Beatification Process – Protecting The Faithful

Beatification is a stage in the extremely lengthy procedure.  Involving  procedures of legal and ceremonial processes which are undertaken by the curia in the Vatican the process is often driven by the desires of the faithful who having a strong belief in the sanctity of a particular Catholic ask for canonisation.  

Strictly speaking, Beatification itself is the solemn reading of a decree by which the pope proclaims that a certain deceased person, who during his lifetime had practised virtue to an heroic degree, and who until that time had been described as a “Venerable Servant of God”, should now receive the title of Blessed”, that is, should be numbered among the Beati. 

In the early stages of the process, enquiries are made by the bishop of the diocese where the body of relics are preserved, to make sure that there had been no unauthorised public veneration, while at the same time showing that that person had been renowned for the holiness of his life and the practice of the theological and moral virtues. 

The theologians examine any writing left by him, to see that he had put forward nothing contrary to Catholic faith ad morals.  After this, still further enquiries are made concerning his holiness of life (called “fame of santity’) and the miracles attributed to his intercession before God .

The results of these enquiries are considered by certain cardinals and officials of the Sacred Congregation of Rites.  One of these officials, known as the Promoter of the Faith (and often popularly called the Devil’s Advocate)has the duty of examining and criticising the proofs of virtue and miracles put forward and of drawing attention to any rash judgement and to safeguard the law of the Church. 

If, after all these enquiries, a favourable decision has been reached, the decree is signed by the pope and read at a solemn ceremony, normally in St Peter’s basilica. 

The papal decree of beatification, unlike that of canonisation does not involve the doctrine of papal infallibility.  While giving permission for the public veneration of the new Beatus, it restricts that permission to certain specified liturgical devotion, and also usually makes a limitation to certain places or groups of people, such as a diocese, or a religious order one of whose members has been declared Blessed; while a decree of canonisation, in contrast,  affects all Catholics through out the Universal Church and is recognised by all Catholic theologians as infallible