Two new Catholic saints have been canonized today

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Pope Francis had declared Francisco and Jacinta Marty saints, the youngest non-martyred saints ever, in Fatima.

Stupid question; how is such an event celebrated? (I'm just curious. *meow*) oh, and if this is inappropriate for this forum, please move to the proper one. Thank you.

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

 

[juantoo3]

Thank you for letting us know. The whole "saint" thing is a bit of a mystery to me. In my albeit slanted view, it is kinda like the Oscars...self congratulatory pats on the back as it were.

I don't know these people, clearly they have done some good in the world on behalf of the Catholic Church, I won't take that from them. But I know nothing of the process or how these things come about.

 

[wil]

Awaiting Thomas...

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Thank you for letting us know. The whole "saint" thing is a bit of a mystery to me. In my albeit slanted view, it is kinda like the Oscars...self congratulatory pats on the back as it were.

I don't know these people, clearly they have done some good in the world on behalf of the Catholic Church, I won't take that from them. But I know nothing of the process or how these things come about.

They were two of the three young shepherds who saw the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. They were siblings and both died in childhood (the third one, their cousin, died a few years ago in her 90s.) I believe that anyone can find out more about both the initial incident and the trio (not canonization or any of the trappings of sainthood, especially if one is "an outsider"...)

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

 

[Thomas]

I'm not sure what I can usefully add here.

The idea of a saint is one who testifies in word and/or deed to the Christian life. In that sense they are an exemplar of the faith and venerated accordingly. It's understood they are not the 'only' saints, but simply representative of the larger community of the faithful.

As regards Fatima, Our Lady appeared to three children, with a number of messages.

 

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

I'm not sure what I can usefully add here.

The idea of a saint is one who testifies in word and/or deed to the Christian life. In that sense they are an exemplar of the faith and venerated accordingly. It's understood they are not the 'only' saints, but simply representative of the larger community of the faithful.

As regards Fatima, Our Lady appeared to three children, with a number of messages.

Two of the three have been canonized, the third has started the process (she died roughly five years ago when she was in her 90s.)

What I'm curious about is are there certain festivities associated with the announcement of the final act of canonization or is it "been there, done that, t-shirt's in the wash"?

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

 

[wil]

I'm not sure what I can usefully add here.

The idea of a saint is one who testifies in word and/or deed to the Christian life. In that sense they are an exemplar of the faith and venerated accordingly. It's understood they are not the 'only' saints, but simply representative of the larger community of the faithful.

As regards Fatima, Our Lady appeared to three children, with a number of messages.

I thought there were a number of criteria for sainthood...one being people praying in your name and having received blessings/miracles? (Presumably intercession on the prayers behalf from beyond?)

 

[StevePame]

I thought there were a number of criteria for sainthood...one being people praying in your name and having received blessings/miracles? (Presumably intercession on the prayers behalf from beyond?)

I think that, unless there is a Papal waiver, a saint needs to have two miracles attributed to them?

 

[Thomas]

Yes, two.

A feast day will be accorded to the saint, its 20 February for these two, a particular shrine will be dedicated to them, and they may well be accorded patronage, that is made patron saints, again in this case of: Bodily ills, Portuguese children, captives, people ridiculed for their piety, prisoners and the sick.

Thus people might offer petitionary prayers to a saint. St Christopher is probably the most famous patron saint, but then he's been demoted!

Pope Francis has canonised over 800 saints. Benedict did 45, JPII did nearly 500.

When I was studying for my degree, we were based at Maryvale, a seminary founded by John Henry Newman. He was a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism.

In 1991, Newman was proclaimed venerable JPII. Jack Sullivan, a man studying for the diaconate in Boston, was on the verge of complete paralysis in 2000 and 2001 and claimed to have been miraculously healed after praying to Newman. The miracle was investigated and confirmed by the Vatican. Newman was beatified on 19 September 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI on a visit to the United Kingdom. A second miracle is necessary for his canonisation.