May - Knights of Columbus Council #6332

Volume 4
Issue 4
The Knightly News
James Francis Cardinal McIntyre Council 6332 Newsletter
Council Membership Division 5
May 6, 2015
ASCENSION OF OUR LORD & PENTECOST SUNDAY
May 14, 2015
May 24, 2015
Jesus Ascension to heaven 40 days after Easter Sunday. Pentecost Sunday occurred 10 days after Ascension.
Happy Memorial Day
Inside This Issue
May 25, 2015
.
1 Ascension
1 Pentecost Sunday
2 Grand Knight
Message
2 District Deputy
Message
3 Membership
Director’s Message
3 Council Program
Director’s Message
3 Field Agent‘s
Message
3 Election
3 Special Olympics
World Games
4 Calendar of Activities
5 Officers List
5 Brothers Recognition
6 Bulletin Board
7 New Knights
7 Day of Sharing
Photos
8 Day of Sharing
Photos (cont.)
9-11 Making Saints
Notes from the Top
A Message from our Grand Knight
Council and fellow Knights. This happens once a month on the
first Wednesday of every month.
Fellow Knights
Looks like the year is going by fast and
we are now beginning the process of
electing a new slate of officers for the
coming Columbian year. Please pray
and think thoughtfully about the
selection of our new officers, some of
which are repeating. These Catholic gentlemen are certainly the
heart of our organization and deserve your support.
During the month of May we will need to begin the process of
planning for our next Pancake breakfast. Our next breakfast is
scheduled for June 7 and the breakfasts’ are always our biggest
fundraiser not to mention the good will that is generated for our
parish. Unfortunately our present coordinator has run into some
health issues and we need to get others to spearhead this
project. Please keep Ron G. in your prayers as he recuperates
and we certainly want to thank him for all his efforts in leading
the pancake breakfasts both in recent months and in past years.
We will be having a meeting to make plans for staging this
event on May 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Church hall. All who will
assist to make sure the breakfast is a resounding success should
plan on attending this meeting.
Don’t forget the behind the scenes work being done by our
Special Olympics committee in anticipation of our hosting of
several meals for the athletes from Spain and Indonesia who
will be visiting our city in July. The Special Olympics will be
held in Los Angeles from July 25 to August 2 and we will be
hosts on July 24 and July 24 for several meals. Please keep
these dates open as we have an “all hands on deck” for the
meals that Knights will be serving. These days should be fun
for all!
As reported in our District Deputy message, the Day of Sharing
in April was resounding success. Thanks to all who represented
our council and helped to make this day a fun day for all.
Even though I stated the following in my last message I believe
it bears repeating:
For all of you who like to stay informed or have asked how to
stay informed, we publish the monthly KOC bulletin which is
packed with information on upcoming events. This bulletin is
emailed to all on a monthly basis. Our new website is also
coming along and it too will become a “go to” site for news
and information. For those of you that don’t have internet
access, don’t forget the monthly general business meeting here
at St. Kilian’s which is the best way to stay in touch with your
May God continue to bless and guide our Church and our
Council in all that we do!
Art Vigil, GK 6332
District Deputy Message
Dear Brother Knights,
I just returned from our monthly OC Chapter
meeting and have some very good news to
share regarding last Saturday’s Day of
Sharing. We served 759 clients with
Intellectual Disabilities and their caregivers,
which is an all-time record. About 217
Knights helped with set-up, game booths,
meal service, clean-up and other duties. For all those who
participated from my four Councils-Thank You!
If you are a 3rd Degree Knight, consider attending the California
State Convention to be held this month at the Towne and Country
Resort in San Diego. This is a powerful experience as you witness
what our large California Jurisdiction does as a unified group.
Even if you can only stay 2-3 hours, it is well worth your time.
Opening mass is 8:00 AM on Friday, May 15 th and the business
session begins at 9:00 AM. After lunch, the session continues until
about 3:30 PM and then we usually make the rounds at the
hospitality suites. The convention continues the next day with a
morning and afternoon session and finishes with a closing mass
about 5 PM. You will feel the energy when sitting with at least
1,200 Brother Knights as they conduct the business of the State
Council and listen to all the good things we do. You will be
reminded of the 2nd Degree lesson of Unity.
If you can attend, please call or text me at 949-422-3529 so I can
look for you at the meeting or the OC Chapter hospitality suite.
