Are Canonizations Infallible?

[danielsisk619]

Can the church ere in canonizing someone?

Also is it possible that some of the earlier saints, from periods that didn’t have the rigorous tests we have today, are not saints as defined as one who went strait to heaven without a stop in purgatory?

I’m not going to stop praying to them I was just wondering.

Thanks and God bless.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Can the church ere in canonizing someone?

Also is it possible that some of the earlier saints, from periods that didn’t have the rigorous tests we have today, are not saints as defined as one who went strait to heaven without a stop in purgatory?

I’m not going to stop praying to them I was just wondering.

Thanks and God bless.

It is infallibly certain that a canonised saint is in Heaven; though whether canonisation implies no Purgatory at all for them, I AFAIK, it means that they are in Heaven, even if they may have required purgation.​

If ever the Pope canonises Cardinal Newman, that will mean Newman is recognised as being in Heaven. Would it mean he needed no purgation ? That is the uncertain bit - maybe you know the answer

 

[DavidFilmer]

Can the church ere in canonizing someone?

The process of recognizing Saints was once instituted by Bishops (which are not personally infallible), but gradually transitioned to one recognized by Popes (who are personally infallible). Catholic Answers “This Rock” magazine (April 1994) says:

The pope cannot by solemn definition induce errors concerning faith and morals into the teaching of the universal Church. Should the Church hold up for universal veneration a man’s life and habits that in reality led to [his] damnation, it would lead the faithful into error. It is now theologically certain that the solemn canonization of a saint is an infallible and irrevocable decision of the supreme pontiff. God speaks infallibly through his Church as it demonstrates and exemplifies its universal teaching in a particular person or judges that person’s acts to be in accord with its teaching.

However, AFAIK, the Church has not formally defined that Papal canonizations are infallible. And, as all good Catholics know, we cannot say with absolute certainty that a particular doctrine is infallible unitl the Church tells us the doctrine is infallible.

 

[DavidFilmer]

If ever the Pope canonises Cardinal Newman, that will mean Newman is recognised as being in Heaven. Would it mean he needed no purgation?

The Church has never taught that Saints in heaven spent no time in purgatory. In fact, with the exception of the Blessed Mother, I would suppose that every Saint in heaven spent some time in purgatory.

Of course, “time” is an earthly concept, and the idea of being in heaven “after” purgatory is a concept of our domain, not theirs.

 

[diggerdomer]

Can the church ere in canonizing someone? .

Yes.

 

[Tomster]

Can the church ere in canonizing someone?

Also is it possible that some of the earlier saints, from periods that didn’t have the rigorous tests we have today, are not saints as defined as one who went strait to heaven without a stop in purgatory?

I’m not going to stop praying to them I was just wondering.

Thanks and God bless.

The Church exercises her infallibility in the solemn canonization of saints.

 

[Just_Lurking]

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a section about this (see here):

Papal infallibility and canonization

Is the pope infallible in issuing a decree of canonization? Most theologians answer in the affirmative. … This infallibility, however according to the holy doctor, is only a point of pious belief. Theologians generally agree as to the fact of papal infallibility in this matter of canonization, but disagree as to the quality of certitude due to a papal decree in such matter. …

 

[MarcoPolo]

Is there a Church doc on the matter? The *This Rock *argument may be correct, but it sounds like the author of that article is only positing his theological reasoning:

“Should the Church hold up for universal veneration a man’s life and habits that in reality led to [his] damnation, it would lead the faithful into error. It is now theologically certain that the solemn canonization of a saint is an infallible”

I can personally see how this reasoning could fall short, because if the “saint” was canonized and he is known for certain works that were very good behavior or even theologically beneficial, that “saint” could still have gone to hell at the final instance and no one would know it, and none of the faithful would be lead into error. So if canonization is infallible, I don’t think it’s for the reason articulated in This Rock. Respectfully.