Faith

This ‘Saint Maker’ Guides Catholics Through the Complicated & Expensive Canonization Process

Canonization, the act and process through which the Catholic Church declares a deceased person a saint, is a complicated, long and expensive feat, to say the least. It requires patience, money, time and powerful advocates, as those who seek to see someone become honored in this way face plenty of hurdles.

“There is the bureaucracy. There is money — hundreds of thousands of dollars needed and official, church-approved representatives in Rome to push your cause — called postulators,” CNN’s Drew Griffin explains in a fascinating new report.

Mother Theodore Guerins Path to Sainthood: Complicated & Expensive

Mother Theodore Guerin

Griffin’s story documents Mother Theodore Guerin’s path to the sainthood. Guerin, who lived from 1798 until 1856, founded the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, a congregation of nuns in Indiana. Her life and purported post-mortem miracles so inspired her fellow nuns that they spent nearly 100 years advocating for her placement as a saint.

While one might assume that canonization is simple, there are many steps that a candidate for the sainthood must pass before being officially brought into the fold. Much of the process takes place at Saint Peter’s Square (in Italian: Piazza San Pietro) in Vatican City, Rome. On the third floor of the building, theologians work in secret to scrutinize numerous documents to see if an individual under consideration is truly holy.

Then, a special council of historians, scientists and doctors ask “for a sign of God” — two, in fact. It is in this secondary process that an individual must be shown to have performed at least two miracles, a requirement if people, like Mother Guerin, are to be brought into sainthood. This, of course, could mean that a cure to a disease has taken place or another related extra-human intervention.

In the case of Mother Guerin, a 48-year-old woman who suffered from a tumor prayed at the nun’s grave site in 1908. The next day, the woman woke up and was entirely cured of her affliction (she lived until the age of 86). This, of course, was considered one of the required miracles and it was also the event that set in course the Sisters of Providence’s nearly century-long efforts to see Guerin canonized.

Watch Griffin explain these elements, below:

In the second part of his report (some of which is covered in part one), Griffin delves into Dr. Andrea Ambrosi’s story, a lawyer who has worked on hundreds of canonization cases. The Sisters of Providence hired him to assist in advocating for Guerin’s sainthood. Known as “the Saint Maker,” Ambrosi inevitably reached success and Guerin was canonized in 2006 (the nuns share more about the process on their web site).

Learn more about Guerin’s second miracle and the process that led to her sainthood, below:

Comments (59)

  • universalphilos
    Posted on March 10, 2012 at 2:40pm

    My ex-husband isn’t a saint – but many thousands were miraculously healed by him from a gift God gave him upon dying in 1970.
    As this video opens, you can see actual rays of divine light (some might call Divine Mercy) flowing from the Father and the one with more love in his eyes than Ray had ever seen, who gave him this gift. I took this photo later, in 1973, as spiritual messengers of God again spoke through his unconscious body in prophecy.

    Hear the words the first time they were recorded speaking, April3, 1970, just after the brightest light in the heavens of the century passed over Earth on Good Friday (and the one with such love in heaven gave Ray this gift).

    He never wanted to be thought of as a saint. Only God is great, both he and the spiritual messengers of God often said. http://youtu.be/Dz0NnUrAK7s

    The countless miracles many witnessed and many received for 30 years are because of a gift of love given from God, not because of a simple man. Yet, most accounts written in scriptures I saw him do, because of the spirit God placed within him (as Jesus said we would do). He died October 5, 2000, on Rosh Hashanah.

    Report Post » universalphilos  
    • universalphilos
      Posted on March 10, 2012 at 3:23pm

      Here’s a better link, where you can see the rays flowing from the Father through the universes and galaxies from above and entering into and with the man. Click on the title for a description of what happened when the one with more love in his eyes than anyone Ray had ever seen gave him this gift and gave him back life again. If he chose to return to life, he was asked to give this gift to others freely in the same love it was given to him, asking nothing in return. http://www.youtube.com/AUniversalPhilosophy

      When Ray passed over on Rosh Hashanah, many know this appointed season of meeting with God as when they pray for forgiveness or atonement and that their names be written in the Book of Life – as the new year or Life begins.

      Report Post » universalphilos  
  • bbailey
    Posted on March 9, 2012 at 1:56pm

    Newsflash…I‘m a saint and I didn’t pay a dime for it…Jesus did. All saved individuals are saints of God.

    Report Post »  
    • turkey13
      Posted on March 9, 2012 at 5:34pm

      When Nancy Polisi met with the Pope all she need for Sainthood was to renounce abortion and she refused. The article I read mentioned that was her main reason for going and meeting with the Pope. Just think – now when she dies there will be no Sainthood.

      Report Post »  
  • caligulaboy
    Posted on March 9, 2012 at 1:15pm

    As a Catholic this whole enterprise is laughable. They need another sign…oh…will they find one…of course. Shocking!!!

    Report Post »  
  • wirewrapper
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 10:58pm

    Wow! So now is the Blaze a partner with Anonymus, and Barak Obama? I plan on reading The Blaze alot less!

    Report Post »  
  • Mary M. Tebbe
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 3:48pm

    I’d comment, only I’d have to tell the truth about the Catholic Church AGAIN, and I’d only waste time posting, because my post would be removed AGAIN. I gave two posts about the HISTORY of the Catholic Church just recently, and it angered someone enough to have my posts removed. Some people don’t want to know the truth about anything. They are comfortable believing lies. Have at it!

    …okay…while I’m here…all True Christians are SAINTS in God’s eyes, and it didn’t cost a penny!

    Report Post » Mary M. Tebbe  
    • pennswoods
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 11:43pm

      Canonized Saints are the official spiritual hero‘s and heroine’s of the Catholic Church. They are examples of Christian of goodness and holiness for all Catholics. Of course we all know people in our own lives who are or were saints in their daily lives. The world will unfortunately never hear of them and know their goodness even though God knows they are saints.

      Report Post »  
  • hsvdan
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:33pm

    Full of hate much?

    Report Post »  
  • Gr8ful1jim
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 1:44pm

    Clueless dolt you are…Hmmm?

    Report Post » Gr8ful1jim  
  • mycomet123
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 10:18am

    I’m tired of people trashing the Catholic Church who are outsiders looking in OR insiders who have so many problems with everything the Catholic Church does. If you are not Catholic EDUCATE yourself before commenting. If you are a Catholic & have problems with the Catholic doctrine & beliefs–get the hell out–the doors open. I am Catholic & will never comment negatively on anyones religion or denomination but my own!

    Report Post »  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 11:07am

      I’m a different faith, but I feel the same way. I was raised to never speak badly about someone else’s religion, just to live my own best as I can.

      Report Post »  
    • REPUB1
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 12:39pm

      well you sure are a christian telling people to GET THE HELL OUT.. then you are NOT one yourself look into the mirror and ask God to show you whom you THINK you are, and He will show you WHAT YOU ARE REALLY are in HIS eyes.you wont like what He shows you.

      Report Post »  
    • GeoMax
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:57pm

      Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      All of this is expected. The sad part is when it comes from other Christians.

      Report Post » GeoMax  
    • by faith
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 4:14pm

      self proclaimed, so called Christians

      Report Post » by faith  
    • mycomet123
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 4:34pm

      @REPUB!, Telling my fellow Catholics to get the hell out of the Catholic Church is actually DOING THEM A FAVOR. I believe God will judge you wear you stand. If you are standing inside the Catholic church but do not believe or agree with the doctrines or teaching of the Catholic church–why stay?, Why be accountable for something you don’t believe in? I believe everyone is accountable to God for standing where they choose to stand. This is what I BELIEVE & that is why I stated that. If you disagree with me fine, I really don’t care. The only person I am accountable to is God.

      Report Post »  
    • 4XGrace
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 6:54pm

      Just as long as you don’t call yourself a Christian because as a catholic you are not a Christian. Can’t be both; it’s either one or the other. Then if you were a Christian, you wouldn’t need religion. Religion is not Christian; no religion can claim to be Christian. Christ preached against religion.

      Report Post » 4XGrace  
    • mycomet123
      Posted on March 9, 2012 at 10:00am

      4XGRACE, First off. Jesus did not preach against religion. What your saying basically is that the only christians that are true christians, are those who don’t belong to ANY DENOMINATION or Church?. I believe in the Eucharist as being the body, blood, soul, & divinity. No man taught me this. Jesus revealed this to me. Christianity is an ascension into Truth revealed by Jesus by daily contemplation/spending time in pray with him.

      Report Post »  
    • Greenwood
      Posted on March 10, 2012 at 7:32pm

      @MYCOMET…………”I believe in the Eucharist as being the body, blood, soul, & divinity. No man taught me this. Jesus revealed this to me.”

      28For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, 29to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”

      If the Eucharist is the body and blood why does it say keep abstaining from blood?

      Matthew26: 26As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “TAKE, eat. This means my body.” 27Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.

      This means my blood not is my blood

      Leviticus 7: 26“‘And YOU must not eat any blood in any places where YOU dwell, whether that of fowl or that of beast. 27Any soul who eats any blood, that soul must be cut off from his people.’”

      It was a symbol of a new covenant not transubstaniation

      Report Post » Greenwood  
    • by faith
      Posted on March 12, 2012 at 12:29pm

      Greenwood,
      You are either lying or ignorant. It says “This is my body”
      Did Jesus Mean What He Said or Not?
      The Church says that he did. And it always has said so, as the writings of the Church Fathers from the earliest centuries reveal. There is an unbroken line of faith in Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. Even the more honest Protestant scholars admit that.
      But you’d never know that by listening to anti-Catholic evangelizers who give a distorted and one-sided presentation of the issue.

      Report Post » by faith  
  • jeffj85
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 9:50am

    In the [Eastern] Orthodox Church, the official glorification of saints comes pretty much from popular acclamation, continuing the practice of the early Church. When a sainthood movement becomes large and widespread, the Holy Synod of the interested sister churches makes an official glorification. There is no expensive investigation or requirement for two miracles (not all saints perform miracles); we let the Holy Spirit sort that out.

    Of course, the Church does not make saints. God makes saints. The Church simply recognizes the stellar examples of sainthood for the sake of the faithful who desire their intercessions. (“The prayers of the righteous are effective and powerful”, after all.)

    Report Post »  
  • iampraying4u
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 9:38am

    the roman catholic church is the best man made religion in the world

    Report Post »  
    • Pontiac
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 10:47am

      Much like Yugo was the best car made by men.

      Report Post » Pontiac  
    • Caleb-Texas
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 5:50pm

      Dear Friend,

      “…if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth”.

      1 Timothy 3:15

      I wonder why it does not say “bible” instead of “church”?

      That is because Jesus came to establish one Church:

      “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

      Matthew 16:16-19

      Notice how he said my church… what happen for 1500’s years before the reformation? Did Jesus broke his promise that the “gates of Hades will not prevail against it? Hardly, the Church he founded still stand and that is the Catholic Church.,

      The only church that can trace back its roots to the time of Christ is the Catholic Church, no other faith tradition can do so…if you take some time read the writing of the early Christians such as Clement I and Ignatius of Antioch and you will discovered that those early Christian many of them thought by the apostle (Clement I by Peter and Ignatius of Antioch by Paul and Jo

      Report Post »  
    • pennswoods
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 11:45pm

      The Catholic Church is perfect institution serving a perfect God run by imperfect men.

      Report Post »  
  • Saint Mike
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 8:31am

    Sighs and bangs head against desk. Think of recognized saints as approved role models that provide some lesson and some hope. They are no more holy or sinful than you or I, and no less in need of the grace of Jesus of Christ, but they may have made a significant contriburtion to the story of our faith. Some people like to have such heroes better than some of the ones on TV, movies, and sports. All the trappings of Catholicism are just expressions of a simple and beautiful faith in the saving grace of God. They are merely ways to relate Jesus and God through tangible means. Many are based on ancient traditions. It is okay if others don’t understand as long as we are are not vilified, ridiculed and held up for public condemnation. I am an American, and I still believe each man and woman has a right to their opinion and their personal faith practices whatever their religon maybe. Let freedom ring.

    Report Post » Saint Mike  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 8:22am

    Becoming a Saint is free. All you have to do is accept Jesus as your Lord and savior. Now, if you want stained glass windows in your image and people praying to you, that’s going to cost a bundle.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • proliance
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:42am

    It doesn’t take much to set the anti-Catholic bigots off does it?

    Report Post » proliance  
    • Clare Clare
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 4:01pm

      You took the words right out of my mouth.

