The Irish standard., 1894-03-03

JQtsu OA AEC. AS A0O AlA dHuOuHCous
the cause did not originate with him, but
has been a heritage from various prede-
cessors, eliminating in his pontificate
through the decision reached in the
ordinary slow way by the congregation of
rites. It is aslow way, truly. Beatiti
cation is antAoritatiyely defined as the
actof declaring a person deceased, whose
virtues have been proved by sufficient
testimony, and whose power With God
has been demonssYated by miracles to be
among the number of the blessed. It
has never been an easy matter to secure
this extraordinary dignity in the calen-
dar. In various countries, during earlier
epochs, it was not unusual for races to
raise favorites to the plane of bleseedness
by merely common consent; but as ma
tional prediction or considerations not
exclusively religious we're feared to be
operative in this somewhat loose mode Of
Identification, the Church ordained it at
an early day that the process of beatitica-
tion or canonization, which are diffe rent
degrees, should be reserved to the CEN
trail authority. Notwithstanding this,
devotions to various exceptional persons
appeared from time to time, and in the
twelfth century decree was published
making it unlawful for such devotions to
be tolerated where the Church had not
formally declared their object worthy Of
special homage.
There are in the Church three degrees
of sanotity, that Of venerable, that of
blessed and that. Of saint. Beatitication
is not canonization. There was a great
woman contemporary with Joan of Arc,
who is canonized' Saint Oolette, educa-
tor, retormer and patriot. Anyone be-
liaying the faith of the Roman Catholic
Church has been free since her canoniza-
tion to invoke her aid, presumably great
with God; but it has not heretofore been
lawful to ask like favor of intermediation
from Joan of Arc, nor will it be unre-
servedly even after beatiication, because
that is only preliminary to canonization,
which alone makes authorized saints.
Many years may elapse before Blessed
Joan is canonized, for there are difficult
conditions yet to be fulfilled. It will not
be lawful to place images of Blessed
Joan in churches universally nor to pay
to her memory any such homage as is
paid to that of saints. It is probable,
however, that this generation willsee the
blessed maid declared saint, and great
will be the joy thereat, for there is no
other character in history who so blends
all the traits human nature delights to
honor-perfect purity of life with MAJ vel
GUS valor, heroic courage, childish sim
plicity and martyrdom.
Beatifcation requires many successive
steps. The first step is inquiry insti-
tuted by the bishop of the diocese con.
corning the character of the beati6canda
or beatifcandus, as it may be a woman
or man whose Identification is proposed
The inquiry must extend beyond charac-
ter which must be shown to have been
strictly in accord with the most austere
requirements; the inquiry must cover al
legations of miracles. After the inquiry
has been finished an Official compares ali
the facts that appear to be established
with the law of the Church defining who
may be considered eligible for beatifica-
tion. The minutes covering these two
INQUIRIES are then sent to Rome and are
henceforth in the keeping of the secre-
tary of the congregation of rites. The
process Of beatifcation is instituted be-
fore that congregation by postulators,
persons who, as it were, second the mo-
ton Of the bishop, the official and others,
that the beatifcanda be beatified. The
next step is the appointment OF the deyiPs
advocate, CROSS examiner of witness and
ecrutator Of documents, skeptic and
unbeliever whose conscience binds him
to take nothing as proven, but to require
proof all over again it possible before
concurring in any conclusion favorable
to the proposal. # the beati6canda
wrote, the next step is examination OF
books or manuscripts attributed to her;
but as Joan Of Arc, conqueror of the
army of England, maker Of French
King, perplexer Of inquisitors and doc
tors. could neither read nor write, this
step was omitted in reference to her.
Justice White, the new member Of
the United States Supreme Court, will
be sworn in on Monday, March 9th, that
being the first day Of the spring term.
He will at once be called upon to take
part in the consideration Of more i'm
portant litigation than he's sgreeted g new
jjustics IN many Years.