Stages of Canonization

[MatthewBerkeley]

Hi everyone,
Here’s something I’ve been wondering for a while, but decided to ask the question after I heard of John Paul II being made venerable last Saturday.
If canonisation is just the church infallibly stating that someone is in heaven, why are there the stages of ‘venerable’ and ‘blessed’? Surely one can’t be ‘blessed’ or ‘venerable’ and not be definitely in heaven?
I know that a certain number of miracles are required for canonisation, but why not gather the evidence and declare someone a saint straight off? Can the Church ‘back out’ as it were, if someone is beatified and then some evidence proves false?
Thanks in advance for your help!
God bless

 

[surritter]

I don’t know the exact answer per canon law, but I agree with your overall perception. Only the canonization part is infallible and meant for the universal Church, so calling someone venerable is on less footing, and for the reasons of taking it gradually. (Although someone who is Blessed can have a following and celebrations on their home turf.)

I think the main reason is to ensure that the process has a strong foundation rather than acting too hastily.

 

[bmadamsberry]

When someone is beatified, it is through papal permission, not command (permission to give honor and have celebrations within his/her particular area). When the Pope gives permission it is not infallible.
I would also like to point out that there are some Catholic theologians who think that cannonization is not papally infallible (though most do, such as St. Thomas Aquinas).
Finally, it is important to remember that, in relation to the history of the Church, Popes have only been cannonizing saints for a short period of time. Therefore there are some saints, like St. Christopher, who have been taken off the list of saints because of doubts of his existance (this can be done because he was never cannonized by a pope).

Hope that helps!

 

[surritter]

Therefore there are some saints, like St. Christopher, who have been taken off the list of saints because of doubts of his existance (this can be done because he was never cannonized by a pope).!

I don’t think Christopher was “taken off the list of saints.” Rather, his day was removed from the calendar. Yes, there are doubts about his specifics, but he is still considered a saint, if I recall.

 

[bmadamsberry]

I don’t think Christopher was “taken off the list of saints.” Rather, his day was removed from the calendar. Yes, there are doubts about his specifics, but he is still considered a saint, if I recall.

Eh, maybe I’m wrong about Christopher.

 

[thistle]

Hi everyone,
Here’s something I’ve been wondering for a while, but decided to ask the question after I heard of John Paul II being made venerable last Saturday.
If canonisation is just the church infallibly stating that someone is in heaven, why are there the stages of ‘venerable’ and ‘blessed’? Surely one can’t be ‘blessed’ or ‘venerable’ and not be definitely in heaven?
I know that a certain number of miracles are required for canonisation, but why not gather the evidence and declare someone a saint straight off? Can the Church ‘back out’ as it were, if someone is beatified and then some evidence proves false?
Thanks in advance for your help!
God bless

Not everyone who is declared Venerable goes on to be declared Blessed and not everyone who is declared Blessed goes on to be canonised so in effect the process can stall.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I don’t think Christopher was “taken off the list of saints.” Rather, his day was removed from the calendar. Yes, there are doubts about his specifics, but he is still considered a saint, if I recall.

St. Christopher was removed as a required commemoration from the ROMAN Calendar.

He’s STILL the main commemoration on the Byzantine Calendar.

 

[MatthewBerkeley]

Not everyone who is declared Venerable goes on to be declared Blessed and not everyone who is declared Blessed goes on to be canonised so in effect the process can stall.

But then what does being ‘Blessed’ or ‘Venerable’ mean, other than the Pope giving permission for local devotions? Is the Church saying, ‘yes they’re in heaven’, or ‘yes, we think they’re in heaven but we’re not sure’, or is she saying anything?

 

[bmadamsberry]

But then what does being ‘Blessed’ or ‘Venerable’ mean, other than the Pope giving permission for local devotions? Is the Church saying, ‘yes they’re in heaven’, or ‘yes, we think they’re in heaven but we’re not sure’, or is she saying anything?

She is declaring them worthy of veneration, honoring their heroic virtues, raising them as models for fellow Catholics, etc.
The Church says nothing of them being in Heaven until they are cannonized.

 

[Imryl]

A document on the canonization process and it’s different stages can be found at the USCCB website, here.