      Now I’m wondering whether these hateful comments are being made by Soros-trolls, or by Glenn’s supporters? If the latter, I‘m sorry that they clearly aren’t being influenced by Glenn’s own good example…

      Report Post »  
  • Formula382
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:25am

    Amazing how many people have a hard on for the Catholic Church. I think people would be best to mind their own business, afterall, most doctrine is based on this first form of Christianity.

    Oh yeah, and f-off CNN, they’re one in the same with Obummer Inc.

    Report Post »  
  • fred299
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:25am

    Who was the Sabbath created for? Who said it was ok to change it. When You build a foundation on sand the foundation wobbles, and crumbles, that why you so many christian denominations. Why did they take God’s name from the bible. Why did thet mistranslate the Messiahs name. Why did they use pagan idols and holidays.

    26 For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

    Who said its k to keep sinning and you always be forgiven.
    Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
    So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
    For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P’rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

    Report Post »  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 8:36am

      Jesus is our Sabbath, but even so:

      Romans 14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
      5 One person [fn3] regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
      10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

      Your observance of the Sabbath depends on the conviction of your heart. Each of us are to obedient, yet Christ is Lord too of the Sabbath.

      Report Post »  
    • ConservativeHippie
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 8:58am

      For the Jewish people the Sabbath was Saturday. When they became unfaithful, the Father sent the Son to establish a new covenant with those who would believe in the Son, Jews and Gentiles alike. The new covenant established Sunday as the Sabbath, the day Jesus rose from the dead.

      As for establishing a church and the pope and confession, if Christ did not do this I am unclear on what you think this passage from the Gospel of Mark would indicate?

      “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus answered and said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven. And I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

      If Jesus did not want a Church established, why did He instruct Peter to build one? Hell has not prevailed against the Catholic church over 2,000 plus years, though many have tried. And why is he telling Peter he has the keys to the kingdom of heaven? Why does He tell Peter he can loose and unloose? Sins? Perhaps? Since Peter was an apostle as well as the first Pope, I think he might have known just bit more than all the so called experts nowadays.

      Report Post » ConservativeHippie  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 9:18am

      conservativehippie,

      I am not able to respond to all your questions now, though I would like to. But the things you ascribe to Peter were given to us all. In fact, Jesus holds the keys to Heaven and Hell, and opens for us:

      Rev 1:”Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I [fn12] was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

      Simon was named Peter, or Rock-
      Simon had answered Jesus through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to which Jesus said that His Church would be built upon this. But what you attribute to Peter applies to us all. Jesus speaking to the crowd:

      Matt 18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

      Report Post »  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 9:20am

      Conservativehippie, I’ll check back later, and if others have not addressed your questions, I can this evening when I return.

      Report Post »  
    • jeffj85
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 9:53am

      In Christianitiy, the Sabbath is still Saturday and Christians historically observed it. (Some still do, such as in the Orthodox Church).

      Sunday is the Lord’s Day, the 8th Day of Creation, and the celebration of the Resurrection, which is more important than the Old Testament Sabbath.

      But when you have church services available every single day, you tend to realize that every day is sacred to God.

      Report Post »  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 11:48pm

      Conservativehippie,

      The Church is the Body of Christ, which He said He would raise up. We are all builder, through His Holy Spirit.

      Jesus is the Door, and gives us all the Keys, for through faith, we are saved. Jesus opens, and nobody may shut.

      JeffJ85- I agree, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it”

      Report Post »  
  • Grasshopper42
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:15am

    Yet another fiction of the Roman Catholic church.

    Report Post » Grasshopper42  
  • ALL-IN
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:11am

    GOD—–God wants you to stand on your own two feet and make him proud.
    He wants to be shown that his creations have been a success.
    He doesn’t want nor need your constant attention.
    He did not put us here to spend our lives catering to him.
    He put us here to stand tall, proud and free.
    To live lives of honor and to show others what freedom has to offer.
    But—No there is money to be made here, keep them living in fear.
    The Curch is a house of indoctranation. God is the tool they use,
    We have shown God what a absolute mess we can make out of our opportunity.
    Now it is time to show him we have discovered the error of our ways.
    FREEDOM is truly a gift from God and we take it for granted.
    Until FREEDOM is valued more than MONEY we are doomed
    Money keeps the motor running in the vehicle of life with a destination of FREEDOM
    Jesus saves, well he better save himself, From the glory glory seekers who use his name in jest !!!
    Weigh everything against FREEDOM.Does this action or thought make us more or less free!
    Never, Never sacrifice FREEDOM for anything, anything, anything.
    IT IS OUR MOST PRIZED GIFT. It requires constant maintainance.
    So lete get started. FREEDOM FIRST all else will follow!!

