Sainthood Archives

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.

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.

By Elise Harris

Argentine union wants Evita to be saint, Church says ‘not so fast’

May 16, 2019

Archbishop Eduardo Martin of Rosario, Argentina, told reporters that a person is only declared a saint for “eminently religious reasons,” and no others.

By Inés San Martín

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.

By Elise Harris