Text is better because I may not be able to answer during the
business meetings. You might consider car pooling or take the
train, which I did one year. This is a very easy connection; Amtrak
to SD station, trolley to Old Town transit stop, and a city bus drops
you off almost at the front door of the T and C.
Please consider supporting our Districts only certified 1 st Degree
team by sending at least one Candidate to Bishop William Johnson
Council-9487 at Santiago De Compostela Parish Hall on Tuesday
May 19th. Candidates check-in at 7:00p.m. for a 7:30p.m. start.
Bishop Johnson provides a wonderful experience for our newest
Brothers that they will not soon forget.
Vivat Jesus,
John Piccolo, DD-113
Page 2
Membership Director’s Message
Mark Dano - Membership Chairman
No report has been received yet as of
this writing.
TENTATIVE SLATE OF OFFICER
NOMINATIONS FOR COUNCIL 6332 COLUMBIAN YEAR 2015 -2016.
Council Programs Director’s Message
Tony Levatino DGK
No report has been received yet as of
this writing.
Field Agent’s Message
Life Insurance As a Gift?
The initial reaction for many people when you mention life
insurance as a gift is a quick step back and a questioning stare.
“How morbid,” they think. While it may seem that way when you
first mention it, life insurance is really a thoughtful gift that can be
a financial life preserver in tough times.
The problem with life insurance is the general perception. Many
think of death instead of the great benefits it provides, and the
security that it offers – even while you’re alive. Life insurance
should be thought of as a precautionary protective measure for a
family unit. The purchase of this product can mean saving your
home, sending your children to college, and preserving your
spouse’s quality of life in the event of your death.
Additional nominations may be made at the election in our business
meeting on May 6, 2015. The only requirement is that they must be
Third Degree Knights.
GRAND KNIGHT - TONY LEVATINO
DEPUTY GRAND KNIGHT - JIM DORSEY
FINANCIAL SECRETARY - DAVID EDENHOFER
TREASURER - BILL VILLANUEVA
RECORDER - JOE OLIVA
CHANCELLOR - DAN FRIEDMAN
ADVOCATE - RYAN FLYNN
WARDEN - GUY WILSON
INSIDE GUARD - JOHN RODRIGUEZ
OUTSIDE GUARD - BENNY JONES
1ST YR TRUSTEE – ART VIGIL
2ND YR TRUSTEE - JOE ALBER
3RD YR TRUSTEE – BERT MUNOZ
Please note that we do not take nominations for the position of
financial secretary. Upon the recommendation of the grand knight and
the trustees, he is approved by the supreme knight for a period of three
years. our financial secretary’s term commenced in 2013.
One of the times you may want to purchase life insurance for
someone is when a family has a new baby. It’s a great, low-cost
way to set money aside for the future (i.e. college tuition, housing,
business start-up, etc.). Of greater importance, it ensures these
children will have insurance as adults, in case an illness later in
life makes him or her uninsurable.
Newlyweds are also ideal recipients for life insurance. As they join
their lives and financial responsibilities, young couples
need to make sure that their early investments are fully protected.
If something were to happen to one of them, the other may be
faced with serious financial hardship. A life insurance policy is an
ideal way to ensure their future and protect their assets.
As nontraditional as it may be, life insurance is a wise and caring
gift to purchase for many people.
2015 Special Olympics World Games
The World Games will be coming to Los Angeles this July. The 2015
Special Olympics World Games will be the largest humanitarian and
athletic event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympics. The citizens
of Mission Viejo and the Knights of Columbus will partner in the Host
Town Program of the Special Olympics. Mission Viejo will have the
honor of hosting 172 athletes and coaches from Indonesia and Spain.
The Knights of Columbus are looking to host several meals during
their time in Mission Viejo. Our involvement will include 1 lunch and
3 dinners for athletes, coaches, and families during their time in
Mission Viejo prior to the World Games in Los Angeles.
In order to keep track of the Knights' efforts, we would like all who
donate to make sure they follow these instructions.
 Click on this link Donate to Mission Viejo Host Town
Program
 Fill out the information for your donation
In the section titled "Your Information", there is a place to leave a
comment. Make sure you type "Knights of Columbus" in the box to help
account for our efforts.
