The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-08-22
KnoU Your Church-Rites
Hard to Become Saint But,
Harder to be Declared One
BY JAMES c. o'NEILL

BY JAMES C.. o'NEILL
VATICAN CITY 1t is
hard to become a saint
but even harder to be de-
lclared one because of the
stringent scrutiny carried
on by the Sacred Congregation
of Rites.
The bulk of this congrega.
TONS work centers on the in
vestigation of the lives, virtues
and miracles of persons propos.
ed for Qualification and canon.
ization.
A single case can require
more Than 1000 pages Of doc
umenfstion and 10 times Is
many hours Of work. The
cause Of Americsn-born Moth
or Elizabeth Seton has already
filled 13 volumes, 1877 pages,
and includes 900 personal let
tiers written by The Baltimore
nun who founded the Sisters
Of Charity Of Cincinnati,
Ohio, in 1909.
At present there are more
than 70 canonization causes un.
der consideration and more than
800 possible Qualifications. An.
other 50 causes involve groups
of persons proposed for honors
of the altar.
While the making Of saints
and blesseds commands much of
the congregations time, this is
not its sole responsibility. The
congregation also supervises ev.
erything in connection with the
liturgy of the Mass and the cere.
monies used in administering the
seven Sacraments in the West.
ern Church. The Sacred Congre.
cation for the Oriental Church
governs the Eastern Rites.
Into the congregations office
flows a constant stream of mail
from priests and bishops seek.
ing information about the var.
ious details governing the cere.
monies of the Church.
This congregation not only
watches over all the various
Rites of the Church but also all
the details which surround the
Mass and the Sacraments. Thus
it has the final word in matters
concerning church music. art,
architecture, vestments and sac.
red vessels.
For examples: In response to
. query in 1856, fhe eonsre.
gafion ruled out the use Of
radio or phonosraph music in
church and prohibited The use
Of movie projectors in church
to illustrate sermons or teach
catsehism.
Last year it formally approved
the use of Gothic vestments and
this year it ruled that the Sane
tus and the Benedictus may be
sung together in a Solemn Mass
In all these things the con,
gregation insists on the worship
OF God in a befitting manner
and opposes changes that would
detract from the purity of the
Mass and other rites. No one
may change these forms of wor.
ship without the express con.
sent OF the Congregation Rites.
The Congregation is also in
charge Of the IitvrsieaI eaIsn.
dsr and fhs composition Of The
Mass missaI and fhs Roman
Brsvisry. To better help
priests meet The demands Of
their active v~oessien, The
eongrsgsfien In 1855 simpIi.
fled The rules and rubrics Of
the calendar and reading Of
the brsvlsry. II Is currently 70.
visins ths Roman Brsvisry
but no dats has yet bssn set
for completion Of the work.
The liturgical calendar, known
as the Ordo, contains directions
for the Mass and the Divine Of,
flee to be said every day Of the
year. Each diocese and religious
order and congregation has its
own Ordo, or at least 4 supple.
ment to that of the Roman
Church, which contains its own
special feasts and observances.
All these must be approved by
the congregation and no changes
are permitted without the con.
gregation's approval.
The Congregation OF Rites
also dssisnatss patron saints
for dieesses, cities, countries
and varteus oeevpational