Vatican considers making John Paul II a saint in 2015

KATH.NET - Katholischer Nachrichtendienst

A Polish newspaper reports: there is "serious discussion" in "high church circles in Poland and the Vatican", that Pope Benedict XVI would make his predecessor a saint in 2015 at the Catholic World Youth Day.

In Poland, there is speculation about a possible canonization of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) in 2015 in Krakow, the city of which he was bishop, according to reports in the well-informed newspaper "Rzeczpospolita" this Friday. A name does not name the source sheets.

According to the report, the consultant to the Vatican Congregation for Saints, Father Szczepan Praskiewicz sees "no formal obstacles" to Benedict XVI for the first time performing a canonisation away from the Vatican. The Krakow Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, secretary to former Pope has been seeking to host since 2011 official World Youth Day. Where the big event will take place and whether in 2015 or 2016, will be announced in July 2013 at the next World Youth Day in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro.

In Poland, the call for a swift canonization of John Paul II is great. The Warsaw Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz however has recently spoken out publicly against an acceleration of the canonization process. John Paul II was beatified a year ago on 1 May 2011, by his successor Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square. It was the shortest process in modern church history.

The Vatican is currently investigating several reports of unexplained healings, which took place ​​at the intercession of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005). The postulator of the canonization process, Slawomir Oder, said in early May, there "three or four cases" where the initial medical examinations have taken place. For canonization, the official recognition of another miracle at the intercession of the deceased is required, which must have taken place after the beatification . As part of the beatification process, the healing of a French nun of Parkinson's disease in June 2005 was recognized as a miracle.