All of us are called to be saints, as the Second Vatican Council reminded us in its use of the term the "universal call to holiness." Holiness is not just the duty of a few, said Mother Teresa, but of everyone. We do this by being loving, charitable and devout in our lives no matter who we are. And with God's help, we can all move closer to a sanctified life.
But how do you become an "official saint" in the Catholic Church? That is, a canonized one, one on the calendar of saints? How do you get an "St" in front of your name? Beliefnet asked me to outline, step-by-step, this often misunderstood process in a way that would be accessible to non-Catholics, as well as a little lighthearted. So here's how to become a saint in the Catholic church, with God's help of course...from leading a holy life, to getting a postulator, to being declared a "venerable," to interceding for a miracle (or two) all the way up to your canonization Mass. By the way, if you really want to become a saint, prepare yourself for a long haul. Canonization requires the patience of a saint. Check it out here.
My earlier comments really had to do with the "politicization" of saint-making. There's some historical scholarship on how the changes in the kinds of people who become saints in the early modern period but does anyone know any books about the recent past?
John Hardon SJ
The following steps, according to a book about Lax - The Way of the Dreamcatcher - are the 4 elemenets of Lax's spirituality:
Finding his true self. He said that ''a person is created by God as an individual so that God wants him or her to be themselves.''
Living in the present moment because that is where you find God and holiness.
Paying careful attention to what one is doing. ''Every moment in life can be a prayer if it is dedicated to God.''
Finally, Loving God and your fellow man and having compassion for him.
"One of the first signs of a saint may well be the fact that other people do not know what to make of him. In fact, they are not sure whether or not he is crazy or only proud; but it must at least be pride to be haunted by some individual ideal which nobody but God really comprehends. And he has inescapable difficulties in applying all the abstract norms of' perfection' to his own life. He cannot seem to make his life fit in withthe books.
Sometimes his case is so bad that no monastary will keep him. He has to be dismissed, sent back to the world, like Benedict Joseph Labre, who wanted to be a Trappist and a Carthusian and succeeded in neither. He finally ended up as a tramp. He died in some street in Rome.
And yet the only canonized saint, venerated by the whole Church, who lived either as a Cisterican or a Carthusian since the Middle Ages is St. Benedict Joseph Labre."
- Thomas Merton
A very delightful piece. For the momemt I'd like to set aside the issue of the cause of Fr. John Hardon, SJ - I'm glad nobody called for the canonization of Fr. Vincent Miceli, SJ...then we'd see some real fireworks - of blessed memory with which, in the interest of full disclosure, I agree.
How does one "restart" a cause? I'm thinking of great men such as Fr. William Doyle, SJ. His cause has sort of faded in the last couple of decades and, having been inspired by his faith, love and humility, I'd like to see him recognized.
Any suggestions?
AMDG,