Vatican Toughens Sainthood Procedure
February 19, 2008 1:25 pm Catholic traditionalismAP, Vatican Toughens Sainthood Procedure - washingtonpost.com, Feb. 18, 2008
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican is making it tougher to become a saint.New procedures were announced Monday calling for more “rigor” and “sobriety” by bishops when deciding to begin the process of beatification and in determining the required miracles.
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, head of the Vatican’s sainthood office, recently suggested that the Vatican was overwhelmed by causes following the pontificate of the late Pope John Paul II, who elevated more people to sainthood than all his predecessors combined.
Saraiva Martins said there are more than 2,200 beatification and sainthood causes pending.