In All Things
John Paul: Venerabile Subito!
Good news from CNA about the soon-to-be-Venerable, soon-to-be Blessed, soon-to-be Saint John Paul II.
Vatican analyst Andrea Tornielli reported this week that the first step toward the beatification of John Paul II has already been completed. He explained that officials at the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints have given the green light for the proclamation of the late Pope's heroic virtue. Tornielli added that only the signature of Pope Benedict XVI is needed for the proclamation to become official, noting that it “could come during Christmas, when the prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, Archbishop Angelo Amato, will include it in cardinals’ agenda.” Once the decree is signed, he said, Pope Wojtyla will be given the title of “venerable.” “Once the decree is officially promulgated,” Tornielli continued, a miracle will then need to be attributed to the intercession of John Paul II. One case, the curing of a French nun from Parkinson's Disease, could be the miracle recognized by the Congregation.
And to that end, a fascinating and extensive website on the canonization procedure of John Paul here. As I've said before, if John Paul and Mother Teresa aren't canonized then no one should be!
James Martin, SJ
Add Comments (registration required)
Comments
I appreciate your venerable sentiments. Now he can join Venerable Pius XII. :o)
I pray that I may continue to digest all of his writings, particularly his reflections on St. John of the Cross.
God bless you and your fellow Jesuits.
Report comment
And exactly why is any of this is good news?
And commenting on the last sentence: in the case of JPII, then no one should be.
There are a lot of negatives about his papacy, among them were:
Support of the Opus Dei prelature and the 2002 canonization of its founder, Josemaria Escriva, whom he called "the saint of ordinary life."
He repeatedly ignored what became so obviously apparent of the failings of the Legionnaries of Christ, especially in the case of their founder, Rev. Marcial Maciel.
He was notorious in his traditional positions on the roles of women, which included rejecting women priests.
The manner of his death may have contravened his own position on using medical means to prolong life.
His strong stance against the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV led to countless deaths and millions of AIDS orphans.
His insistence on no use of artificial means of birth prevention has consistently fostered large families that third world poverty.
Report comment
Report comment
I pray all is well with you, Mr. McCrea. Please pray for me.
Report comment
If you are responding to my post, I don't include John XXIII because he has been beatified. JP II is not up there yet! ;o)
If that wasn't to what you were referring, I am spending too much time on this and need to get back to work...
Blessings!
Report comment
Report comment
Add Comments (registration required)
* The opinions expressed here are those of our contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial opinion of America magazine.