Canonization ‘ticket’ for Beato Pedro expected this year

A CEBUANO church official is hopeful that the canonization rites of Blessed Pedro Calungsod to sainthood will happen within the year.

Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, the vice postulator on the cause of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, said there’s a probability that the promulgation of Calungsod’s sainthood will happen by December this year.

“Usually, the pope starts promulgating decrees like miracles before Christmas. That’s what usually happens. But I couldn’t say if it would be then,” said Leyson in an interview yesterday.

Leyson said the promulgation of decrees would serve as the “ticket” for the canonization rites and would signify that Pope Benedict  XVI had declared a miracle.

After the decree would be promulgated, Leyson said the Vatican would set a date for the canonization.

“When he promulgates the decree, that’s the moment for the ‘ticket of the event.’ But when it would be, that remains to be seen. Probably next year, we never really know. The pope can always do that,” Leyson said.

The approval itself would have to be made in a Mass traditionally held in St. Peter’s Square where the pope would issue  a document or “bull of canonization” that would recognize Calungsod worthy of public worship in the entire Catholic Church.

He said that before the canonization, there would have to be  divine intervention.

He also said only the pope could declare a miracle, after careful deliberation and recommendation from a team of medical doctors, theologians and the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

“Only the pope can determine if there’s a miracle. Without a miracle, there’s no proclamation of sainthood,” he said.

Last Wednesday, Leyson confirmed that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints composed of eight cardinals, five archbishops and three bishops “unanimously” decided to endorse Blessed Pedro Calungsod’s canonization to Pope Benedict  XVI. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya