Vatican official says beatification cause of John Paul II moving forward

Rome, Italy, Apr 2, 2009 / 14:29 pm

In an interview with Vatican Radio, the prefect for the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints, Archbishop Angelo Amato, revealed some details about the beatification cause of the Servant of God, John Paul II, who died four years ago on April 2.

The archbishop said that John Paul II’s cause accelerated rapidly with the decision by Pope Benedict XVI on May 9, 2005, to waive the five-year waiting period normally required before opening a cause.

Asked if this would mean that the late Pontiff would soon be beatified, Archbishop Amato said, “Because this is the cause of a Pope so well known and beloved, it’s being expedited demands great precision in terms of methods and content, with respect for the established procedures. Expedited does not mean hurriedness or superficiality, but the contrary, it implies diligence and professionalism.”

“As you all know,” the archbishop continued, “the diocesan process concluded happily in May of 2007. The positio was delivered to the Congregation for the Saints at the end of November, 2008, for an initial review by theologians. Once it passes this review—and we cannot predict how long that will take—the cause will fall to the judgment of the Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops, in order to finally be decided by the Holy Father for the decree of Venerability.”

Likewise, he continued, “the alleged miracle is submitted to a strict procedure which comes before the next step: the opinion of two medical experts, the collegial examination by the medical team, the examination by theologians and the Ordinal Session of the Cardinals and Bishops. The results are delivered to the Holy Father for his final decision. Once this procedure is concluded—which I repeat, out of respect for the importance of the Servant of God, should be done with particular precision—an eventual date for the beatification can be considered.”