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SAINTLY DECISIONS
September 26, 1997
Questions asked
in this forum:
What issues may prevent Mother Teresa's canonization? What's the criteria for sainthood? Will the process be shortened for Mother Teresa? Who disputes Mother Teresa's eligibility for sainthood? Why is Mother Teresa treated differently from other saints?
NewsHour Backgrounders
September 5, 1997
Phil Ponce and guests reflect on Mother Teresa's life.
Browse the NewsHour's coverage of religion.
I'm no Mother Teresa. On one level, the expression is an offhanded way of brushing off follies. But it's also proof that Mother Teresa, the internationally renowned humanitarian who died earlier this month at the age of 87, has already reached saintly status in the general public.
Born to Albanian parents in 1910, she entered the convent at the age of 18 and dedicated her life to helping the poorest and most downtrodden members of society. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, an order which has swelled to represent over 4500 nuns. And along the way, Mother Teresa has become a symbol of charity, humility and saintly behavior.
When does a saintly person become a saint? During her life, of the public embraced her as the modern day saint. Even the Catholic Church, which has traditionally approached the subject of sainthood in with a slower, analytical approach, has expressed interest in canonizing the Nobel Peace Prize winner promptly.
Still, Mother Teresa was not without her critics. She was criticized for her conservative views of abortion, contraception and divorce. Many accused her of taking donations from questionable sources.
So is Mother Teresa a modern saint? What does it take to officially become one? To answer our questions, our guest for this forum will be Father Michael Mannion, Director of Campus Ministry and University Chaplain for the Catholic University of America and personal friend of Mother Teresa.
A question from Bernadette Curry of Springfield, VA:
Not every saint leads a perfectly "saintly" life. What are the major issues that may prevent Mother Teresa from being canonized?
Father Michael Mannion responds:
It is difficult to think of any major issues that would prevent the Church from canonizing Mother Teresa. She was a deeply religious young girl and carried that faith with her into religious life as an adult and into The Missionaries of Charity which she founded.
Her life has been an open book to thousands for decades. There was no "public persona" and "private persona." With Mother Teresa, what you saw was what you got.
I personally remember several occasions where her love for others and God led her to touch the lives of others. With a joy and expression that others might use to describe their new house, new car, or recent lottery win, she would light up and say, "Isn't it exciting to be able to tell people about God's love!"
She always said that she loved the poor because they knew what was real and what was not. Her poverty taught her, as well, what is real.
Back to the top....
A question from Kevin Salamone of Roslindale, MA asks:
Is there a written set of criteria for canonization? If so, what is the criteria?
Father Michael Mannion responds:
There is a written set of criteria for canonization, the process by which the Church formally recognizes a deceased person as a saint. Remember: it is God who makes saints. The Church's canonization process merely ratifies and proclaims what God has done.
The process formally begins at least five years after the person in question is deceased. The local bishop appoints officials to collect data, documentation, and writings by and about the person. All the testimony and documentation is then sent to the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Sainthood. In Rome, a relator oversees the writing of a biography. Eight theologians and a promoter of the faith then judge the cause. If the result is a favorable vote by the members of the congregation and the Pope approves, the candidate is declared "Venerable." For Beatification, one miracle, due to the intercession of the candidate and occurring after his or her death, is required. Medical experts and a panel of theologians must authenticate the miracle.
Finally, for canonization, another miracle must be authenticated - this one having occurred after the beatification. The pope can waive the five-year waiting period as well as the requirement of a miracle. Most important, the entire process is rooted in the Church's belief that the individual in question practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace. A saint is a model and an intercessor whose holiness is well recognized and whose life is a source of inspiration to all believers.
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Briana Lawrie of Santa Barbara, CA asks: asks:
I think she is a saint, and think that the Catholic church should recognize this too. Will the process be shortened in the case of Mother?
Father Michael Mannion responds:
The pope may well decide to shorten or accelerate the canonization process in the cause of Mother Teresa, especially since he personally knew her so well for so many years. But he must also be careful, lest, after the process is concluded, and hopefully the canonization occurs, some might call the decision into question because the integrity of the process has been compromised. There is no doubt that the Holy Father would not want this to happen.
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Jon Ricci of Jacksonville, FL asks:
I would like to know who out there is willing to say Mother Teresa is not a saint?
Father Michael Mannion responds:
I would venture to say that there are some who have a rather negative view of the world and of the possibility of someone living a life as other-centered and God-centered as Mother Teresa did. They themselves may not even believe in God. I would imagine that they would find it very difficult to recognize Mother Teresa as a saint. The irony in all this, however, is that Mother Teresa herself believed that everyone could do what she did - that God's grace is available to us all to love one another, especially the poorest of the poor, deeply and sincerely. There are thousands of Mother Teresas all over our globe: they are mothers and fathers, single and married, laborers and office workers, priests, sisters, brothers, who in their own way each day love and care for others by the grace of God. Mother Teresa knew this. She met them on her travels and in Calcutta. She spoke of them. She encouraged and loved them.
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A question from the Online NewsHour:
For many saints of considerable stature, the Catholic Church waited years-- even centuries-- before canonizing them. Why does the Church seem willing to treat Mother Teresa differently?
Father Michael Mannion responds:
The Church may treat Mother Teresa a little differently in her canonization process because of the extraordinary amount of people that she touched-- literally hundreds of thousands-- during her life. Her outreach was so wide, her vision global, and those she cared for so inclusive (e.g. young, old, of all nations, ethnic and religious groups) that the documentation about her life and holiness will probably be overwhelming, especially in an electronic age of instantaneous communication. If canonized, she will truly be a "Saint for All Peoples."
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