Pope Francis authorizes the promulgation of various decrees for the Causes of Saints, advancing the causes of canonization for US military chaplain Fr Emil Kapaun; Italian layman Bartolo Longo, the “Apostle of the Rosary” and five others.
By Vatican News
In an audience granted to Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate various Decrees concerning those on the path to sainthood.
The Holy Father recognized the “offering of life” of the Servants of God, Fr Emil Joseph Kapaun, who served as a United States Army chaplain during World War II and the Korean War; and Italian layman Salvo D’Acquisto.
The category of “offering of life” is “a new cause for the beatification and canonization procedure, distinct from the causes based on martyrdom and on the heroism of virtues.” This cause was introduced by Pope Francis in 2017 to recognize as saints “those Christians who, following more than closely the footsteps and teachings of the Lord Jesus, have voluntarily and freely offered their life for others and persevered with this determination unto death.”
With the decrees of “offering of life” and of heroic virtue, the Servants of God become Venerable. A confirmed miracle is required for Beatification, the next stage in the process of canonization.
Fr Emil Kapaun
Born on 20 April 1916 in Kansas, Emil Joseph Kapaun was a chaplain in the Burma theater of World War II, then served again as a chaplain with the U.S. Army in Korea, where he was captured. He died in a prisoner of war in the Pyoktong Prison Camp.
Ordained a priest in 1940, he had joined the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps in 1944. When taking as a prisoner of war in Korea, he ministered to fellow prisoners.
Salvo D’Aquisto
In addition, the Holy Father recognized the offering of life of the Servant of God Salvo D’Acquisto, lay faithful, born in Naples on 15 October 1920, and died in Palidoro, Italy, on 23 September 1943.
The Servant of God was a member of the Italian Carabinieri during the Second World War.
Salvo D’Acquisto
Heroic virtues recognized
Moreover, the Pope recognized the heroic virtues of three Servants of God:
– Michele Maura Montaner, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregación de las Hermanas Celadoras del Culto Eucarístico, born in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) on September 6, 1843, and died there on September 19, 1915;
– The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Didaco Bessi, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Mary of the Rosary, born on February 5, 1856, in Iolo (Italy) and died there on May 25, 1919;
– The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Cunegonda Siwiec, lay faithful, born on May 28, 1876, in Stryszawa – Siwcówka (Poland) and died there on June 27, 1955.
Canonization of Blesseds
Furthermore, the Supreme Pontiff approved the favorable votes of the Ordinary Session of the Cardinals and Bishops of the Dicastery for the canonization of two Blesseds:
– Blessed Giuseppe Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, lay faithful, born in Isnotú (Venezuela) on October 26, 1864, and died in Caracas (Venezuela) on June 29, 1919, and of
– Blessed Bartolo Longo, lay faithful, born in Latiano (Italy) on February 10, 1841, and died in Pompeii (Italy) on October 5, 1926.
Blessed Bartolo was a lawyer from Naples who initially despised the Church, but converted and became responsible for establishing the Shrine of the Holy Rosary at Pompeii.
He has decided to convene a Consistory concerning the upcoming canonizations at a date to be determined.
Blessed Bartolo Longo
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