Santo Subito

[arisbe]

Not just another Mexican wrestling movie:

Archbishop Dziwisz, John Paul's trusted private secretary, specified that he wanted John Paul canonised - not just beatified - during the Cologne visit. Asked if Benedict might declare him a martyr - which would spare the Vatican from having to find and confirm a miracle attributed to John Paul - the archbishop responded, "In any case, people want him to be a saint."

Subito in this case meaning something like next month.

It seems to me that to be shot in a political assassination attempt and die a quarter of a century later is not exactly what the ancient Fathers of the Church called martyrdom. Never mind. In the case of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Pope back then said, Every article (of his writings) is a miracle. And you know, he may have been right.

Comments

The Cannonization Process

[speaks.livejournal.com]

I think the Information Age has been sort of reason, AND a disservice to the cannonization process.

As the article states, it used to be a 50 year waiting period before cannonization proceedures could begin, then 25 then 10 then 5 with John XXIII (My favorite Pope. My second favorite was Gregory VII)

Now back in the middle ages, it could take 50 years to learn all you needed about a person. Heck, in the Jefferson/Adams presidential races Adams claimed that everyone should vote for him because Jefferson had DIED! So as recently as 200 years ago, communication was so bad you could not be certain if a presidential candidate was in fact living during the race itself.

On the other hand, we have become a very disposable/recyclable culture. Sure JPII is all the rage now, but 10 years from now who will remember him? And HOW will he be remembered in 10 years. Sometimes it takes time for history to die down and give a more accurate portrayal of what a person was like.

Saints in their own way are kind of silly. We don't really need them. They serve no REAL purpose other than role-models and possible intercessors. You can pray to God or Jesus directly without the help of St. Anthony to find your car keys. It just feels nice to have good old Anthony around. And everyone who finds their car keys might go look up information on the Virtuous Saint. (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta01.htm)

So, the process after JPII went through the Saint Mill really devalued our Saints already. Its just making it worse and worse. And I will never put a little statue of JPII on my dashboard.

Re: The Cannonization Process

[arisbe.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link to St. Anthony. I had no idea stewardesses had a patron saint. The small samples of his own writing are quite impressive; I seem to recall he was (before his conversion?) a professor of philosophy.