Saints..... CATHOLICS...?

Question

What constitutes a person as being a "saint"?
Since only GOD knows the depths of a person's heart, how can we be sure that the person is a "saint"?

The pope do not know the heart of a person.... so please do not come with that cannonization stuff ....neither do I need you to refer me to any catholic website..... If if is not in the Bible then this cancels out your reasoning.

The "saint" could seem to be living a perfect life on the outside...however there is the possibility that they could have hatred, envy, anger in their heart. Do you think that this person should still be a "saint"?

Answer 1

The Bible says that all true believers are saints, including the ones alive today.

Catholics are not saved Christians, and teach a false gospel of works that leads to eternal hell. Catholics also have a false teaching about saints. Add it to the list of hundreds of false teachings of catholics.

Answer 2

We can't, which is why we look for evidence.

A rigorous fact gathering process is used to find and associate true miracles with a deceased person. These facts are then brought before a tribunal where a Promoter of the Faith (or more popularly, the devil's advocate) argues against this evidence.

If the tribunal finds in favour of the evidence, a sort of preliminary step is granted - beatification. Note that this is not the church declaring that so and so is beatified, it is the church learning from the evidence that God has granted this state.

The process begins again, and if a second miracle can be found and verified in the face of criticism from the "devil's advocate", then a person can be declared a saint - which again, is not the church's doing, but simply the church stating that it has learned from the evidence as to what God has done.

The process is a skeptical one, and there are surely more saints than the ones we know of.

Answer 3

Saints are people in heaven or on their way to heaven. All Christians dead and alive are saints.

The Catholic Church selects some of the most extraordinary examples, does in-depth research, and canonizes them.

Canonization is the solemn declaration by the Pope that a deceased member of the faithful may be proposed as a model and intercessor (not mediator) to the Christian faithful on the basis of the fact that the person lived a life of heroic virtue or remained faithful to God through martyrdom.

Here is the modern method of canonization:

In order to allow greater objectivity and less emotion, no petition for sainthood can be made until at least 5 years after the candidate’s death.

+ Diocesan Investigation +

A diocese, parish, religious congregation, or association asks the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate died to open the investigation. After Vatican approval, the bishop forms a diocesan tribunal.

Witnesses are called before the tribunal to recount the candidate’s heroic exercise of Christian virtues. All documents regarding the candidate must be gathered.

At this point he is entitled to the title of Servant of God.

+ Vatican Investigation +

All documentation is passed on to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican.

The cause undergoes an examination by nine theologians.

If passed, the cause is for examined by the Congregation.

If passed, the cause is presented to the Pope for approval. A decree is published and read publicly.

+ Beatification +

A miracle attributed to the Servant of God is necessary.

The miracle must be proven through an appropriate investigation and another decree is issued.

Then the Pope decides on beatification.

With beatification, the candidate receives the title of Blessed.

+ Canonization +

Another miracle occurring after beatification is needed for canonization (sainthood), attributed to the Blessed’s intercession.

This miracle must again be proven through an appropriate investigation.

Papal infallibility is involved with canonization.

The Blessed acquires the title of Saint.

http://www.usccb.org/comm/SaintsFinal.pdf

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 4

We leave it up to God----People pray for a certain thing that only a miracle would do and they ask this with the intercession of this particular person and as confirmation that this person is with Jesus in Heaven the miracle will happen or if they are not then no miracle. It does not mean that the person is in Hell but quite possibly Purgatory.

John Paul II has had his miracle confirmed and also Mother Theresa.

There are miracles required for each stage of the beatification process so it is not man that decides but, God

Answer 5

A person being declared a saint is similar to a football player being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Church looks at a person's life and adds him or her to the "Hall of Fame" based on their devotion and love of God and their fellow man.

Answer 6

St. Patrick wasn't Catholic but they deemed him a Saint. Just wanted to mention that.

Answer 7

The New Testament calls all believers "saints"

Answer 8

St. Patrick was a Catholic.

Answer 9

There is actually a rather complicated, involved procedure for determining sainthood in the church. It involves lifess work, miracles and other things. Are you really only hearing this for the first time? Do you get out much?

Answer 10

I am not a Catholic, But they are saved. How can anyone say that...Geeez

We are all saints according to the bible.

Answer 11

I think when their lives are so much better than average..I am a Protestant but I think Mother Teresa is a Saint.