The office of the 'devil's advocate'

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RosesforMary

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Hi,

My question is simply, why was this office abolished? Is there now a new system which catches up the duties of the old office?
If not, it seems to me that, for ‘outsiders’ to Catholicism, this has surely removed some credibility from the Church…

I have only really read about the suppression of this office in the secular press, who seem to state that it was purely to speed things up or make it easier to declare people saints. So, I’m hoping for a better explanation than that!

Thanks 🙂
 
I think the title “devil’s advocate” was not formal, but a sort of nickname.

Here is the old way from the Catholic Encyclopedia (circa 1907):
newadvent.org/cathen/02364b.htm

You will note mention of the “promoter of the faith” not “Devil’s advocate”.

And here is something more modern:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/question619.htm

http://www.catholic.org/saints/faq.php

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/practices/honoring_saints/canonization.htm

What you now have is a formal panel, not one person. A whole lot of people is better than one person.
 
And another thread dissolves into oblivion because people can’t stay on topic…
 
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