Sainthood Causes

The Latest

Mass was held in St. Peter's Square for the canonization of 35 new saints Oct. 15, 2017.

Pope Francis advances causes of nuns who died in Ebola outbreak

Feb 20, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis has recognized the heroic virtue of three Italian religious sisters who died from Ebola in Africa during the... Read more

Pope Francis.

Pope Francis advances sainthood causes of priests with early and late vocations

Nov 24, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis advanced Tuesday the sainthood causes of several men and women, including two Italian priests of the 20th century... Read more

Fr. Patrick Ryan. Public domain.

Sainthood inquiry continues for Tennessee priest who died in yellow fever epidemic

Oct 3, 2020

By Kevin J. Jones

The canonization cause is progressing for Father Patrick Ryan, a priest who sacrificed his life in a nineteenth century yellow... Read more

Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on Oct. 16, 2019.

Pope Francis recognizes miracle attributed to Italian laywoman who died in 1997

Sep 30, 2020

Pope Francis advanced the sainthood cause Tuesday of an Italian woman who died in 1997 after touching the lives of... Read more

Fr. Gabriel Richard. Public domain.

Sainthood cause being considered for priest who left ‘indelible mark’ on Michigan 

Sep 25, 2020

It is hard to overstate the impact Fr. Gabriel Richard, a French missionary priest, had on the state of Michigan... Read more

Matteo Farina (1990-2009).

Italian teen who died in 2009 declared ‘venerable’ by Pope Francis

May 6, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Wednesday advanced the sainthood causes of five men and women, including an Italian teenager who died of a... Read more

Mother Mary Lange.

Sainthood cause advances for religious sister, educator who fought racism

Dec 11, 2019

In the race to see who will become the first canonized black American saint, one candidate’s cause has advanced: Mother... Read more

Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

Fulton Sheen's remains arrive in Peoria; sainthood cause resumes

Jun 27, 2019

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s remains have been transferred from the Archdiocese of New York to Peoria, Illinois, after three years... Read more

Fr. Augustus Tolton. Public Domain, Wikipedia.

Augustus Tolton one step closer to being first black American saint

Feb 20, 2019

A Vatican committee has unanimously voted to send the sainthood cause of Father Augustus Tolton, a former runaway slave and... Read more

John Henry Newman by Sir John Everett Millais. public domain.

Pope Francis approves canonization of John Henry Newman

Feb 13, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Wednesday approved the canonization of Bl. John Henry Newman, a Roman Catholic cardinal, scholar, and founder of the... Read more

Participants at the July 31 Xavier University of Louisiana event. Photo courtesy of Xavier University of Louisiana.

New resource center to promote African American sainthood causes

Aug 1, 2018

By Perry West

Xavier University of Louisiana has announced a new initiative to unite groups working on the promotion of African American canonization... Read more

G.K. Chesterton. Public Domain.

GK Chesterton's sainthood cause may soon be opened

May 29, 2018

By Perry West

As an investigation into the life of Catholic apologist G.K. Chesterton nears a close, admirers of the English writer voiced... Read more

Fr. Varghese Payyappilly. Public Domain.

Syro-Malabar priest among sainthood causes advanced by pope

Apr 16, 2018

Pope Francis has approved the advancement of the causes of eight Servants of God, all priests and religious, including Fr.... Read more

Mass was held in St. Peter's Square for the canonization of 35 new saints Oct. 15, 2017.

Two 20th-century martyrs move toward beatification

Jan 27, 2018

By Hannah Brockhaus

Saturday Pope Francis moved two 20th-century martyrs a step closer to sainthood, including Veronica Antal, a young Romanian woman killed... Read more