Page 3
Calendar of Activities
Knights of Columbus
Cardinal McIntyre Council No. 6332
Prepared by Brother Dave Edenhofer
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
May 2015
Wednesday
Thursday
3
4
5
6
Business
Meeting
7:30 p.m
7
St. Kilian
Golf
Tournament
10
Mother’s Day
11
12
Coffee\Donut\
Recruitment
17
Corporate
Communion
9:00 a.m. Mass
13
Pancake
Breakfast
Planning Meeting
7:00 p.m
14
Ascension
of the Lord
18
19
20
21
Potluck
6:30 p.m.
24
Pentecost
Sunday
25
Memorial Day
Observed
26
27
Officers’
Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Friday
Saturday
1
Adoration
10 p.m –
6 a.m.
2
8
9
15
Sun
22
Sun
Mon
16
Recycle
7 a.m. to
Noon
23
Mon
28
29
30
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
4
5
Adoration
10 pm– 6 am
6
11
12
13
31
Sunday
Monday
June 2015
Wednesday
3
1
Tuesday
2
7
Pancake
Breakfast
8
9
Business
Meeting
7:30 p.m.
10
14
Flag Day
15
16
17
18.
19
20
Recycle
7 – 12 Noon
Day of Sharing
21
Father’s
Day
22
23
24
Officer
Meeting
7:00 p.m
25
Potluck
6:30 p.m.
26
27
28
Corporate
Communion
9:00 a.m. Mass
29
30
Coffee\Donut\
Recruitment
Page 4
Tu
Tu
"St. Kilian Council 6332
Monthly Recognition"
Council Officers–CY 2014-2015
Grand Knight
Br. Art Vigil
949-457-1845
arthur.vigil@y
mail.com
Financial
Secretary
Br. Dave
Edenhofer
949-458-6879
Compiled by Brother Dave Edenhofer
[email protected]
For brother knights as follows:
Deputy Grand
Knight
Br. Tony
Levatino
949-910-9363
tony.levatino@
yahoo.com
Chancellor
Br. Dan
Friedman
949-305-9770
d.friedman@
cox.net
Degree Completions
Recorder
Br. Joseph Oliva
949-458-7460
[email protected]
Treasurer
Br. Bill
Villanueva
949-770-0820
Bill.Villanueva
@cox.net
Advocate
Br. Jim Dorsey
949-616-4218
dorseyjim@cox
.net
Warden
Br. Guy Wilson
949-855-8658
wilsonguy@
cox.net
Inside Guard
Br. John
Rodriguez
949-243-4366
jpandtom@
yahoo.com
Outside Guard
Br. Benny
Jones
949-600-5250
Benny.jones1@
cox.net
One Year
Trustee
Br. Joe Alber
949-581-5063
joealber1@
gmail.com
Two Year
Trustee
Br. Bert
Munoz
949-586-3013
hbertbert@cox
.net
Richard McGill
Richard Lester
Anthony Lozinski
Anthony Mercadante
Steven Werner
April 25
April 16
April 16
April 16
April 16
3rd Degree
1st Degree
1st Degree
1st Degree
1st Degree
Transfers to our Council
None
Three Year
Trustee
Br. Gary
Murdy
949-448-7498
Chaplain
Fr. Bruce
Patterson
949-586-4440
[email protected]
Lecturer
Br. Richard
McGill
949-362-2420
richardmcgill001
[email protected]
Church Dir
Br. Tom
Drennen
949-581-0728
tomdrennen@
cox.net
Community
Director
Br. Gil Correa
949-770-0710
gilnbettie@
sbcglobal.net
Youth &
Recycle Dir
Bob Knoke
949-472-1249
happyunclebob
[email protected]
m
Membership
Director
Br. Mark Dano
949-461-0345
mark.dano@
ymail.com
District
Deputy
Br. John Piccolo
422-3529
johnpicc@
yahoo.com
Newsletter
Editor
Gene Reyes
949-458-7656
reyesg@
aol.com
Insurance
Agent
Br. Mark
Yubeta
949- 322-7266
mark.yubeta@
kofc.org
Anniversary of Knights of Columbus Service
Walter Benson
Thomas Burns
Ron Cichocki
Mark Dano
Tom Drennen
Angel Montoya
David Spalenka
John Stanley
John West
Earl Santy
Ryan Flynn
Mark Banas
Tony Benefeito
Kevin Kraus
Todd Stevens
Father Chris Drennen
Henry Villasenor
Robert Borowski
John Landgard
Brian O'Donnell
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 1
May 6
May 8
May 9
May 9
May 9
May 9
May 15
May 18
May 19
May 19
May 21
Birthdays in May
Walter Benson
Deacon Bob Kelleher
Kevin Kraus
Tad Dudzinski
David Ponce
Jerry Cox
Al Dillingham
Todd Stevens
Paul Dominguez
Norm Abbod
James Gibbs
Matt Kosciuk
Joe Oliva
Hector Hinojosa
Page 5
May 1
May 1
May 2
May 18
May 21
May 22
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 28
May 28
May 29
May 30
37 Years
35 Years
55 Years
24 Years
54 Years
2 Years
63 Years
51 Years
66 Years
4 Years
1 Year
2 Years
8 Years
2 Years
2 Years
8 Years
20 Years
22 Years
7 Years
8 Years
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, COUNCIL 6332 - BULLETIN BOARD - May, 2015
ROSE & ROSARY PROGRAM: Our Council
distributes Knights of Columbus rosaries at the
baptisms held the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at
2:00pm. A rosary is given to each family and it is a
beautiful meaningful part of the ceremony. We are
always interested in more Knights and their wives
participating, and you can contact Brother Mike
Ensley at (949) 367-1427 for further details.
