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Cause, Diocesan Phase - The opening of a
Cause for Beatification begins at the diocesan level
based on the fame of holiness of the candidate over a
lengthy period. It begins after the bishop takes the
counsel of the regional bishops and only after obtaining
the Nihil Obstat of the Holy See. It takes the
form of a judicial process with a Tribunal established to
gather evidence, take testimony from witnesses, whether
for or against the Servant of God, and generally
determine the merits of the Cause, with an emphasis on
gathering exact historical information. Based on the
results the Bishop decides whether to send the
Cause to Rome.
Cause, Roman Phase -
Upon
completion of the Diocesan Phase and acceptance of the
Cause at Rome, the Congregation for the Causes of the
Saints appoints a Relator from among its College
of Relators. His task is to supervise the writing of the Positio,
a complete biography containing the evidence for or
against the candidate. The Congregation also appoints a
Postulator to represent the Cause. When completed the
Positio is judged by the Congregation's consultors, and
then by a panel of theologians, whose vote determines whether
the Positio is presented to the Cardinals of the
Congregation for their vote. If the Cardinals approve,
the Cause goes to the Pope, whose positive judgment on the Heroic
Virtues of the Servant of God permits the person to
be called Venerable. This Decree on the Heroic Virtues, together with a Decree
approving a Miracle, permits the person's Beatification.
Censor - A theologian deputed by a
bishop, religious superior, or Roman Congregation,
to judge whether an individual's writing or writings
contain anything contrary to faith and morals. The Censor
indicates that a work has nothing contrary to faith and
morals by giving it his nihil obstat. It does not
constitute endorsement of the work or its ideas, which
may even contain theological speculation, but which is at
least not harmful to the faith or morality.
Congregation for the Causes of the Saints
- The dicastery, or department, of the Roman Curia
responsible to the Holy Father for the investigations
which lead to the beatification and canonization of holy
men and women. Dicasteries are headed by a Prefect, who
if not a cardinal at the time of appointment is soon made
one. As departments they include bishops, clergy and lay officials
who conduct the ordinary business of the Congregation.
The name Congregation even more specifically
refers to the Cardinals and bishops who meet together
periodically to make the major decisions of the dicastery,
such as approving a Cause to go to the Pope. Thus, a
Congregation is ultimately the Prefect, several Cardinals and
bishops of the Roman Curia, and several Cardinals
from dioceses around the world, whom the Pope has
appointed to advise him in a particular area of his
responsibilities.
Imprimatur - Literally, "let it be
printed". The judgment by a bishop that a written
work may be published. It is typically preceded by the
work and judgment of a Censor, who gives the work his
"nihil obstat".
Nihil Obstat -
Literally, "nothing
stands in the way", or, "nothing
obstructs". The judgment by a curial official, or
officials, that there is no obstacle to a work or process
going forward. In Causes this means that the Roman
Congregations, especially the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, possess no information or grounds
that would prevent the Cause from proceeding. It leaves
the definitive judgment of the issue to higher authority,
whether the bishop or the Pope.
Postulation (or
Tribunal of the Postulation of the Cause of
Beatification, or Canonization) - The ecclesiastical
entity established by a bishop to effect the
investigation of an individual whose fame of holiness
merits proposing for Beatification or Canonization. The
Postulation is subject to the authority of the
bishop who established it and operates according to the
norms of the Holy See. From the Latin "to petition
or request."
Promoter of the Faith - Formerly called
the Devil's Advocate, when the Process took on a
more adversarial character, the Promoter of the Faith
protects the faith against falsification. Under the norms
established by Pope John Paul II, however, the Promoter
of the Faith has been eliminated in the Roman phase,
where his work of collaboration with an Advocate for
the Cause to produce an accurate, pro and con,
Positio on the life of the Servant of God now falls to
the Relator and his consultors.
Note
1 - This is always
prudent with private
revelation, since only the Holy See has the charism to judge whether a
particular private revelation has a supernatural origin. Even
when that judgment is made, it remains for the Church to explain its objective meaning.
This is because God uses the subjective content
of the mystic's knowledge, outlook, background and experience, as explained by St. Thomas
Aquinas and St. John of the Cross, to communicate divine truth. This subjective content must then be distinguished
from what God wishes to communicate. In the case of Luisa
Piccarreta this task has not yet been accomplished.
Note
2 - In 1966
the Index, which prohibited Catholics from reading certain books
without the permission of ecclesiastical authority, was suppressed
by Pope Paul VI. However, as Cardinal Ratzinger has pointed out,
the moral value of its judgments for guiding the consciences of
Catholics remains. However, in the case of Luisa's writings, the
Nihil Obstat of the Holy See permitting the Cause effectively removes
this negative judgment, as it is a statement that nothing known to
Rome prevents the Cause. It would not, however, remove the prudence that needs to be
exercised with respect to all private revelations and the requirement
of submission to the definitive judgment of the Church regarding them.
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