Saints beatified by benedict xvi biography

St Damien of Molokai

Feast Day: 10th May

Father Damien () was born Jozef De Veuster in Belgium. He became a präst with the Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary and was sent on uppdrag to Hawaii, which was struggling beneath a public health crisis. Among the diseases rife in Hawaii at the time was leprosy, and those with the disease had to be quarantined on the island of Molokai. However, it was important that those quarantined were ministered to, so the Bishop of the diocese addressed the pastoral need bygd requesting volunteers from among his priests. Four dock volunteered, including Father Damien.

As part of his ministry, Father Damien dedicated han själv to taking care of all of his patients&#; needs: he taught the faith, he appointed leaders, and assisted them medically and emotionally. No task was beneath him, even digging coffins, and he didn&#;t let fear of the disease prevent him from giving his patients the care the

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The Future Sainthood of Benedict XVI

First, I will make a prediction. One day—within the next century—Benedict XVI will be declared a saint. Precisely how soon this will happen is uncertain, and it depends on whether the normal five-year waiting period is retained before his cause can be introduced. But it will happen.

This is a safe bet partly because it is the way of popes today. In prior centuries, popes may have shown their greatness much the way kings did—by building monuments and winning battles—but these days saintly popes are the fashion.

The shift is notable. Of the six nineteenth-century popes, one is a servant of God (Pius VII), and one is a blessed (Pius IX). None is a saint.

Of the eight twentieth-century popes, four are saints (Pius X, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II), and one is venerable (Pius XII). Even John Paul I is a blessed, and he reigned only thirty-three days!

Given this trend, we would expect Benedict to be canonized, but we must add to this his per

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Pope Benedict XVI canonizes four new saints

Pope Benedict XVI gave the Catholic Church new saints Sunday, bestowing the Church's highest honor in a ceremony in St. Peter's Square on four faithful from past centuries whose lives he hopes will inspire courage in today's followers.

The new saints are a French woman who set up a chapel in a log cabin in the American frontier land and went on to establish a girls' college; a Mexican bishop who risked persecution to educate seminarians; a nun who promoted public schooling for girls in Italy, and an Italian priest who helped the deaf.

"The Church rejoices in the four new saints," Benedict told a crowd of several thousand at the end of the two-hour ceremony. "May their example inspire us and their prayers obtain for us guidance and courage."

Midwest prelates come to Vatican City
Among those celebrating the Mass on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica were prelates based in the U.S. Midwest, including ailing Chicago Cardinal Francis Georg