    Report Post »  
  • PurveyorOfTruth
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:50am

    John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

    Romans 10:9- that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

    Report Post »  
  • PurveyorOfTruth
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:47am

    Any man or women who comes to a trusting faith in Jesus Christ will receive eternal life, and the process of santification will begin in His/Her soul thereafter as the Holy Spirit is received and repentence from sin is engaged. You can know that your eternal destination in Heaven is secure tonight if you are unsure of it. Listen to the Apostle Paul…

    Romans 10:9-10, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

    And the Gospel of Matthew…

    Matthew 10:32- “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” -Jesus Christ

    Report Post »  
    • Caleb-Texas
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:27pm

      Dear Friend,

      Yes, the Catholic Church teaches that salvation is a free gift from God. There is nothing we can do to merit it. Christ died on the Cross for you and for me! Paragraph 1996 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states it very succinctly:

      “Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life”.

      However this does not mean that we are eternally secure. God respect our free will and therefore we can choose to denied his grace in us and squander that awesome gift of salvation.

      A mere accent of faith is necessary but not sufficient. Jesus clearly says that in order to enter into eternal life we must keep his commandments:

      Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

      “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

      Matthew 19:16-17

      And if you read past Matthew 10:32 which you quoted in the very next verse Jesus says:

      “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

      Matthew 10:32-33

      That is why Paul says: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”:

      Therefore, my dear

      Report Post »  
    • Caleb-Texas
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:29pm

      That is why Paul says: “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”:

      “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”.

      Philippians 2:12-13

      Report Post »  
  • PurveyorOfTruth
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 2:35am

    GateKeeper,

    2Timothy 3:16-17, All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

    A better question would be…

    Where in the Bible does the Bible say “only in the Roman Catholic Church”? As Christians, we stay in the Word of God because it is the Word of God. What other authority could be more sufficient than God’s Living Word? The words of man are inferior and often conflict with the Word of God. The Word of God is the reproof and correction of the ways and thoughts of man as the source of it’s inspiration IS God. That being what it is, it is important to note that you will not find Popes, Nuns, Rosary Beads, Holy Water, Infant Baptism, Purgatory, Indulgences, etc., etc. in the Word of God. That is why the Roman Church has set your mind to elevating Church Tradition to the same or higher level of acceptance as it does the Bible. The Roman Catholic Church is not visible in scripture, which is inspired by God. That should concern you.

    Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, not in any man who demands to be called Holy. There are none righteous among us (Romans 3:10).

    John 14:6- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

    It is through Christ that we are saved, not through any physical church or spiritual leader.

    Report Post »  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 8:17am

      Amen! God assigns sainthood, and we can hold to His promises, because once saved, His eternal life dwells within us. We already exist with Him on a spiritual plane. ALL who believe receive the inheritance. God is not a respector of persons.

      But this is in fact why we should stand with our Catholic brothers and sisters. If they have accepted Christ, and trust in Him, they have met God and are saved. Every one of the Redeemed in Christ is a saint. But I think we should take Paul’s advice in dealing with our differences. While we can discuss doctrine, and may even change minds- I would never want to be guilty of causing a stumbling block for another saint. For they are our brothers and sisters, and we are not to offend them.

      If, through sharing truth, we do change minds concerning some issues of faith- does that itself even impact their status of sainthood? No. The purpose of revelation is to increase faith and understanding, not tear down. He welcomes even the limited faith of a child (no doubt riddled with errors and holes in Biblical interpretation). But if they have already been made worthy in Christ, we can neither add to, nor take away from what He has given. Our task is to edify the Church, speaking truth, in a love worthy of our calling, strengthening faith.

      Sainthood doesn’t require money or adoration- it is free to all, bought with the blood of Christ. And Jesus is reaching out, offering it to any who will hear it- maybe someone reading now

      Report Post »  
  • jim
    Posted on March 8, 2012 at 12:21am

    CNN is undermining any spiritual authority the Catholic church has left in America… making the selection of saints appear secular and politically biased is one more step toward making all Catholics atheistic slaves of the Democrat party.

