Saints

A cause is opened, usually years after death; the person's life and writings are examined; they may be declared Venerable, then Blessed, then a saint. Miracles attributed to their intercession are normally required, except in the case of martyrdom.

The process is slow and human. It has favoured the well-connected and the European for much of history, which is one reason the Church has deliberately raised up figures such as Josephine Bakhita, Kateri Tekakwitha, Martin de Porres, and Óscar Romero.

It does not mean the person was faultless, that every opinion they held was correct, or that their suffering was good. Several saints in this library made serious mistakes or were badly treated by the Church itself.

Canonization declares that a person is with God and lived a life of heroic virtue; it does not declare them flawless. Many canonized saints struggled with anger, doubt, ambition, or serious personal failings for years before or even during their sanctity.

Reading a saint's whole life, not just the polished summary, is usually more helpful than reading only the feast-day version.

Catholics distinguish honour given to saints (veneration) from worship (adoration), which belongs to God alone. Asking a saint to pray for you is the same kind of request you might make of a living friend, directed to someone the Church believes is alive with God.

No prayer to a saint replaces prayer to God, and no Catholic is required to have a devotion to any particular saint.