Vatican City, Feb 12, 2010 / 09:19 am
An Ordinary Public Consistory to vote on the pending causes of canonization will take place this month at the Vatican. Six candidates will be considered for official recognition of sainthood, including Australia's Blessed Mary MacKillop.
On Friday, the Holy See's Press Office released a communique in which it was announced that the meeting of cardinals will be held in the Consistory Room of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Feb. 19.
Among the six candidates being considered for approval are Blessed Stanislaw Soltys, a 15th century Polish priest of the Canons Regular of the Lateran; Blessed Andre Bessette, a Canadian religious of the Congregation of the Holy Cross; and Blessed Mary MacKillop, the Australian foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
The remaining three candidates include two other founders of female religious congregations and a nun from the Order of St. Clare.
If the candidates are approved after a final review of their cases, the Pope will announce the official dates for their canonizations.