    CNN is an arm of the Democrats, and of the progressive left and Obama, which all hope to put the final nail in the coffin in controlling the Catholic church in America. CNN exposed the sexual abuse cases of Catholic priests, and, now, with the HHS mandate, Obama feels he has the weakened church just where he wants them.

    Obama, with the HHS mandate, has ordered Catholic Charities and any other religious hospitals, clinics and insurance companies to provide free contraception and abortion coverage. Some Bishops have opposed the HHS mandate with lawsuits, but many Catholic health orgs have already capitulated, creating another destructive debate within the church. Today, 90% of Catholic women use, or have used, birth control.

    Since Pope Paul VI’s famous 1968 letter, “Humanae Vitae,” in which he urged the church against birth control, the Vatican has undergone a progressive revolution that allows many Catholic orgs to provide free contraception to their employees… such as Georgetown U., a Jesuit-run school, which sponsored Sandra Fluke in her Congressional plea to create a national mandate for free birth control.

    CNN is engaged in the secularization of the Catholic church… now sainthood is their target.

    Report Post » jim  
    • ModerationIsBest
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 1:34am

      The Catholic church continues to undermine its own spiritual authority by caring more about dogma then following the teachings of Jesus.

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  • ClunkerT
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:49pm

    Here is what the Bible declares about becoming a saint. First you must come to an understanding that you are a sinner and then you have to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for ALL of those sins (past, present and future sins) according to the Scriptures and then He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures. At that moment you will have been saved from the debt and penalty of your sins and justified unto eternal life buy God and sealed eternally by God, the Holy Spirit (baptized into the body of Christ). At that moment you are made perfect wrapped in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am saint ClunkerT and it didn’t cost me or the church I attend one dime. All that hoopla by the Roman Catholic Church is complete non-sense and unbiblical. Paul’s epistle to the Romans will set you free from the bondage of man made religious systems.

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    • Gatekeeper
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 1:27am

      Where in the bible does it say “only in the bible?”

      Report Post » Gatekeeper  
    • ClunkerT
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 10:43am

      When you decide to step outside of the Scriptures it all becomes conjecture and you have nothing to support your doctrines. It all boils down to this, the Scriptures vs Man Made Doctrines. I will go with the Scriptures since I have placed my eternal destiny in its hands. It is the truth of Scriptures that sets one free, not the church.

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    • gdogle9155
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 6:15pm

      ClunkerT
      Amen, I agree. You might even say its the customs of man as the doctrines of God.

      Report Post » gdogle9155  
    • Caleb-Texas
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:38pm

      @ClunkerT

      How do you know that the Bible is inspired? How do you that other gospels that circulated in the early church but did not make it to the cannon of scriptures are not inspired like the Gospel of Peter? How do you know that Revelations is inspired? If you trust the Bible you must trust the authority of the Catholic Church because it was the Church guided by the Holy Spirit that gave the bible. If you trust the Bible you must trust the authority of the Catholic Church.

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  • KangarooJack
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:38pm

    It is supposed to fire up somebody (not quite sure who) and provide vital data to the media as to WHAT constitutes an Issue….

    Yawn, yep, dead people STILL have to jump through hoops to become Saints…regardless……………ANon? You REALLY should NOT have messed with the Vatican.

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • ShyLow
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:31pm

    The 144,000 are all men according to the Bible…is this church trying to name the 144,000

    Report Post » ShyLow  
  • hsvdan
    Posted on March 7, 2012 at 11:21pm

    Okay, why is this anti-Catholic blurb on ‘The Blaze’?? What’s the point?? This site is failing me.

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    • Gatekeeper
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 1:28am

      It leave it open for peoples stupid comments and utter ignorance

      Report Post » Gatekeeper  
    • JynxBJJ
      Posted on March 8, 2012 at 7:10am

      Great…a biased “news” report by anti-Catholic CNN. I thought we were “All Catholics Now”?

      This story doesn‘t’ even understand that the canonization of saints is only a public proclamation by the Church of those whom she is convinced are in Heaven with God. Millions, if not billions, of saints are there as well, and thus are saints, but not publicly acknowledged. The Church doesn’t MAKE saints, God does through the person’s choice.

      I’m very disappointed.

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