October 18th officially marks the first time a married couple has been declared saints. Pope Francis issues the canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin who were born in the 1800s in France. The two are attributed to various miracles and also have a daughter, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who was also canonized in 1925.
Dan Moynihan, the Youth Ministry Specialist at the Diosese of London, says that this circumstance is extremely important as it, “was an effort of the church, given the culture that we’re in, [to determine] who are the role models that need to be lifted up for the culture that we’re in today.”
Moynihan says that when a church canonizes a person, they are affirming things that have already happened. The canonization process is not a light process, with examinations, multiple criteria and different levels of titling that all occur before being made a saint.
Moynihan says that if for example you had a devotion to a certain saint who was of the 3rd century and you are praying today and there was a miracle that occurred – that would be something that could be examined.
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