Monday, June 8, 2009

Pope John Paul II's beatification is drawing near


Rome, Italy, Jun 5, 2009 / 04:18 am (CNA).- Two requirements necessary to beatify Pope John Paul II could be met this year, a former Vatican spokesman has said.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints must approve a decree recognizing the late pontiff’s “heroic virtues” and certify a miracle attributed to him before he can be declared a blessed. Joaquin Navarro Valls, who was the Vatican spokesman under John Paul II, stated in an interview with “Sole 24 Ore” on Thursday that once the requirements are met, Pope Benedict “at any moment” can set the date to proclaim his beatification.

Navarro-Valls also denied reports that the beatification process had been slowed by Polish psychiatrist Wanda Poltawska’s failure to hand over personal correspondence with John Paul II.

Daniel Ols, the spokesman for John Paul II's cause, did not confirm or deny to ANSA that the beatification could occur in April 2010 on the fifth anniversary of the Pope’s death.

Pope Benedict XVI had waived a requirement of a five-year wait before beginning an investigation into his predecessor’s beatification. New reports of miracles attributed to John Paul II’s intervention are said to arrive in Rome every week.

1 comment:

Michele said...

i think the Church should not rush into beatifying people so fast. its like rush to sainthood. things take time, and there is a reason for that. the Church often takes many decades or even hundreds of years to beatify a person, and it should stay that way. take time to examine the evidence, look at the persons life, etc. there is no rush.