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The Process of Beatification in the Catholic Church

What does Beatification mean?

The church bestows the title BLESSED on a person whose life has been proved to be extraordinarily holy. This permits the people to publicly honour the person BEATIFIED and to use a special Eucharistic liturgy and liturgical prayer. The public veneration is usually limited to a diocese, region or nation. In the case of Mary MacKillop it means that all Australians may publicly honour her. Beatification is not an infallible statement but it does assure a moral certainty that the person has lived a life of heroic virtue.

What steps are required before Beatification?

There are four things that need to be done at the local level where a person is appointed to be 'a Diocesan Postulator'. This role involves the task of overseeing the evidence and introducing the Cause.

• (a) In the Diocese where the person died an initial enquiry on the sanctity (holiness) of the person is begun. After Mary MacKillop's death, Cardinal Moran said that he had assisted at the death of a saint.
  
  (b) It must be established that the local people want the Canonisation - this is called 'the pastoral relevance of the Cause of Canonisation'. Unless the people ask, it will never happen. This means that evidence must be collected from people who knew the person.

• An in-depth study of the life and writings of the person is begun. Consultations with the Bishops, the people, theologians and the Vatican Officials take place. This research could take many years to complete.

• A formal enquiry collects evidence and examines witnesses. After this, all documents are sent to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. In the case of Mary MacKillop the first stage was begun in 1926 and completed in 1973. Cardinal Norman T Gilroy had been one of the priests who began to collect the evidence in 1926. The long slow process was shelved during World War II and reintroduced by Cardinal Gilroy in the 1950's.

• Evidence of a miracle attributed to the person is collected and witnesses examined. A report on this is sent to Rome.

The next phase occurs in Rome.

• The evidence collected in the Diocese is examined by the Postulator of the Faith and a team of theologians. A definitive life of the person detailing the evidence is written. In the case of Mary MacKillop this was written by Fr Paul Gardiner SJ. His book Mary MacKillop - an Extraordinary Australian is based on this research. Fr Paul is now being assisted by Sr Maria Casey.

• This evidence is then examined by the Cardinals and Bishops. The Pope then approves the material and publishes a decree bestowing the title "Venerable" on the person.

• The miracle presented by the Diocese is studied by experts including medical practitioners and theologians. The Cardinals and Bishops study the material and make recommendation to the Pope. The Pope then authorises a ceremony of Beatification.

• The ceremony of Beatification is performed. The person now has the title "Blessed". In the case of Mary MacKillop this ceremony took place in Sydney on Thursday 19 January 1995.

What does Canonisation mean?

Canonisation is a definitive statement by the Pope that the person is eternally united with God. It bestows the title 'Saint' and allows the universal church to honour the person. The person may then be included in the liturgical calendar of the Universal Church.

What are the steps to Canonisation?

• After Beatification it is necessary to have evidence of a further miracle attributed to the intercession of the person. This miracle must occur after Beatification. The evidence is gathered at the Diocesan level and then submitted to Rome.

• The miracle presented by the Diocese is studied by experts including medical practitioners and theologians. The Cardinals and Bishops study the material and make a recommendation to the Pope. The Pope then authorises a ceremony of Canonisation.

• The ceremony of canonisation is performed. The person now has the title "Saint".

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