Canonization cause

The Latest

Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtue of Brazil’s “Surfer Angel” Guido Schäffer in a decree issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on May 20, 2023.

A surfing saint? Pope Francis recognizes the heroic virtue of Guido Schäffer

May 22, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Brazil’s “Surfer Angel” was a seminarian, a doctor, and a surfer who drowned while surfing in 2009 off the coast... Read more

Father Carlo Crespi Croci (1891-1982) holding a crucifix from his ethnographic collection in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Pope Francis puts a priest, three religious women, and two laywomen on path for sainthood

Mar 23, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Each “Venerable” now needs a miracle attributed to his or her intercession to be approved by the Vatican in order... Read more

Carmen Hernández, co-founder of the Neocatechumenal Way

Process of beatification begins for Carmen Hernández, co-founder of Neocatechumenal Way

Dec 2, 2022

By CNA Staff

The beatification and canonization process for Carmen Hernández, co-founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, officially opens this Sunday. Read more

Father Willie Doyle, S.J.

Father Willie Doyle’s cause: fearless in his faith on Flanders Fields

Nov 22, 2022

By Patrick J. Passmore

Father Willie Doyle was an inspiring yet unassuming Irish World War I chaplain. Now his cause for canonization has been... Read more

Father Willie Doyle, S.J.

Will war chaplain Willie Doyle be Ireland’s next saint?

Oct 31, 2022

By Kevin J. Jones

Doyle was an Irish military chaplain for the British Army who served heroically on the battlefields of World War I... Read more

Irving Houle. Photo courtesy of the Irving Houle Association.

Was this Michigan grandfather on a mission from God?

Jul 5, 2019

Irving “Francis” Houle was a Michigan father of five known for his holy life. He appeared to bear the stigmata,... Read more

Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

Fulton Sheen remains will move to Peoria, NY archdiocese says

Jun 8, 2019

The Archdiocese of New York will work to help transfer the remains of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a spokesman for the... Read more

Tennessee diocese seeks to exhume remains of pastor on path to sainthood

Nov 28, 2018

The Diocese of Knoxville is seeking to unearth the remains of a Tennessee pastor whose canonization cause is currently open.... Read more

Fr. Tolton.

Runaway slave-turned-priest moves closer to beatification

May 12, 2018

The first African American priest in the U.S. could become the country’s first African American saint as his cause took... Read more

Black Elk (L) and Elk of the Oglala Lakota (R) 1887. Public Domain.

This Native American is officially on the path to sainthood

Oct 31, 2017

Lakota medicine man turned Catholic catechist Nicholas Black Elk has begun the path to potential canonization with a Mass in... Read more

Roberto Clemente statue in Pittsburgh.

No, Pope Francis did not beatify Roberto Clemente

Aug 18, 2017

Sports fans in the U.S. and beyond may be disappointed to learn that reports of baseball Hall-of-Famer Roberto Clemente being... Read more