On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, Pope Francis will recognize the
sainthood of two of his predecessors -- John XXIII and John Paul II --
in a canonization ceremony.
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| Pope John XXII (left) and Pope John Paul II will be canonized April 27. |
Canonization, according the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops website, is "the formal process by which
the Church declares a person to be a saint and worthy of veneration
universally."
Catholic News Service reported that Pope Francis had
been considering Dec. 8, 2013, but was concerned about the possibility
that icy roads could have made
it difficult for Polish pilgrims traveling by bus to Rome for
the ceremony.
The other option, he said, was Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration instituted worldwide by Pope John Paul.
Reporters on the plane taking the pope to Brazil for World Youth Day last July asked him to describe the two late popes.
Pope Francis said
Blessed John was "a bit of the 'country priest,' a priest who loves each
of the faithful and knows how to care for them; he did this as a bishop
and as a nuncio."
He was holy, patient, had a good sense of humor and, especially by
calling the Second Vatican Council, was a man of courage, Pope Francis
said. "He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord."
As for Blessed John Paul, Pope Francis told the reporters on the plane,
"I think of him as 'the great missionary of the church," because he was
"a man who proclaimed the Gospel everywhere."
Look for coverage of the Rockford Diocesan pilgrimage to the canonization, here, in April.
You'll also be able to follow us on Facebook at The Observer Catholic Newspaper.
--Sharon Boehlefeld
(CNS photos)
