When does a person become a Saint?
The archbishop of Philadelphia asked the question, rhetorically, of a crowd of hundreds at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa.
“When the Church declares it? Yes,” he said, hands pointing downward. “Here,” on earth and in time. Heaven, he inferred, already knows those who lived saintly lives, declared or unknown.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez told a story from his past in parish ministry. Parochial students participated in an essay contest about a favorite saint. There were a number of entries about the popular saints, but one girl wrote about a disabled neighbor who did small acts of kindnesses throughout her lifetime. The girl’s essay earned first prize, and demonstrated that the path to holiness can be recognized by a child, if not by the Church.
Archbishop Pérez said these things during his homily as he celebrated the sixth anniversary of Maria Middleton’s passing into eternal life. Maria is on the Path to Canonization – in the very beginning stages of discernment. The archbishop, and others who encountered this virtuous and inspiring young woman, are fortunate.
It’s unusual to know or be known by a Catholic Saint. There about 10,000 recognized Saints and some thousands of Blesseds and Venerables throughout salvation history, including those of the Old Testament; there are about 8,000,000,000 souls currently living on the planet.
We confess our belief in the Communion of Saints in Heaven; let’s pray for the new Saints, known and unknown, who surround us now.
+++
Maria’s cause will be a topic of discussion during the upcoming U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting. See EWTN news release with a link to a National Catholic Register feature story.
Archbishop Nelson Pérez preaches during Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa to commemorate the sixth anniversary of Maria Middleton’s passing into eternal life.
