canonization

15 Stories

He Was Once a Slave. Now He May Become a Saint

Pope deems Augustus Tolton, America's first black Roman Catholic priest, 'venerable'

(Newser) - Pope Francis on Wednesday deemed the first known black Roman Catholic priest in the US to be "venerable," positioning the ex-slave for possible sainthood. The pontiff's designation of the Rev. Augustus Tolton as venerable, meaning the church intensely scrutinized his life and recognizes it as one of...

The 'Complex, Mysterious' Path to Sainthood of Mother Teresa

Her canonization happens Sunday

(Newser) - Agnes Bojaxhiu (known best to the world as Mother Teresa) will be canonized Sunday at the Vatican, and half a million people are expected to be present in St. Peter's Square as one of the world's most famous religious icons attains sainthood in a two-hour ceremony led by...

Pope Carries Out First Canonization on US Soil

But it's quite controversial

(Newser) - In the first canonization on US soil, Pope Francis has elevated to sainthood an 18th-century missionary who brought Catholicism to the American West Coast. Francis canonized Junipero Serra today during a Mass in Washington. Serra was a Franciscan friar who marched north from Baja California with Spanish conquistadors, establishing nine...

Pope's Newest Saints: Palestinian Nuns

Pair from Holy Land canonized in front of Mahmoud Abbas

(Newser) - Pope Francis canonized two nuns from what was 19th-century Palestine today in hopes of encouraging Christians across the Middle East who are facing a wave of persecution from Islamic extremists. Sisters Mariam Bawardy and Marie Alphonsine Ghattas were among four nuns who were made saints today. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas...

Pope Francis Beatifies Paul VI

Says 'God is not afraid of new things'

(Newser) - Pope Francis today beatified Pope Paul VI, concluding the remarkable meeting of bishops debating family issues that drew parallels to the tumultuous reforms of the Second Vatican Council which Paul oversaw and implemented. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI was on hand for the Mass. The bishops failed to reach consensus on...

2 Living Popes Canonize 2 Predecessors

John Paul II and John XXIII canonized in historic ceremony at Vatican

(Newser) - It's a four-pope day at the Vatican, as two living popes gathered for the first time to canonize two of their predecessors: Pope Francis presided today over what the AP notes is really a pretty brief ceremony that confirmed the sainthood of John Paul II and John XXIII. Appearing...

Giant Crucifix Dedicated to Pope Crushes Pilgrim

He dies just days before John Paul II's sainthood

(Newser) - Tragedy struck just days before the canonization of Pope John Paul II when a giant crucifix dedicated to the late pontiff crushed an unfortunate pilgrim in northern Italy. The victim, 21-year-old Marco Gusmini, was posing for photographs with other members of a group of young Catholics in front of the...

In 7 Months, It'll Be 'Saint John Paul II'

John XXIII also set for sainthood in first double canonization

(Newser) - It's official: Pope John Paul II will be declared a saint on April 27, 2014—as will Pope John XXIII, pontiff from 1958-1963, in the Catholic Church's first-ever double canonization. Pope Francis, who will lead the ceremony, announced the date at a meeting with cardinals today, the AP...

Unknown Calif. Housewife on Road to Sainthood

Cora Evans claimed to receive visions of Jesus

(Newser) - A late California housewife has started on the path to sainthood, and the San Jose Mercury News digs into the "largely unknown" woman's story. During her lifetime, Cora Evans, who died in 1957 and was declared a "Servant of God" by the Vatican last year, would reportedly...

John Paul II Will Be a Saint
 John Paul II Will Be a Saint 
Jul 2, 2013 10:24 AM CDT

John Paul II Will Be a Saint

All that's left is the ceremony

(Newser) - Pope John Paul II has cleared the final obstacle before being made a saint, awaiting just the final approval from Pope Francis and a date for the ceremony that could come as soon as Dec. 8, a Vatican official and news reports said today. The ANSA news agency reported that...

A Look at Pope Francis' 1st Round of Saints

They include hundreds who refused to convert to Islam

(Newser) - Pope Francis has made hundreds of new saints at his first canonization ceremony in St. Peter's Square. Here is a look at the people receiving the Church's highest honor:
  • Antonio Pezzulla and 812 fellow martyrs: In 1480, some 20,000 Turkish troops overran Italy's citadel of Otranto,
...

Vatican Canonizes 1st Native American Saint

Benedict seeks to honor missionaries from regions where church is lagging

(Newser) - The Vatican canonized seven new saints today, adding to its roster from parts of the globe where the Catholic church is falling behind. America claimed two of those seven spots, reports the Star-Telegram , notably including the first Native American saint, the so-called "Lily of the Mohawks," Kateri Tekakwitha,...

Pope Canonizes 1st Aussie Saint



 Pope Canonizes  
 1st Aussie Saint 
WHO WAS EXCOMMUNICATED
Oct 17, 2010 8:50 AM CDT

Pope Canonizes 1st Aussie Saint

Mary MacKillop was excommunicated for outing pedophile priest

(Newser) - Excommunication is an interesting path to sainthood, but Pope Benedict today canonized Australia's first saint, Mary MacKillop, a nun who was once booted from the church in part for outing a pedophile priest. Thousands of Australians were in attendance at the Vatican ceremony, in which five others were also canonized,...

Book: John Paul II Whipped, Starved Himself

Pope self-flagellated in pursuit of 'Christian perfection,' says author

(Newser) - Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, slept on the floor, and frequently denied himself food as acts of penitence, says a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case. The book Why He's a Saint also includes previously unpublished speeches and documents,...

Pope Canonizes Father Damien
 Pope Canonizes Father Damien 
Oct 11, 2009 2:44 PM CDT

Pope Canonizes Father Damien

Belgian missionary, four others elevated to sainthood

(Newser) - Father Damien, the Belgian missionary who ministered to leprosy victims on the Hawaiian island of Molokai before contracting and dying of the disease, was canonized today. The 19th-century priest, the founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and three others were elevated to sainthood in a ceremony that drew...

15 Stories