Eddie wrote:
Vaz died in Kandy (Ceylon) in 1711 after a long illness. His cause for sainthood was taken up within two years of his death by the Jesuit Bishop of Cochin. Vaz's order, the Oratorians, investigated his 'miracles' and sent the results to Rome. Pope Benedict XIV was not impressed and dismissed the petition in 1742. The cause was revived at the turn of the 20th century. A great deal of evidence on miracles was collected and submitted to the austere Pope Pius XII in 1956. More petitions by bishops and laity followed. The Eurocentric Pope was not moved. ------------------------------------------------------------- Eddie, My favourite group of saints are the misknown Ugandan martyrs. Many were not Catholic but all answered the prayers of the believers just about the time Rome was seeking miracles to promote them. Personally, I find it difficult to ask anyone (dead or alive) for favours. The thought of travelling to where the relics of someone are i.e. to be close enough to the body so that the saint will hear me – is an unnerving idea. I mean, I first have to a) pray to get enough money to make the pilgrimage, then b) have to go close to the relics to ask for bigger favours. Nonetheless, I have shaken hands with two known saints. The first was Mother Theresa, the second was Pope John Paul. Both then received donations from me. I have also shaken the hands of Julius Nyerere and while he did not implicitly ask for anything, he started receiving part of my paycheck from the very first day I started working. While the process to make Nyerere a saint is in its infancy, I have no doubt that some will witness the canonization day. Surely, shaking the hands and giving to three saints carries some weight at the Pearly Gates? All three can be called upon as witnesses when I get there! Apart from the above known saints, I have shaken hands with those who are surely saints today but are as yet, saints unknown to the believers. Then there also are the unknown unknowns i.e. those saints that I have met and who will pleasantly surprised me at the Gates. Mervyn
