The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-05-15

ACCOMPANIES CEREMONY OF
RAISING HOLY MEN AND WoM-
EN- TO HONORS OF THE ALTAR
UTMOST CARE AND SEVERITY
USED IN PROVING CLAIMS TO
SANCTITY-MIRAcLEs MUST BE
PROVED BEYOND POSSIBILITY
OF DOUBT-cATHOLl CHURCH
ALONE ENJOYS SOLEMN WoR-
SHIP IN COMMUNION OF SAINTS.
The number of lamentations and
| Qualifications in the Church this spring
| attracts interest to the nature of the
proceedings which are involved in the
making Of a Saint" The first stage
Of the process, of course, is the life
of the Saint as lived on earth. The
second is the process of his canOni-
Zation.
During May several ceremonies in
this line of great interest occur this
year, as is we'll known. Among the
leading ones are those of the canoni-
Zation of Blessed Joan of Arc the
! French heroine, and the Identification
Of the Venerable Oliver Plunkett, 18th
century Archbishop of Armagh, Ire
land, Martyr There are also the beat
ification of Venerable Louise de Mar
lilac, fOundress of the Sisters of Char
ity, and the canOnizatiOn of Blessed
Margaret Mary AlacOque, apostle of
the devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, and of Blessed Gabriel, the
| PaSSiOniSt.
Canonization.
The second stage in the process of
the making of a Saint comes when
the Church canoniZes the Saint, en-
rolling his name in the lists of those
to whom public cultus may be given
TO canOniZe is to place person S
name on the canon or catalogue OF
the Saints. Choosing the most bril-
liant examples of holiness among
her children, the Church sets before
the mind of the faithful what can be
attained by human nature working
with the grace of God.
Before the lamentations of a Saint
a searching investigation is made in
to the life and conduct, the sayings
doings and writings of the person
whose reputation for sanctity is I'M
der consideration, especially as to
their habits of virtue, as to whether
they have reached SO high level as
to be termed heroic.
Inquiry is also made as to the pow.
er of working miracles during life, OF
as to miracles obtained after death
by the application of relics, or
through the intercession of the holy
person who is under consideration
This inquiry is SO searching, the med
ical and other scientific scrutiny SO
severe, as to the cure of diseases or
other details which have to be estab,
lished, that the late Pope Leo XIII
was heard to say that in these days
the greatest miracle of all is to get
a miracle proved in Rome
Legislation.
Legislation as to the canoniZatiOn
|
formal as at present. The earliest
trace of it is said to have been sim
ply the inscribing of name on the
holy tablets which in the early times
were read or laid on the altar, during
Mass to be concentrated in prayer
or Thanksgiving. The names most
often recorded on these in the first
ages were those of the martyrs. 1t
was fitting that their names should
be recalled by the Church Militant in
her solemn ceremonies.
The process of canonization grew
more and more regular, but was still
left TO the Bishops until ITO, when
Pope Alexander III decreed that the
consent of the Roman Church was
necessary before public honor as a
Saint could be given. Under Urban
VIII, in 1884, full rules were laid
down for carrying through a Cause
of canOniZation. Benedict XIV, in his
Treatise on Heroic Virtue, expounded
fully the principles by which the ex-
animation of such causes should be
conducted, and the safeguards by
which a true judgment is secured.
The First Inquiries.
| When a person dies with a reputa.
ton for singular holiness, and there
are persistent reports for some time
confirming this fame and witnessing
to miracles wrought by the departed
or by his intercession-for the Cause
cannot be introduced until the glow
which succeeds holy death dies
down-the first inquiries are conduct
ed by the Bishop of the Diocese or
under his direction, and with great
care. The second step is an inquiry
by the Bishop or by Roman official,
as to whether the Bull of Urban VIII
forbidding public honor to be paid be-
fore the permission given by the Holy
See has been faithfully observed. The
result of these Investigations is for
warded to Rome.
Then the proceedings are suspend
ed for 10 years, giving time for calm
er consideration of the case Then
the Postulator of the Cause, the Car
dinal who works to forward it's
formal Introduction, petitions for ere
missal letters that the inquiry may
proceed to the next stage, which is
called the Apostolic Process. If these
letters are granted, the person re-