there is a tradition of general acceptance that I was right, I’m invoking Poster Infallibility retroactively.
Dropzone, why did you use the name, “Ratzi”, after an objection? Were you hoping to offend and thereby provoke some reaction? Perhaps some day you will seek to provoke a positive response.
As for anyone who thinks that observing a five-year waiting period would see a more “liberal” Pope, well, that would seem to reply on a Papal conclave that bears no resemblance to the one in existence today.
I make no apology for admiring His Holiness Pope John Paul II and considering him to be the most outstanding individual of my lifetime. It also seems clear to me - as one humble Catholic - that the case for his sainthood is even more extraordinary than that of the Blessed Mother Theresa, who I also believe is a saint awaiting recognition.
As for a special case, I suspect that Sister Jacinta will also be recognised as a saint without the need to observe a five-year waiting period - and would be considered by many to be a living saint.
Nobody has suggested waiting five years before electing a new Pope.
We’ve had a thread on her.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=318375&
Why is there no need for a five year waiting period? What doctrine or law allows instant canonization? If the Pope can simply ignore procedure and canonize whoever he wants, what other doctrine and laws can he ignore because he feels like it?
Not sure your interpretation of that line, but I see nothing of Judgement Day there. Just to give the correct line as it appears in The New American Catholic Bible : “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.”
Sounds alike, but just curious why you not only offer an interpretation of it for Catholics to follow, but you use the King James version to offer the quote.
In one sense… he may ignore all canon laws.
The Pope is the source of all legislative, executive, and judicial power in the Church. The canon law exists because a Pope has promulgated it, and it specifically says that the Pope exercise immediate, full, and universal power in this regard.
I use “Ratzi” because the cute li’l nickname I had for him before, “Ratzo,” never caught on but “Ratzi,” created by somebody else, did and the name “Benny16,” while perfectly adorable, does not quite convey the same feeling of contempt I wanted in that post.
Heavens, no! Why, that would be trolling and we all know that’s against the rules here. :eek: I was merely hoping to offend without regard to reaction, as he offends me and other former Catholics pushed away from the Church by his predecessor, the one whom you find so “saintly.” John XXIII for sainthood? I can accept that. John Paul II for sainthood? No way.
I’ve given up on that. Ask anyone here; the best I can manage is a neutral response. :rolleyes:
A guy can hope for divine intercession, though. A little bit of, “What the hell were we thinking?” would be nice, though I agree unlikely.
I would like to state the obvious, and point out that in addition to these reasons, “Ratzi” is a perfectly legitimate shorting of his first name. Ratzi-inger, you see?
Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as fun without the rat connection in English. Since “Ratzinger” just means “a person from the town of Ratzing,” “Ratzi” loses a lot of its offensiveness in German.
Actually, the waiver of the waiting period to start the beatification process can be seen as a way to please the “Santo Subito” faction without actually going for “instant canonization”.
Y’know what would be interesting would be to find out what is the record modern-times (say, post-Pius IX) quickest runs from dead to canonized (with AND without the waiting period) and from proceedings-opened to fully canonized. That would give uys some sense for what we should be looking at.
St Anthony of Padua holds the record at 352 days, but that was in the 13th century when things were mighty slack. Standards have improved, though, and St Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei, holds the modern record with a thoroughly unimpressive 27 years.
Dammit! That was a chance to use the “but that was in the days before the lively ball” asterisk and I missed it!
Meanwhile, on the saint front, the Pope is slowing down Leon Dehon’s canonization.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/15/AR2005061502305.html
Dehon was a French priest, who founded the “Priests of the Sacred Heart” religious order, and who was beatified in 1997. In February of this year, historians found some pretty anti-semitic writings of his.
Which, IIRC, itself owed a lot of favor to JP2’s intense personal interest in exalting champions of the conservative wing. THAT was one controversial candidate (AND since his work has inspired parts of Dan Brown’s writings, he is also indirectly a sourge upon good literature) OK, so unless Benny-16 really cranks up the heat and breathes heavily down the Congregation’s necks to be loose about verifying miracles, AND lives longer than expected, the money is on his not being able to see it all the way through…
That’s the answer I expected.
See…the take of the catholic church on this topic is based on a book that got dropped by the protestants.
Besides, your quote, as mentionned by other posters, doesn’t say anything about when people will find themselves in front of the judgement seat.