Sainthood Archives

Catholic publisher reissuing book with release of Jagerstatter biopic
- Dec 22, 2019
With the release of a film biography of Blessed Franz Jagerstatter, the conscientious objector who was martyred by the Nazis, Orbis Books is reissuing its 10-year-old collection of the Austrian farmer’s letters and other writings from prison.

By Mark Pattison
Martyrdom cause for All Hallow’s Eve church massacre in Iraq completes first phase
- Oct 31, 2019
The cause for 48 victims of a terrorist attack on a church in Baghdad has been completed.

By Inés San Martín
Newman expert says enlisting him in battles over pope ‘not fair’
- Oct 13, 2019
“He didn’t see the teachings of the Church and of our conscience in conflict with each other. And he himself expressed his unshakable belief in the infallibility of the pope,” said Father Ignatius Harrison, the Provost of the Birmingham Oratory, founded by Newman, and the postulator of his sainthood cause said about Cardinal Newman.

By Inés San Martín

Chesterton hiccup highlights trouble in getting lay saints, expert says

Aug 6, 2019

Following this week’s announcement that the cause for sainthood for celebrated writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton would not go forward in his home diocese, Dale Ahlquist, an expert on the author, said this stall illustrates how difficult it can be to get laypeople to the altar.

Rome conference ponders the rise of ‘everyday’ lay saints

May 1, 2019

Since the beginning of his pontificate, one of the things Pope Francis has advocated for most vocally is a less clerical Church with a greater involvement of laypeople. In this spirit, a Rome conference has higlighted the increasing number of laypeople being put forward for sainthood, focusing on six concrete examples.