COFFEE & DONUTS PROGRAM: The Knights
assist the Welcome Ministry with coffee and donuts
in the parish hall after Sunday masses, and the 2nd
Sunday of the month the Knights are the host
ministry. We are responsible for picking up the
donuts and bagels on Saturday evening as well as
setting the table up in the hall. Sign-up sheets are
available at the regular monthly Business Meeting
and you can contact Brother Al Rizzo at (661) 7140203 for further details.
 This program needs YOUR help! This is an
extremely important event which was
specifically requested by Father Bruce and
the Knights are the priest’s Strong Right
Hand.
MEMBERSHIP/RECRUITMENT: Membership
and recruitment are a never-ending process. All
brothers should be actively promoting membership
in the Knights. When you recruit other members you
help us sustain and grow our ability to help others.
1st Degree Knights who recruit at least one person
during their first year of service are eligible for the
Shining Armor Award. For further details contact
Brother Mark Dano at (949) 525-0946.
 The 2nd Sunday of the month, we staff our
recruitment table. Sign-up sheets are
available at the monthly business meeting.
 Also Brothers please consider re-attending
any Degree that you have attended
previously to revisit the important message
of that Degree and to support our Brothers
on their journey.
PANCAKE COMMITTEE: Pancake breakfasts
are our most significant fund raiser and are held
approximately 4 times per year. It is expected that all
Knights make an effort to attend and assist with
duties as assigned. A replacement coordinator will
be appointed in the near future. Meeting will be
held on May 13, 2015 in the Parish Hall at 7:00p.m.
to plan the next Pancake Breakfast.
Next Pancake Breakfast - Sunday June 7, 2015
4TH DEGREE LIAISON: The 4th Degree Knights
of Columbus, Santiago de Compostela Assembly
#2305 meets the 2nd Thursday of the month in the
Conference Center. For further details, contact
Brother Tom Drennen at (949) 581-0728.
FIRST FRIDAY ADORATION
Adoration is always the First Friday of every month,
Knights of Cardinal McIntyre Council have
responded to the Pastor’s concern that at least one
good Catholic man be in attendance during the
“small hours” (10:00 PM to 6:00 AM Saturday) so
that other parishioners, women and children, can feel
safe and confident to visit the Church at all hours.
Please notify Tom Drennen at 949-581-0728 if you
can participate.
CORPORATE COMMUNIONOur next Corporate Communion will be on the 9:00
AM Mass at St. Kilian on Sunday, May 17, 2015.
Please wear your badge and try to sit with Knights in
designated seats.
RECYCLE DRIVE
Monthly Recycle Drive held the 3rd Saturday of
every month from 7 am until noon. We can use your
help. If you are interested, please contact PGK Bob
Knoke at 949-472-1249. Next Drive: May 16,
2015.
KOC POTLUCK
Potluck is held every 4th Thursday of the month.
Next Potluck- May 21, 2015.
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday: June 3, 2015.
Page 6
Welcome to James Francis Cardinal McIntyre Council 6332 new knights!
