Saints be praised: Catholic Church’s rigorous path to sainthood involves multiple steps

Santo Subito! The words are written on signs held up and also chanted throughout the piazza at St. Peters as Italians and visitors call for the sainthood of faithful Catholics. Pope Francis canonized 14 new saints in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 20, 2024, and there are still others who are moving closer to sainthood.

Blessed Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. | FLICKR

The term saint comes from the Latin word sanctus which means holy, and the Catholic Church will only grant sainthood after a rigorous process of canonization. It is hard to give an exact number of saints, church documents vary and of course records were spotty or nonexistent in the early centuries of the Catholic Church. The website catholic.org gives an estimate of 11,000 and of course more will follow. Officially, church teachings are that all people in heaven are saints, but they have through the years introduced and revised rules for the title of saint.

About 30 percent of saints are popes beginning with St. Peter who was regarded as the first leader of the church. In the last millennium only seven popes were recognized as saints. In 2014, for the first time in the church’s 2,000-year history, two popes were recognized at the same time. The first was John Paul II, who died in 2005. On the day of his funeral hundreds of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square calling out “sainthood now!” His successor Pope Benedict XVI quickly waived the five-year waiting period to begin the canonization process.

Carlo Acutis could be the first millennial to become a saint.

During his time as pope, John Paul had already shortened the waiting period from 50 years to five. Prior to that, from 1588 on when the church created the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the average waiting time from the death of a person considered for sainthood was 181 years.

So, what is the path to sainthood? During the church’s first 1,000 years, saints were proclaimed by popular demand. Around 1100 A.D. the process was brought into the fold of the church and placed the pope himself in charge of committees who would investigate and document the lives of potential saints. In 1243 Pope Gregory declared that only the pope had the right to declare someone a saint and a version of that decision is still in place today.

Popes in modern times are known for canonizing in large numbers: John Paul II canonized 482 saints exceeding about 300 canonizations from the previous three centuries. In May of 2013 Pope Francis canonized 802 Saints. Eight hundred were the Martyrs of Otranto, Italy, who were killed by the Ottomans in 1480 for refusing to convert to Islam. There were also two women from South America who served both the poor and indigenous.

Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro. | WIKIMEDIA

The first saints were either martyrs or confessors of the faith. To be recognized as a martyr there must be a validated posthumous performance of one miracle to be recognized as a saint. Prior to 1983 confessors of the faith were required to be attributed with four miracles but that is now two. When Pope John Paul XXIII was under consideration for sainthood, Pope Francis waived the need for a second miracle.

This month we recognize St. Joseph who is the is the patron saint of the universal church in Roman Catholicism. He is also the patron saint for unborn children, fathers, workers, travelers and immigrants and his saint’s day is also Father’s Day in Italy. St. Patrick, who is honored this month on March 17, is internationally recognized as well and was recognized as a saint for his successful missionary work in converting the Irish people from paganism to Christianity during the fifth century. They are both saints with universal appeal while other saints may be more popular in a specific country or region. In addition each community usually has its own patron saint.

There are specific steps on the way to sainthood which are determined by The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. It begins with a person’s renowned recognition for holiness. This means a large number of the faithful are aware of and speak of the potential saint for their admirable life, positive impact, their success in drawing people into a faithful life and living a life that is purposeful and worthwhile.

Next comes the diocesan phase when a petitioner – usually a religious society or the bishop of the diocese where the person died, requests the opening of the process of canonization. Once approved, he appoints a priest who will gather documents and testimonies concerning the life and devoutness of the person who is now referred to as a “Servant of God.” The priest will reach out to people who knew the candidate as well as collect and examine all the writings and documents concerning this person, including his or her writings.

Once collected and with the bishop’s approval, all information is sent to Rome to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The material is placed in a formal volume call the positio which is then studied and voted upon by a theological commission. It is then sent to the cardinal and bishops of the congregation for their vote. If approved, it is sent to the Holy Father. If he approves the cause the person will be given the title of “Venerable.”

The next step is beatification. If the candidate is a martyr for the faith, he or she is immediately made “Blessed.” Other candidates need a miracle recognized through their posthumous intercession. This miracle is normally a physical healing that cannot be explained by medicine and science. Again, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints reviews the information with a group of specialists, believers, and nonbelievers, to verify the miracle which must be complete and have no natural explanation.

In addition, a theological commission determines whether or not the cure was a miracle and if it is attributable to God through the venerable’s intercession. If approved at this point the results are sent to the Pope who can then authorize the beatification and bestow the title of “Blessed.”

The last step is one additional miracle that happens after the beatification. The same rules apply as for the first miracle. If everything passes through the committees, then the Holy Father will recognize the person as a saint.

The most recent potential saints within the past several years are noted for their incredible lives which are as inspirational as they are diverse.

One of them is Carlo Acutis, who could be the first millennial to become a saint. Carlo was an Italian born in London in May 1991 who passed away at the age of 15. At the age of 11 he began designing a website and began documenting miracles and recognized Marian apparitions.

As a teenager, he spent much of his time helping homeless people and volunteering at soup kitchens. He was renowned for his joyful demeanor, his computer skills and his reverence for the Eucharist which was a central part of his life.

In 2018, Pope Francis declared him venerable, and his beatification took place on Oct. 10, 2020, after his body was exhumed and was found almost intact with all his organs still present. He was credited with a second miracle with the miraculous healing of a Brazilian boy with an irreversible disease who was cured after touching a relic of his. Pope Francis gave his approval for canonization in July 2024 and is scheduled to move forward with canonization on April 27, 2025.

Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro was a woman born in Forli, Italy, in 1936 who suffered disappointment and affliction her entire life but never lost her faith and hope in Christ. At only 3 months old she contracted polio.

As a young girl she was intelligent and cheerful but also very thoughtful. As a teenager she began to lose her hearing and her balance. As a young adult she realized her calling was a doctor and she enrolled in a medical program in Milan, Italy.

She was a brilliant student, but at age 21 she was diagnosed with Von Recklinghausen’s disease, a rare condition that left her blind and deaf, and she had to leave medical school. After returning home she proclaimed her convictions to others through letters in which she discussed faith and the love of God. She went through a series of surgeries which left her paralyzed, blind, and barely able to speak. Then she began to lose all her senses.

n spite of all these challenges Benedetta became a gift to others through her continued hope, faith, and love. She passed away in January 1964, after receiving communion and reconciliation.

In 1975, her cause for canonization was approved. She was proclaimed venerable in December 1993 in recognition of her virtuous deeds and model life. Pope Francis confirmed a miracle attributed to her intercession in a decree in November 2018 and she was beatified in September 2019.

Blessed Father Michael McGivney was born in Waterbury, Conn., in 1852. He felt the call to priesthood from an early age. In 1877, he was ordained and assigned to St. Mary’s church, the first Catholic Church in New Haven in a time when there was much hostility towards Catholics.

In 1882, he founded the Knights of Columbus with the goal to provide financial protection to families who experienced the death of the household provider. He also hoped the organization would prevent Catholics from turning to anti-Catholic secret societies for assistance when they were in need, and which would also try to recruit them to another faith.

In 1890, Father McGivney fell ill with severe pneumonia and passed away. His hard work and encouragement garnished the loyalty and devotion of the thousands of people who knew him as the founder of the Knights of Columbus, which now has chapters around the world. On May 27, Pope Francis announced that Father McGivney had been approved for beatification, which officially occurred on Oct. 31, 2020.