During last Friday’s Dehon Book Club hosted by the Dehon Study Center, Fr. Ramon Domiguez Fraille, SCJ (pictured on the left), General Postulator for the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and Fr. Josemar Lima, SCJ, vice-postulator, talked about their work, and shared updates on the beatification process for Fr. Leo John Dehon and other SCJs. They are pictured above, meeting with participants via Zoom.
How does a person become a saint? The bulk of the postulator’s job is spent fulfilling the tasks of what is often a lengthy road toward the possibility of sainthood. It starts at the diocesan level, in conjunction with the bishop’s office, collecting information about the actions and virtues of the person being proposed for beautification and canonization. Once the diocesan process is complete, the compiled information is sent to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
Currently there are eight causes on which Fr. Ramon’s office is working. The two that are in the diocesan phase are for Bishop Joseph Wittebols (diocese of Wamba) and for Fr. Francisco Geraedts (diocese of Palmares). The causes that are now at the Vatican with the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints are for Blessed Juan María de la Cruz, Venerable – Servant of God Leo John Dehon, Venerable – Servant of God Aloísio Boeing, Servant of God Andrés Prévot, Servant of God Martino Capelli, and Servant of God Bernardo Longo.
Fr. Ramon was asked about Fr. Dehon’s cause; in 2006 the founder’s beatification was postponed indefinitely following the death of Pope John Paul II. “It is interesting to report that the postulation has received news of several miracles and graces,” said Fr. Ramon. “The cause belongs directly to the Secretariat of State, because the entire process in the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has been completed.” No timeline is yet in place regarding the founder’s beatification.
Information about all of the causes, as well other work of the office, is in the text of Fr. Ramon’s presentation. Click here to download it.
Fr. Joseph Mukuna, SCJ, director of the Dehon Study Center, notes that no book club gatherings are scheduled for the summer. The next will take place in September; details will be shared closer to the date.
ANYONE is welcome to attend the gatherings in-person or via Zoom. If you have questions about the book club, please contact Fr. Joseph at: 414-427-7265, Jmukuna@dehoniansusa.org
