Catholic World News News Feature
Decrees Ready for Mother Teresa, Other Candidates for Beatification December 12, 2002
VATICAN, Dec 12, 02 (CWNews.com) -- The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has approved 18 decrees, to be formally approved by Pope John Paul II on December 20, regarding candidates for beatification and canonization-- the most famous being Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
The decrees will also fulfill requirements for the beatification of two Croatians, which will take place when Pope John Paul visits the Dalmatian coast next year.
In some cases, the Congregation will testify to the "heroic virtue" of a candidate for beatification. That decree paves the way for beatification, which can take place as soon as a miracle is affirmed. In other cases the Congregation will proclaim the validity of a miracle, clearing the final requirement for beatification-- or, if the candidate is already beatified, for canonization.
In the case of Mother Teresa, the Congregation will submit two decrees: one concerning her "heroic virtue" and the other confirming a miracle that has been attributed to her intercession. Thus the requirements will have been filled for the beatification of Mother Teresa, and that ceremony will be scheduled for sometime early next year.
The decrees will proclaim:
- the heroic virtue of Carlo Gnocchi (1902- 1956), an Italian priest; Anne-Marie Tauscher van den Bosch (1855-1938), a Prussian Carmelite; Rosa Curcio (1877-1957), an Italian Carmelite missionary; and Mother Teresa. - the recognition of miracles, clearing the way to beatification, for Mother Teresa; Giacomo Alberione (1884- 1971), an Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of St. Paul; Valentin Paquay (1828- 1905), a Belgian Franciscan; Boniface Rodriguez Castro (1837- 1905), a Spanish priest; Giulia Salzano (1846- 1929) an Italian religious; Ivan Merz (1896- 1928), a Croatian lay activist; and Marie de Jesus Petkovic, a Croatian nun.
- the recognition of second miracles, fulfilling the requirement for canonization, for Daniel Comboni (1831- 1881), an Italian priest for whom the missionary Combonien order was named; Joseph Sebastien Pelczar (1842- 1924), a Polish bishop; Arnold Janssen (1837- 1909), a German priest; Joseph Freinademetz (1852- 1909), an Italian priest and missionary; Maria de Mattias 19805- 1866), an Italian religious; Angela de la Cruz Guerrero (1846-1932), a Spanish religious; and Virginia Centurione Bracelli (1587- 1651), an Italian woman who was married, widowed, and entered the convent after her children were grown.
