Sainthood Archives

Argentine candidate for halo shows maybe you can serve God and mammon

Apr 26, 2021

On Saturday, with Pope Francis’ greenlight, the Catholic Church declared Enrique Shaw venerable, meaning he’s two miracles away from being declared a saint.

By Inés San Martín

Halo for Italy’s martyred PM, friend of Paul VI seems on hold

Apr 17, 2021

Though it’s not the foundation of his beatification cause, there’s a heart-breaking papal footnote to Prime Minister Aldo Moro’s kidnapping. He was a lifelong friend of Pope Paul VI, and during those agonizing 55 days, the aging pontiff tried to move heaven and earth to secure his friend’s release.

By John L. Allen Jr.

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.

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