As many of you know, becoming a saint is not easy! While sainthood often appears to be out of our reach, the original meaning of saint was much more accessible and attainable. In the first few centuries of Christianity, the term saint was used to refer to all followers of Christ or the people of God. Scripturally, in the New Testament, the writing of Peter, Luke, and Paul all reflected a broader use of the understanding of saint, albeit with slight differences in connotation. As time passes, the term became more exclusive in its use, singling out individuals who exhibited qualities of discipleship that were noteworthy or inspirational, whether in their life or in their witness as martyrs.
Prior to the year 1234, the Church did not have a formal process to recognise a saint, now called the process of canonization. During this time, a local bishop or church could designate someone a saint, and often their veneration would seep into the official records of saints decades or centuries later. Often, people of legends, or some very dubious people, were designated as saints. In 1234, Pope Gregory IX established procedures to investigate the life of a candidate saint and any attributed miracles. In 1588, Pope Sixtus V entrusted the Congregation of Rites (later named the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints) to oversee the entire process. Beginning with Pope Urban VIII in 1634, various Popes have revised and improved the norms and procedures for canonization.
In brief, the current process of canonisation goes a little like this:
One of the more interesting parts of the process in the recognition of the miracles needed, after their death, during the beautification and canonisation stages. Only one miracle is needed for each of these stages and the process of confirming these miracles is long, thorough, and complex. Maybe I can cover that one in a future edition! For Marcellin Champagnat, he has the honour of THREE recognised miracles. The first two came during his process of beautification. These were the October 1939 cure of Mrs Georgina Grondin from a malignant tumour in Waterville, Maine, USA, and the 12 November 1941 cure of John Ranaivo from cerebrospinal meningitis, in Antsirabe, Madagascar. Details of these miracles are difficult to find, but a Papal Decree recognizing these two cures as miraculous was issued on the 3rd May 1955. Pope Pius XII proclaims Marcellin Champagnat Blessed, in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome just under one month later, on 29th May 1955.
Marcellin’s third miracle, the one that elevated his recognition to sainthood, took place in July 1976, with the cure of Br Heriberto Weber Nellessen, in Montevideo, Uruguay. However, it would take another 25 years for the investigation and confirmation to take place. Here are some details about Br Heriberto and his cure:
Br Heriberto (Heinrich Gerhard Webber) was born at Essen (Germany) on 19 March 1908. After his novitiate and first profession in Furth (21 November 1926) and a period of teacher training he taught for a few years in Germany. On 30 April 1937, owing to difficulties arising in his country, he had to go into exile in Uruguay, along with a large group of German Brothers. He was to develop his apostolic activity for many years in Uruguay, first in Primary teaching and then in Secondary. On several occasions he discharged the duties of College Headmaster and Superior of Community.
In May 1976, in the midst of his normal activities, he was afflicted by fevers reaching high temperatures and experienced severe spinal pains which forced him to stay in bed. The doctors diagnosed “an early, unknown growth which was transferring to the lungs”. The doctors who were attending to him pronounced him incurable and as such he was treated in the sanatorium where he remained as a patient.
On 13 June, at the request of the Brother Provincial of Uruguay, the Brothers of the Province, together with their pupils, started a novena of prayers to ask for the cure of Br Heriberto through the intercession of Blessed Marcellin Champagnat. At the end of the novena, on 26 July 1976, the patient felt a sudden and unforeseen improvement. The X-ray plates taken on that date showed that the signs of the illness had disappeared. Br Heriberto, the Brothers of the communities in Uruguay and the pupils who knew him, from the very beginning considered this cure to be miraculous.
Find out more here at the source: https://champagnat.org/en/marist-institute/founding/the-miracle-for-the-canonization/
This final miracle was recognised by the Pope in January 1999, and Marcellin was officially declared a saint in April 1999.
A little prayer can go a long way!