Vatican City, Oct 23, 2005 / 22:00 pm
During yesterday’s Mass concluding the ‘Year of the Eucharist’ and the General Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict XVI canonized 5 new saints--the first of his pontificate.
Some observers say that yesterday’s group could be a sign that Benedict plans to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, John Paul II, who canonized more saints than any other Pope in history.
The Pope said a few words about each of the newly canonized, referring first to St. Jozef Bilczewski (1860 - 1923), who he called "a man of prayer," whose "profound theological knowledge, faith and Eucharistic devotion ... made him an example for priests and a witness for all the faithful."
The Pope then turned to the Polish St. Zygmunt Gorazdowski (1845 - 1920), a priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. He "became famous for his devotion rooted in the celebration and adoration of the Eucharist. His experience of Christ's sacrifice drove him to the sick, the poor and the needy."