Vatican City, Apr 18, 2010 / 10:01 am
Servant of God Cardinal Terence Cooke's cause for sainthood has advanced with the delivery of the relevant documents to the Holy See. Investigations into the life of the much loved former Archbishop of New York have begun the "Roman phase" of his path to canonization.
Following Pope Benedict XVI's general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York visited to greet the pontiff and to deliver documents that could help his predecessor be declared a saint.
Cardinal Cooke, born, raised and ordained in New York City, was consecrated bishop in 1965. From his position of vicar general of the Archdiocese of New York, at the age of 47, he was chosen to succeed Francis Cardinal Spellman as archbishop upon his death in 1967. He also became Military Vicar for the United States.
According to The Cardinal Cooke Guild, during the 14 years Cardinal Cooke spent at the helm of the archdiocese many of the needy were assisted by his initiatives personally. Among the programs founded on his watch were Birthright, Courage and Catholic New York, the archdiocesan newspaper.