A reminder of holy folk

And how they're no different than us, really. The end on earth is still the end. It's what you do with your life that is important for what happens after it.

Heavenly Bodies: Relics of Catholic Saints - in pictures

If you're at all queasy about dead folk you may want to be careful. Just a warning.

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A slow process

Father Michael McGivney’s Cause for Canonization Advances

"The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is investigating a possible miracle attributed to the intercession of the founder of the Knights of Columbus."

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The Possible St. Gilbert Chesterton?

A move to make Chesterton a saint isn't a surprise of any sort. It's good news, as well, as far as I'm concerned...

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Wonderful!

Two Former Popes to Be Made Saints

I was certainly expecting a second miracle to be approved for Pope John Paul II, fulfilling the requirements for canonization, but I am truly happy to see that Pope Francis has skipped that requirement for Pope John XXIII. I've always considered him to be a saint, unofficially, but I'm certainly happy to see that Pope Francis believes so as well. He made such an impact on the Church and the world!

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A newly recognized holy nun

whose cause is not helped by the horrible proof-reading of this newspaper!


Closer to sainthood: Bayonne native is elevated by Pope

The two most glaring:

The 'feast of Our Lady of Lourdes' becomes ' the Beast of Our Lady of Lourdes'

and what I assume should be

'she became a model for those wishing to live a life of contemplation' has become
'she became a model for those wishing to leave a life of contemplation'

Two glaring errors that make me think that, if they weren't intentional, they were at least unconcious reflections of the thoughts of the author. They are just too in line with the things anti-Catholic writers have said...

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I wonder,

are there any extant images of her from the period?

Toronto pilgrims to take in canonization of Blessed Kateri

I wonder only because, as happy as I am about this event, probably as happy as most people in fact, the picture they're using to depict Blessed Kateri presents a pretty Anglo look, and I don't mean this in any racist manner. Even her colour seems to be a product of shade and surrounding colour and not her race. I'm only wondering because of what so many artists have done to our Lord in their art, making him as Caucasion as possible, leaving out any trace of his real heritage...

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A special day!

Saint Patrick's Confessio: Read what St. Patrick actually wrote in his own words

And happy St. Patrick's day to all my Irish relatives, friends and everyone Irish!

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Nice

Now if Russia wasn't run by the Russian Mafia everything would be great.

New Russian Submarine named after Russian Saint

(Of course, the West is run by the Corporate Mafia, so what's the difference, really?)

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Yes

"Food for the body is not enough...there must be food for the soul." - Dorothy Day

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A bit dated in tone,

but very readable and every bit as important today, comes this description of the today's feast day, taken from Butler's Lives Of The Saints.

The Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Here's the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on the topic of The Immaculate Conception.

Mary, Mother of Grace and of our Lord, please pray for us that we may be given the desire and the strength to respond to God's grace to say 'yes' to God as you said yes, and to let the Holy Spirit direct our lives to follow Jesus on the path to the Father. Amen.

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We need

many more examples of courage and selflessness such as that shown by Sr. Marianne Cope.

Vatican group confirms second miracle attributed to Marianne Cope

In most cases we'll have to look closely around us as so many of these examples will never be declared saints, but they are around us every day, working quietly and courageously. They just don't have religious orders to promote their causes...

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He may well be a saint already

(and he is to his supporters) but he's just not officially proclaimed by the Church.

Supporters seek sainthood for murdered priest

I never know which way to hope in cases like this, where the Vatican is more sensitive to politics than one would think a church should be, but look at Archbishop Oscar Romero. His biggest roadblock is the existence of politics in the issue. I really believe that the Vatican likes safe saints...

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It sounds so simple

"Think well. Speak well. Do well. These three things, through the mercy of God, will make a man go to Heaven." - St. Camillus de Lellis

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How wonderful!

Sheen intercession cited in area boy's alleged miraculous healing

It really doesn't matter if it is ever declared a miracle, the fact is that something miraculous happened. With modern medicine it is really often very hard to say when something is impossible or not. God bless them!

I'm quite happy, too, about the attribution of the event to Archbishop Sheen. For someone who was in the public eye so much he was a humble and gentle man apparently, and certainly an intelligent man with great communication gifts, particularly about our faith...

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A saint and a nun

The Sister and the Saint?

I need to do more research on Maria Esperanza. Saints of the 20th Century are rare as the process generally takes so very long (other than in the case of a few special people)...

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An interesting story

The Satanist on the path to sainthood

"Angelo Stagnaro visits the resting place of Blessed Bartolo Longo, the turbulent occultist who become a champion of the rosary"

There's no question that the most important battle in our lives is a spiritual one...

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Here's the website of

The Father Solanus Casey Guild.

If you don't know anything about this interesting holy man, take some time to find out about him. People can become saints by doing what they're called to do, no matter how small...

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A holy man

Rome to consider possible miracle of ‘Rosary Priest’

Quite possibly a saint...

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Other things I don't doubt

Revealing New Book On John Paul Documents Mystical Side, Including A Transfigured Face

A lot of these sorts of things are only seen in hindsight, when all the reports, witnesses and knowledge are gathered together after the fact. Was he a holy person? Yes, I believe so. Was he a mystic? Given the reports of him in prayer, I believe so also. Are there, or will there be, miracles attached to his intercession? I believe there will be. God has blessed him greatly, and through him, us.

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Ah, my...

Pope John Paul's body exhumed ahead of beatification

"Thousands gather in Rome; coffin will be placed in St. Peter's Basilica for viewing"

The reverence for bodies and body parts has always bothered me a bit...

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