| Treating Causes of Beatification and Canonization On the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of the Congregation for the
Causes of Saint, the Holy Father sent a Message to Cardinal José María Saraiva Martins, Prefect, discussing a main item on the Congregation's
agenda, an "Instruction for the process of the diocesan inquiry in the
Causes of Saints". More than 20 years' experience has prompted this
Congregation to draft an appropriate "Instruction" addressed primarily to
Bishops. The purpose of the Document, the Pope said, is to ensure "the
seriousness of the investigations carried out in diocesan inquiries into
the virtue of Servants of God". The following is a translation of the Holy
Father's Message, which was written in Italian and dated 24 April.
To my Venerable Brother
Cardinal José Saraiva Martins
Prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints,
On the occasion of the Plenary Assembly of this Congregation for the
Causes of Saints, I would like to address my cordial greetings to you,
Your Eminence, which I gladly extend to the Cardinals, Archbishops and
Bishops who are taking part in the meeting. I likewise greet the
Secretary, the Undersecretary, the Consultors and Medical Experts, the
Postulators and all the Members of this Dicastery.
Together with my greeting, I also express my sentiments of appreciation
and gratitude for this Congregation's service to the Church in promoting
the Causes of Saints, who "are the true bearers of light within history,
for they are men and women of faith, hope and love", as I wrote in the
Encyclical Deus Caritas Est (n. 40).
This is why from the outset the Church has held their commemoration and
worship in great honour, dedicating down the centuries ever more vigilant
attention to the procedures that lead the Servants of God to the honours
of the altar.
Causes of Saints, 'major causes'
In fact, the Causes of Saints are "major causes", both because of the
nobility of the subject treated and their effect on the life of the People
of God. In light of this reality, my Predecessors often intervened with
special legislative measures to improve the examination and celebration of
their Causes. In 1588, Sixtus V willed the Sacred Congregation for Rites
to be established for this purpose.
Then how can we forget the provident legislation of Urban VIII, the
promulgation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the norms of Pius XI for
ancient Causes, the Motu Proprio Sanctitas Clarior and Paul VI's
Apostolic Constitution Sacra Rituum Congregatio?
My Predecessor Benedict XIV, rightly considered "the master" of the
Causes of Saints, deserves a grateful mention. More recently, in 1983,
beloved John Paul II promulgated the Apostolic Constitution Divinus
Perfectionis Magister, followed in the same year by the publication of the
"Normae servandae in inquisitionibus ab Episcopis faciendis in Causis
Sanctorum" [Norms to be Observed in Inquiries made by Bishops in the
Causes of Saints].
New Instruction for Bishops
More than 20 years' experience has prompted this Congregation to draft
an appropriate "Instruction for the process of the diocesan inquiry in the
Causes of Saints".
This Document is addressed primarily to diocesan Bishops and its
preparation constitutes the first item on the agenda of your Plenary
Meeting. Its intention is to facilitate the faithful application of the "Normae
servandae" cited, in order to ensure the seriousness of the investigations
carried out in diocesan inquiries into the virtue of Servants of God and
in cases claiming martyrdom or possible miracles.
The evidence for the causes is collected and studied with supreme care
and with a diligent search for the historic truth through testimonies and
documentary proof "omnino plenae", for they have no other aim than the
glory of God and the spiritual good of the Church and of all who are in
search of the Gospel truth and perfection.
The diocesan Pastors, deciding "coram Deo" on which causes deserve to
be initiated, will first of all evaluate whether the candidates to the
honours of the altar truly enjoy a firm and widespread fame of holiness
and miracles or martyrdom. This fame, which the Code of Canon Law of 1917
stipulates should be "spontanea, non arte aut diligentia procurata, orta
ab honestis et gravibus personis, continua, in dies aucta et vigens in
praesenti apud maiorem partem populi" (can. 2050 § 2), is a sign of God
who points out to the Church those who deserve to be set on the lamp stand
to "give light to all in the house" (cf. Mt 5:15).
Proven holiness essential
It is clear that it will not be possible to introduce a Cause of
Beatification or Canonization if proven holiness does not exist, even if
the person concerned was distinguished for conformity with the Gospel and
special ecclesial and social merits.