Richard Lester
Anthony Lozinski
Anthony Mercadante
Steven Werner
Photos of our Council Knights in Action in the 37th Annual Day of Sharing April 18, 2015
At the Speech and Language Development Center in Buena Park Ca
Photos by Brother Ryan Flynn and submitted by Brother John Rodriguez
Page 7
Additional Photos at Day of Sharing
Page 8
Making Saints
By Brother Bill DeLuca
With Pope Francis
rumored to include in his
visit the canonization of
Father Junipero Serra, and
my reading of the nonfiction book titled “My
Cousin the Saint,” by
Justin Catanoso, cousin of
St. Gaetano Catanoso, I
thought it would interest us
to learn how a person
becomes a saint. The
information I will be
sharing comes from the
book, chapter 16, entitled
“Making Saints”
The author, a writer and
reporter, found out that he
was a relative of the saint,
and decided to go to Rome with his family for the canonization by
Benedict XVI in 2005. He decided to go back to learn more about
how his cousin was chosen to be a saint and whether he deserved to
be a saint and whether it had any implications for the rest of his
family.
Chapter 16 is dedicated to how a saint is “made”.
“The Vatican …is the capital of the world’s largest religion, a
religion made real to the faithful by the lives of the saints. This is
the place where saints are proclaimed. I had two appointments that
day, interviews with priests. They were Vatican-saint makers,
long-time members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints,
the earthly sanctum where the merits of holy lives are scrupulously
judged by mortals.
“Catholic churches in America are mostly crowded on Sundays.
And while Catholics across the country live in cities and attend
churches named for saints, invoke the communion of saints during
Mass, and pray for favors from their favorite saints, precious few
have any idea how a once living being becomes officially
recognized as a friend of God, a resident of Heaven, a saint.
“In 1983, with the approval of Pope John Paul II, the rules of saintmaking changed dramatically for the first time since the late
1500’s. To speed up the process, the office of the Devil’s
Advocate was abolished. That was the prosecutorial office in the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints that challenged each case
and slowed the ultimate naming of saints, sometimes for centuries.
For example, consider Simon Rojas, a pious Spanish priest who
died in 1624, wasn’t beatified until 1766 and named a saint by Pope
John Paul II in 1988.
“The Pope’s changes also granted local bishops the sole authority
to initiate causes of local heroes. And the number of miracles was
cut in half. To the skeptics, John Paul was cranking up the machine.
Everyone from the local diocese to the congregation officials at the
Vatican was now working on the same side of the cause,
Woodward concluded.
Mr. Gaetano had made two appointments: “My first meeting that
morning was with Monsignor Robert Sarno, a native of Brooklyn,
the only American among the twenty-four staffers comprising the
congregation of saint-makers. He came to the Vatican in 1982.
Woodward recommended I meet with him. My question to him
was “…Help me to understand the importance of saints? Why do
we need saints?
‘You hit the question on the head by asking: why do we need
saints?, he said, ’because saints do not need canonization. By the
process of canonization, it’s not that someone who is in heaven gets
a better place in heaven. It’s not that the pope, as a successor for
St. Peter, unlocks a door and sends a person from purgatory to
heaven. If you want to understand what a saint is, let’s start with
the fact that we’re all called to be saints. In other words, when we
leave this world, we are called to live forever with God in heaven.
He already knows who they are. That’s what a saint is.’
“The Vatican doesn’t actually ‘make’ saints. Only God can do that.
The Church through this office and the approval of the pope seeks
to identify and promote those it believes have already been taped
by God to sit within earshot and pass along the prayers of the
faithful.
“Monsignor Sarno continued, ‘A saint is a person who, because of
his or her life, is capable of seeing God face to face, and having
that special relationship. So we are all called to be saints. It’s a
universal call to holiness. But when we talk about saints who are
canonized, in the jargon, we’re talking about these people who are
eventually canonized. So to understand what a saint is, I like to say
that a saint has two I’s – an “I” for Imitation and an “I” for
Intercession.’
‘Imitation basically means that the individual has followed Christ
so particularly closely that he or she is worthy of imitation on the
part of the faithful. A saint is a signpost on the road that leads to
heaven. And by following Christ more closely they have made the
grade, and they show us the safe road that we can follow to find
Christ in heaven.
‘With Intercession, that’s a human confirmation, a divine
declaration. And that’s the purpose of a miracle. It’s divine
confirmation that, first of all, the person is truly in heaven. And
because the person is closer to God, he or she has the power of
intercession. God grants graces, favors, and even miracles through
the person’s intercession, as a confirmation that the person is really
and truly in heaven.’
“Where does the saint-making process begin?
