VATICAN NEWS
THEOLOGIANS APPROVE SECOND MIRACLE OF JOHN PAUL II
Theologians at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints have approved a second miracle granted through the intercession of Blessed John Paul II, moving him closer to being declared a saint. “The proclamation of his sainthood needs only the approval of the commission of cardinals and bishops and the final signature of Pope Francis,” Italian news agency ANSA reported June 18. Before Blessed John Paul II can be canonized, the Congregation must formally approve the miracle and present it to Pope Francis. Pope Francis would then promulgate and celebrate the canonization. The miracle was reportedly approved by two doctors in April as having been a cure that cannot be explained in natural terms. On April 2, Monsignor Slawomir Oder, postulator of the late pontiff’s cause for canonization, told CNA that as a second miracle was sought, “I chose a few cases and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints chose one of those, which they are currently evaluating.” The Congregation for the Causes of the Saints studies each case rigorously, to determine that no scientific explanation for the miracle is possible and that there is a direct relation to the intercession of the possible saint in question.
Msgr. Oder had told Italian daily Avvenire that alleged miracles worked through Blessed John Paul II’s intercession had taken place in Poland, Italy, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. Benedict XVI beatified him on May 1, 2011, after a French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, was miraculously cured of Parkinson’s disease through his intercession. ANSA speculates that Pope Francis might canonize him on Oct. 20. Blessed John Paul II died a little over eight years ago, on April 2, 2005. Since he was beatified, his memorial has been celebrated, in certain dioceses, on October 22, the anniversary of his installation as Bishop of Rome.
Discussions considered the ongoing Year of Faith, as well as the historic resignation of Benedict XVI and Francis’ election. Pope Francis received the participants in an audience on 13 June. Their meeting then continued in two language groups, English and Italian, during which the members were able to examine the criteria and rationale for the choice of the next Assembly’s theme with the goal of deciding a few options to be presented to the Holy Father for the final choice. The group will meet again in October.
ZENIT
POPE REFLECTS ON TWO CLASSES OF CHRISTIANS
In June, Pope Francis reflected on the difference between a Christian “of words” and a Christian “of actions” during
CNA
homily at a Mass in the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae. There are people who “masquerade as Christians,” and sin by being excessively superficial or overly rigid, forgetting that a true Christian is a person of joy who rests their faith on the rock of Christ. Some think they can be Christian without Christ; others think being Christian means being in a perpetual state mourning. Rigid and sad. Or happy but with no idea of Christian joy. These are two - in a ?? sense opposite - “houses”, in which two categories of believers live and which are both seriously flawed: they are grounded in a Christianity made of words and fail to rely on the “rock” of the Word of Christ. Pope Francis identified both groups in his comments on the Gospel of the day, the famous passage from Matthew of the houses built on sand and rock.
BISHOPS CONSIDERING THEME FOR 2015 SYNOD
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