dl2y+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Donna Marie Lewis) (01/16/90)
I think length must affect how fast my messages get to the net. So my
posting on Matthew was posted first, but my apology, which was shorter,
got through first. In case anyone else, besides KEG, who sent me mail on
the subject, is wondering about it, I'm putting this on the net.
Thanks for the clarification on saints, KEG. I knew this myself,
but I really was unclear about it in my posting. The Church has never
said that anyone definitely is in purgatory, let alone hell. The only
thing she's ever said is that certain people are in heaven, and are
worthy of veneration by the faithful, and that their virtues may be
imitated by the Church in general. Each step in the process gains the
person in question a new title on earth ( Venerable, Blessed, Saint ).
Canonization doesn't get the saint in question a thing, since he or she
has already recieved his or her reward from God, but it provides the
faithful on earth with some useful information.
There are three ways of using the word " saint "
1. All of the faithful,wherever they are.
2. All of those in Heaven, ( except God ). This is why we have All
Saints Day, to commemorate all the saints the Church is unaware and/or
unsure of, as well as the canonized.
3. Those who have officially been declared saints before God.
I usually try to use capitalization when talking about the last
category, but I may forget sometimes.
One may think that anyone who is dead is in Heaven. I think that
Newman is, and he hasn't even made venerable yet. Canonization makes it
an official proclamation of the Church. So one could think Newman might
still be in purgatory, and pray for his soul. Unless the proclamation
has been made, only God and the heavenly host know a person is in Heaven.
Many Catholics grow up on Saint stories, as well as Bible
stories. My own favorite Saint story concerns St. Philip Neri, the
founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. One day he met a wealthy
youth who had his whole life figured out. He would go to law school,
become a successful lawyer, get married, live in style.....
St. Philip quietly asked ," And then ? "
" When I'm very old, I'll retire, and rest. ", replied the young man.
" And then ? "
" Well, then I'll die. "
" And then ? "
Yours in Christ,
Donna Marie Lewis
Cor ad cor loquitur - " Heart speaks to heart "
Gaudete semper - " Rejoice always "