‘It can only begin, as of 1983, at the local level. The Holy Father,
Pope John Paul II, in the new legislation for the causes of saints,
gave to the local bishop the authority to initiate a cause. And the
reason for that is: This reputation for holiness and intercessory
power begins in the local church, where the person lived, worked,
and died. Where the person lived and worked and died is where the
proofs will be. But the Bishop cannot start this cause until he can
prove there is an authentic and widespread reputation for holiness
and intercessory power on the servant of God.’
‘With a cause of canonization, the church is actually discerning
what God is saying to the faithful. In other words, this reputation
of holiness and intercessory power is the work of the Holy Spirit
among the faithful, raising this opinion, this public opinion, among
the hearts of the faithful. So the bishop, who is responsible for the
liturgical and spiritual life of the dioceses, is the only one who can
verify the existence of this reputation and start the canonical
process.’
Page 9
“Monsignor Sarno explained that the late holy person’s life and
reputation must continue to resonate throughout the parish. At that
point, the local bishop says in so many words, let’s promote this
guy. A local tribunal is formed, headed by a high-ranking priest.
A questionnaire is drawn up. Witnesses are interviewed, if there
are people still alive who can offer firsthand testimony. Writings,
sermons, and journal entries of the candidate are compiled. Closets
are peered into in search of skeletons. All this information, which
usually takes decades to gather, is put together in multiple volumes
in preparation for it being sent to the Vatican, where it is
scrutinized within the Congregation for the Causes or Saints for
years, often decades, longer – and this under Pope John Paul II’s
accelerated program.
‘The goal of the diocesan inquiry is not the canonization. It is to
arrive at the truth, whether the person should be canonized. So you
try to gather all the proofs, for and against the person’s cause. You
want a clear and objective view of the person’s life in this broad
social, historical and religious context.’
“In terms of being related to a saint, how should we think of that?
‘We all belong to the community of saints. We are all a family and
a member of the church of heaven, the church or purgatory, and the
church on earth. So I am not sure it gives any one earthly family a
distinction or responsibility over any other member of the
community of saints.’
Next the author met with Father Kurt Peter Gumpel, one of the
longest serving members of the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints. A Jesuit priest from Germany who grew up under Nazi
rule, he came to Rome in 1960. He wanted to be a teacher and
have his own parish but was assigned to the Congregation,
‘Why does the church proceed to beatifications and canonizations?
Now we are not interested in having more saints and blessed simply
to have them. The reason is simply and purely this, especially
today: People can ascertain what the Catholic Church is teaching
about faith and morals and behavior. We have the Holy Scripture,
which is the foundation of Catholic and Christian doctrine in
general. We have fathers of the church, doctors of the church, we
have catechism. So if someone wants to understand what the
Catholic Church is about, there are plenty of means. But – people
do not read too much today. At times there is danger that it goes in
one ear and out the other. Besides there are accusations these days,
more than in the past, that the Catholic doctrine is utopian,
spiritually unrealistic, and therefore it’s not feasible to live
according to the Catholic doctrine. So, the answer to this is to
present to the faithful a large number of people who in their day-today lives have lived out the Catholic faith in a radical, consistent,
and joyful manner. And for that reason, we propose a number of
people, so that those who say it’s not possible can actually see
people who have done it.’
“You mention large numbers, does that help explain why Pope
John Paul II made so many saints, and with the beatification, so
many blessed?”
‘Yes it does. The idea is to present the various categories of age
and sex and culture and nations, and say, -Here you are, here are
the people in more or less the same condition that you are living in,
and they succeeded in living the Christian ideals in a radical,
consistent, and joyful way - That’s the idea.’
“How does such a humble priest (as Padre Gaetano Catanoso)
whose life may have been similar to many others, rise to such a
lofty level?”
‘You must understand that the absolute beginning of any cause is
the existence of the vitally spread renown of sanctity, which only
happens through those who watched the life of this person, and are
attracted to him. Causes are not ordered from above, or by the
pope or the bishop or this office. Through the renown of sanctity,
we have an example of God’s grace to perpetuate his mission- in
this case, the mission of your relative – to encourage people to
follow his example.’
