Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-12
MANUFACTURING A SAINT.
Beatty and CanOnize n Philn-
deIphia Bishop.

From the Philadelphia Record.
The contemplated Identification of Rev.
Mr.. John Nepomucene Neumann. fourth
bishop of Philadelphia, who for many years
was pastor of St. Peters Catholic church
at Fifth street and Girard avenue, is be-
ing rapidly carried through the stages
which will in 4 few years bestow upon
Philadelphia the proud honor of having
one Of her bishops enrolled upon the cal
endar of saints. The bishop dropped dead
on Vine street on January ). 1866. Bishop
almost foretold the time and cir
cumstances of his death. In 1857, when
in his 18th year. he said to his nephew
Il shall not see So" The nephew replied
that the bishops parents had attained old
age and he might look forward to the
same. You will see that | shall not see
80" replied the bishop. Since his death
many efforts have been made to make him
d saint.
Within a few years much interesting tes-
timony has been collected regarding his life
and work and submitted TO the congreS4-
ton OF rites at Rome. which after a search
ing inquiry deemed him worthy of the title
of venerable. and is now about to begin the
apostolic process which Is necessary be-
Rev. JOIN Wissell. rector of the mission
house of the Redemptorists at Saratoga.
N. Y, has been recently appointed postu-
| of eminent priests of this city have also
been appointed, whose evidence and find
ings will be submitted to Rome. 1t is com
pOStU DlSnOD OF fTtllutIS dStb Z u ~. -
F~itzmaurice, rector of the seminary at
Overbrook; Rev. Mr.. c. NJ. Driscoll, pro
vincial of the Augustinians; Rev; Mr.. John
Scully. rector of st. Joseph's, and Rev: MIR.
Bernard Dornhege. rector of St. Eliza
beth's. They held their first session Oc-
tober % at the cathedral chapel. when
Archbishop Ryan presided: Pther sessions
ent will be held at other local chapels,
most of them probably at st. Peters,
where the bishop is
Tho sessions re secret no one being Dpr-
mitted TO be present except the witnesses
and the judges, and these are sworn not
TO give out what takes place until after
Wissell. who acts as attorney for the can
didate. is excluded. 1t is Father WisselfS
duty to find witnesses and question them
before going before the judges. but he can
not be present at their cross-eXamination
by the judges. Father Wissell will petition
this court to take up the case and will
bring. witnesses to prove that the candi-
date led the life of a saint. He is anxious
to hear at St. Peters from any persons
who have knowledge of miraculous inter-
VentionS through the intercesSion of Bishop
Neumann. So far about a dozen miracu-
lous interventions lave been reported.
Father Wissell has had to visit other
cities for witnesses. including Baltimore.
where Father Neumann. before being con-
secrated a bishop, was stationed for a
time. All testimony must be by personal
deposition, and when one is unable through
i'll health or age to come here before the
| judges. his or her deposition must be taken
personally in the presence of some of the
judges, who must go to the witness. He
found important testimony, in Baltimore
and Pittsburg. A remarkable example is
reported TO have been obtained through
the bishops interceSSion on behalf of a
lady now living in Worcester, Mass. She
will be brought before the judges.
Every precaution is adopted TO make the
en- are sealed. The originals are Kept here
in the archives of the diocese. and copies
are sent to Rome by a trustworthy mes
senger-they cannot be sent by maitland
when they arrive the testimony is again
thoroughly examined.
Thirteen or fourteen steps are necessary
in the process of Identification. the general
object of all these lengthy inquiries, ex-
tending always over many years and some
times from one century to another. being
to discover the credibility of witnesses and
the authenticity of the statements. The
facts can only be secured from the reports
of witnesses personally cognizant of the
facts. subjected to juridicial investigation
lects. The person who is to be beatitied
must have practiced in the heroic degree
the three theological virtues-faith. hope
and charity-and the four cardinal virtues
prudence. justice, courage and temper
ance.
The steps which in the case of Bishop
Neumann nave already been complied with
are the institution of IL formal or opening
inquiry as to the fact of the reputation of
the candidate: a subsequent inquiry as to
whether the edict prohibiting the public
veneration of the candidate as Il saint
without proper consent has been complied
with: the formal submission of the case to
the congregation of rites. and the formal
opening of the process by that body; an ex-
animation by the congregation Of all the
written works of the candidate and the in
PRODUCTION Of the apostolic process.
The case was then taken up by the con-
gregation of rites at Rome. who tried it.
investigated not only the notoriety, but
the reality and nature of the virtues and
miracles ascribed to him. These having
been approved he must hereafter be styled
the Venerable join ~NepUmucene Neumann,
When beatitied he will be termed blessed.
When canonized he will be called saint.