Good News

What will Pope Benedict be doing next Wednesday? The following is a long answer to a short question.

Father Harrie Broers, parish priest of Munstergeleen (the birthplace of Blessed Charles), suggested in the comments box that I should phone Father Giovanni (Zubiani), who is the Postulator of the Cause of Blessed Charles (and of all the other Passionist Causes of Beatification and Canonisation). I had tried to speak to Father Giovanni yesterday but he was out when I called. However, I had a better result when I phoned Ss. Giovanni e Paolo today.

Here is what he told me:

The “miracle” was presented to the members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on Tuesday (- the Cardinals and Bishops who form what you might think of as the “board of directors” are the actual members of the Congregation; the others who work there are the officials of the Congregation). The ponente (i.e. the member who presented it on our behalf) was Monsignor Grillo, Bishop of Tarquinia and Civitavecchia. The “miracle” was approved unanimously by the members of the Congregation and will be submitted to the Holy Father by the Prefect of the Congregation for Saints, Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, on 21 December. If Pope Benedict accepts the “miracle”, the way is clear for Charles’ canonisation, and the Consistory at which the Decree on the Miracle is published will be probably take place in February.

If all goes well, then, after the Consistory, the Secretariat of State will set a date for the Canonisation of Father Charles of Mount Argus. We are hoping that the canonisation will be in October but, of course, that will be decided by the Secretariat of State. Meanwhile, the next step will be the reading of the proposed decree by Pope Benedict on 21 December (next Wednesday).