“Since 1983, the diocesan bishop retains the authority to initiate a
cause for canonization, but only after the parishioners make clear –
through the consistent direction of their prayers over time – that
they believe they have a saint in their midst. Unless the pope
changes the rules, as John Paul II did for Mother Teresa of
Calcutta, the cause of beatification and canonization cannot start
until at least five years after the death of the candidate. The Vatican
seeks to avoid saint-making in the eruption of emotion following
the death of a particular church hero. That’s why Pope Benedict
XVI first let the cries of santo subito (saint now) calm down
following the death of John Paul II in April 2005, preferring at first
to let the process follow its slow, mandated route.
“Father Gumpel told me he agreed entirely. ‘I oppose very strongly
this whole santo subito business. . Let us take our time and
investigate the cause of Pope John Paul II.’ Benedict, of course,
waived the five year waiting period for John Paul and the
investigative process quickly moved forward.
“In the meantime, Father Gumpel explained, here’s how it works
for everyone else: ‘ When you get this movement of people who
consider this person to be a good candidate for beatification and
canonization, they invoke his intercession, they believe he is in
heaven, they go to his tomb and pray.’
“This is the renown of sanctity a bishop must see. It connects the
church on earth with the church in heaven through those dearly
departed who followed the path of Jesus while they were alive,
Father Gumpel said.
‘We pray to them and ask them to help us with intercessory prayers
to God for graces for ourselves and others. We do not believe that
with our death here that everything is finished. We continue to
live. This is essential to our faith, that we be admitted, God
wishing, to eternal life with Christ. Therefore we are active. It is
not just a matter of docility. I don’t know if I made this clear but
the Protestants do not understand this. They say we should pray
only to God. They don’t accept the communion of saints. They do
not believe in any mediation. Well, this is nonsense, because they
themselves pray together for good intentions. So, why shouldn’t
we be able to do this in talking with those who preceded us?’
“I shifted my questions to the aspect of saints and saint-making that
sets them apart from all other historical figures of great influence
and renown: miracles.
Father Gumpel carefully took me through his thinking, insisting at
the outset that it is the life of the individual that defined his or her
sanctity – a life of heroic virtue, as the Vatican calls it – not merely
miracles.
‘I have been in this work for 46 years. I can say that from a human
point of view, we do everything possible to see if a person is
worthy of the beatification and canonization process. It is a most
painstaking investigation, numerous witnesses, collecting all the
documents. We have no interest in submitting to the Holy Father a
case unless we are morally certain we should do so. Nevertheless,
in all human undertakings, omissions are possible. In every case,
it’s impossible to know if every document has been retrieved.
Therefore, before the pope proceeds with the beatification of a
nonmartyr, we require a miracle as a sign of God’s presence. It is
not the essence of the cause. It is simply a divine confirmation that
the Holy Father can proceed tranquilly and securely with this
matter.’
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“You could argue that the pope’s credibility is at stake, and saintmakers like Father Gumpel know it. Each beatification and
canonization is deemed a proclamation of papal infallibility – pure
and perfect, final and irrevocable. Miracles, which the church
holds out as evidence that the person in question is literally in
heaven, serves as a kind of spiritual bulletproof vest, protecting
both the candidate’s cause and the pope’s perfection.
‘Some people seem to think the miracle is the essential element, it
isn’t. The very essence is our investigation into the life of the
person. But the miracle helps us overcome any omissions or
mistakes that might be made in the fact-gathering process.’
“And by miracles, the Vatican means only physical miracles. And
these physical miracles are virtually all medical miracles. Winning
the lottery? Seeing the Red Sox finally win the World Series?
Finding a parking place in midtown Manhattan? Not miracles, not
in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Only medical miracles need
apply. These were, after all, the kind of miracles Jesus mostly
performed. And in that regard, when we are sick or dying or know
someone who is, we turn to prayer. Sometimes these prayers are
answered. But when it comes to proving it, the mystery of faith
gets in line behind the cold precision of science. At the core of
every miracle verified through the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints lies a series of facts, scrutinized by medical experts and
theologians. Both groups carefully sift the accumulated evidence
like any jury would. Votes are taken. Decisions are made. “
‘In nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand it’s a
medical case when it comes to miracles. These cases are carefully
examined. Here in this office, you can say that out of a hundred
alleged miracles, put before us, 90 percent are tossed out
immediately. Many people think something is a miracle. But from
a medical point of view, if you investigate these things, you find
it’s not the case. Let’s say ten cases remain, and upon further
investigation five more cases get eliminated. Therefore, very few
cases remain.’
