With the new rules of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, members of the Roman Curia will not be able to postulate the processes of beatification and canonization.
Newsroom – Vatican City (October 20, 2021, 5:35 PM, Gaudium Press) Since 2016, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has been spearheading an administrative reform in the processes of beatification and canonization.
Recently the Vatican announced new changes in the rules for postulants in the processes of beatification and canonization.
There are two main changes. The first is that no cardinal or bishop from the Roman dicasteries can be a postulant.
The second change is that each postulator cannot have more than 30 processes at the same time.
The Congregation, which is in charge of Cardinal Semeraro, presented the new rules divided into 86 articles.
In these new rules, it is possible to clarify the procedure in the various phases of the canonization process.
In addition to beatification and canonization, it is also possible to check the procedure regarding relics, mortal remains and the request for the title of Doctor of the Church.
The rules approved by the Pope last August and signed by Cardinal Semeraro on October 11 state that the promoter of the cause can be: the diocese, the bishops’ conference, a society of apostolic life, an institute of consecrated life, or a simple member of the faithful.
Any faithful Catholic, of proven integrity, can be a postulator provided that he has sufficient knowledge of theology, canon law, and knowledge of the practices of the Congregation for the Cult of the Saints.
But it still remains the bishop’s responsibility to investigate the person’s life, heroic virtues and miracles.
With the new norms, cardinals of the Church, bishops and official officials of the Roman Curia will no longer be able to be postulants. (FM)
Compiled by Zephania Gangl