The second theme that your Plenary Assembly is treating is "the miracle
in the Causes of Saints". It is well-known that since ancient times, the
process for arriving at canonization passes through the proof of virtues
and miracles, attributed to the intercession of the candidate to the
honours of the altar.
As well as reassuring us that the Servant of God lives in Heaven in
communion with God, miracles constitute the divine confirmation of the
judgment expressed by the ecclesiastical authority on his/her virtuous
life. I hope that the Plenary Meeting will be able to examine this subject
in greater depth in the light of the Tradition of the Church, of
present-day theology and of the most reliable scientific discoveries.
It should not be forgotten that in the examination of events claimed to
be miraculous the competence of scholars and theologians converges,
although the last word is given to theology, the only discipline that can
give a miracle an interpretation of faith.
This is why the process of Saints' Causes moves from the scientific
evaluation of the Medical Council or technical experts to a theological
examination by the Consultors and later by the Cardinals and Bishops.
Moreover, it should be clearly borne in mind that the uninterrupted
practice of the Church establishes the need for a physical miracle, since
a moral miracle does not suffice.
Martyrdom, a gift of the Spirit
The third subject reflected upon at the Plenary Meeting concerns
martyrdom, a gift of the Spirit and an attribute of the Church in every
epoch (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 42). The Venerable Pontiff John Paul
II, in his Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente, noted that
since the Church has once again become the Church of Martyrs, "as far as
possible, their witness should not be lost" (n. 37).
The martyrs of the past and those of our time gave and give life (effusio
sanguinis) freely and consciously in a supreme act of love, witnessing
to their faithfulness to Christ, to the Gospel and to the Church. If the
motive that impels them to martyrdom remains unchanged, since Christ is
their source and their model, then what has changed are the cultural
contexts of martyrdom and the strategies "ex parse persecutoris"
that more and more seldom explicitly show their aversion to the Christian
faith or to a form of conduct connected with the Christian virtues, but
simulate different reasons, for example, of a political or social nature.
It is of course necessary to find irrefutable proof of readiness for
martyrdom, such as the outpouring of blood and of its acceptance by the
victim. It is likewise necessary, directly or indirectly but always in a
morally certain way, to ascertain the "odium Fidei" [hatred of the
faith] of the persecutor. If this element is lacking there would be no
true martyrdom according to the perennial theological and juridical
doctrine of the Church. The concept of "martyrdom" as applied to the
Saints and Blessed martyrs should be understood, in conformity with
Benedict XIV's teaching, as "voluntaria mortis perpessio sive
tolerantia propter Fidem Christi, vel alium virtutis actum in Deum
relatum" (De Servorum Dei beatificatione et Beatorum canonizatione,
Prato 1839-1841, Book III, chap. 11, 1). This is the constant teaching of
the Church.
The subjects being examined at your Plenary Meeting are of indisputable
interest and the reflections, with the possible suggestions that may
arise, will make a valuable contribution to the achievement of the
objectives indicated by John Paul II in the Apostolic Constitution
Divinus Perfectionis Magister, in which he says: "Most recent
experience, finally; has shown us the appropriateness of revising further
the manner of instructing causes and of so structuring the Congregation
for the Causes of Saints that We might meet the needs of experts and the
desires of Our Brother Bishops, who have often called for a simpler
process while maintaining the soundness of the investigation in matters of
such great import.
"In light of the doctrine of the Second Vatican Council on
collegiality, We also think that the Bishops themselves should be more
closely associated with the Holy See in dealing with the Causes of
Saints".
Pope alone decides on a devotion
To be consistent with these Instructions, elected to the Chair of
Peter, I was glad to act on the widespread desire that greater emphasis be
placed in their celebration on the essential difference between
beatification and canonization, and that the particular Churches be more
visibly involved in Rites of Beatification on the understanding that the
Roman Pontiff alone is competent to declare a devotion to a Servant of
God.
Your Eminence, I thank you for this Congregation's service to the
Church and, while I wish those who are taking part in the work of the
Plenary Meeting every success through the intercession of all the Saints
and of the Queen of the Saints, I invoke upon each one the light of the
Holy Spirit. For my part, I assure you of my remembrance in prayer as I
cordially bless you all.
From the Vatican, 24 April 2006
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