“Who exactly is doing the eliminating? Doctors, Father Gumpel
explained. The congregation has at its disposal about sixty
physicians from Rome who make up what is called the Consulta
Medica, a kind of medical review board. These doctors, all said to
be highly accomplished and from a variety of specialties, sit on
panels of five and review the medical records of improbable
healings. From midfall to mid summer they gather twice a month
to look at diagnoses, prognoses, and whether a cure is complete and
lasting in duration. Regardless of these doctors’ spiritual beliefs –
some aren’t even Catholic – their role in this stage of the process is
purely clinical. They assess whether there is any possible medical
explanation for why a person once given up for dead has recovered
and remained healthy for years.
“Interestingly, because some illnesses and diseases are known to
have high rates of natural remission, they aren’t even considered as
possible miracle healings. Even if prayer alone has delivered you
from renal, breast, or skin cancer, a miraculous cure will not be
considered. Same for lymphoma. And because a cure for mental
illnesses often defies description, those cases too are excluded from
consideration. The congregation prefers a unanimous decision on
the part of the five-doctor panel, but a three to two vote declaring
the cure is “medically inexplicable” is enough to send the case to
the next level of scrutiny.
‘After the doctors have done their work, it goes to the board of
theologians. And they must determine: Is there a connection
between this one candidate for sainthood – and only this one
candidate – and this unexplained cure?’
“Here’s where the process parts with science, but still tries to retain
the integrity of a thorough inquisition. These people who said the
prayers for intercession are actually questioned closely as to who
exactly they prayed to. If you say you prayed to Padre Gaetano
Catanoso as well as ST. Jude, St. Teresa, and the Blessed Mother,
the panel of nine theologians does not attempt to divine whose
intercessory plea was taken up by God. If it appears certain that
more than one heavenly being received the prayers, the cause runs
the risk of being tossed. But if the theologians find a consensus of
prayer to onoe departed person, the entire cause is sent for review
to a group of thirty-four cardinals, archbishops and bishops who are
members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. They make
the all-important assessments of whether the miraculous did indeed
occur and whether the life of the candidate was actually virtuous
and saintly. The final decision as to whether a blessed is declared
through beatification, or a saint through canonization, is left to the
pope.
“I thought it a cumbersome process but Father Gumpel asked me
how I would go about it. Father Gumpel also made it clear that
although he trusts the canonical process and admires its
thoroughness, he is uncomfortable with what he considers an
overreliance on medical miracles. Prayer can rescue marriages, it
can reconcile estranged parants and children, it can relieve a whole
host of human misery beyond disease intervention. He made these
arguments, he told me, to John Paul II.
‘I was not persuasive, but I said, look, the medical man wants a
diagnosis that is perfect and be able to document it in a very
sophisticated way. There are a number of poor countries where
they don’t have the technology to do this. No X-ray machines for
example. I said Holy Father, we are in danger of discriminating
between rich and poor countries. And this we cannot tolerate. If a
poor country cannot clearly document the medical history, it gets
tossed out.
“So you really want this change in miracles?
‘I said this should be considered. Medical science makes more and
more progress. Doctors become more skeptical. A sickness you
can’t explain now you might explain a year from now. Doctors are
becoming very cagy. Specialists on our Consults Medica fear that
if it gets out that they participated in something that later turned out
to have a medical explanation, they could be labeled charlatans. It
gets more difficult to prove a miracle.
“Father Gumpel said he agreed with Pope Benedict XVI’s decision,
made implicitly not long after he succeeded John Paul, to slow
down the number of saints being turned out by the congregation.
Benedict, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1989, stirred worldwide
controversy when he suggested that perhaps too many holy men
and women of too little spiritual renown were being honored as
blessed and saints.
‘Where is the justification of sanctity and the pastoral significance?
That’s very, very important. You see, I have been in this work
nearly fifty years and there are some candidates for sainthood of
whom I’ve never heard. What is the possible relevance of that?
We want to give credible examples for the purpose of emulation. If
this person doesn’t have a pastoral influence – take for example a
person from the fifteenth century that hardly anyone remembers –
what is the point? In the future we will ask – What can be the
possible pastoral relevance? And if there is none, we may say, This
is a saintly person, there is no question about that. But we do not
think there is any relevancy for beatification. This will be a
delicate judgment because everyone will claim, of course, that this
person deserves it. But we need the courage of the congregation to
say we do not think there is this pastoral message. That, I think,
has been neglected.”
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