Qualifications for sainthood

There are many saints whose names we do not know. In fact, every human being who is in heaven is a saint. When a particular person is canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, it is an official declaration that the person is indeed in heaven. The saint's status is not changed by the declaration, it is simply recognized.

This is the process the Church follows in determining the sainthood of a particular individual. The process cannot be started until at least five years have passed since the person's death.

1. At the Local Level

A diocese, parish, individual Catholic, religious congregation or association will ask the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate died, to open an investigation. After approval from the Vatican, the bishop will set up a diocesan tribunal of experts to investigate the person's life.

The tribunal will look for evidence of the soundness of the candidate's faith, his outstanding practice of virtues and his reputation for holiness. His friends and family will be interviewed. Any letters, writings or documents pertaining to his life will be examined.

If miracles have been attributed to the person's intercession, they will be investigated. Today, most miracles consist of cures from serious or terminal illness. They must be verified by doctors, specialists, and medical evidence, such as x-rays and medical records.

Finally, the bishop will contact other bishops in the area to ascertain whether or not the candidate is known and venerated outside of the local area.

If there is reason to proceed, all relevant documents will be gathered together and forwarded to Rome. The bishop will request that the process for beatification be initiated.

2. At the Vatican

All the documentation is passed to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. After it is examined by a group of theologians, and found to be satisfactory, it undergoes an examination by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which is composed of a group of Cardinals.

If the candidate died as a martyr, no proven miracle is necessary. However, if he did not, there must be at least one medically-verified miracle which is attributed to his intercession. This is evidence that the person is in heaven and can intercede for those on earth who request his help.

3. Beatification

When the miracle has been verified by medical experts, and the candidate's life judged to be truly holy by the groups of cardinals and theologians, the cause for beatification is presented to the Pope for approval.

If he agrees, a decree is published, read in public and the candidate is called "Blessed". He may then be venerated by the local Church in his home area.

4. Canonization

This is the final step to sainthood. If the candidate was not a martyr, the Church requires that at least one more miracle, after beatification, be proven through the testimonies of witnesses, doctors and medical specialists. This is regarded as a sign from God of the candidate's heroic holiness.

Then, if the candidate's reputation for holiness continues to grow, the Pope may decide to canonize him. The new saint will be entered into the worldwide list of saints recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.

The Church realizes that it can name only a small number of the saints presently in heaven. As St. John relates in the Book of Revelation 7: 9:

" After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands."

Every year, on All Saints' Day, November 1, all humans who have successfully attained their heavenly goal, are honored by Roman Catholics around the world.