The Church sets as a standard to declare someone a Saint that they practiced , 'Heroic virtue'. The Church declares someone a saint. In other words it recognises something that is already a reality. It does not make saints for only God, through grace can do that. Pope Pius XII was one time asked if there were any saints in Rome today? He went to his window, stared out for a while and then replied, 'In every street!' Pope Pius was something of a mystic himself I think. Certainly he knew several and was very open to listen to them. I have met several saints in my life that I know of. I suspect that at least one or two of them may even be raised to the altars of the Church in due time and be declared saints openly. But as I grow older and look back back on my life I understand that I have known really quite a few people who were as they say in the odour of sanctity, it was just, I am afraid that I did not have eyes to see them. Now I am older as I go to Mass every day my favourite hobby is saint spotting. There are always very,very holy people everywhere in Churches, We simply need to keep our eyes open for them. This may seem like hype; but consider this.; the greatest sign of sanctity is the Cross. The greater the Cross, the more it is embraced and even welcomed the greater the soul is raised . There are huge Crosses everywhere. You have only only to look at the prayer petitions on the forum, some of these Crosses are really jaw droppingly huge. God, in order to make the rich wine of sanctity must crush the grapes of our hearts. There is no other way. I met my first saint when I was just 16 years old (at least the first person I actually knew was a saint). How did I know? Well because everyone told me so before we met. His name was Father Paul Mary a Passionist Missionary priest who worked in Soweto in South Africa. What do I best recall about him? He listened to me and listened to me with great love and attention. I was just 16, a boy and he listened to me. No one really had ever done this before..at least with such love. His listening was like being hugged.
Saints amaze me - the variety and style of saints none the same all interiorly crucified on their different journeys towards heaven - I am in awe of each of God's jewels in His crown. A saint is just truly an amazing thing, truly, truly amazing. A saint is proof of God's existence because the odour of sanctity is the perfume of God's presence.
Thank you for the timely reminder, garabandal. As for me, on every major Feast day, be it Christ the King last Sunday or All Saints day today, my wife and I seem to have a major fall-out. I am not sure why... God bless!
Yes, Pope Pius XII is the Pastor Angelicus according to the St. Malachi/St. Philip Neri prophecy of the Popes. During the Nazi reign in Germany, he published a letter called "Mit brennender Sorge" ("With Burning Concern") to warn of the dangers of the Nazi government. I appreciate Pope Pius XII very very much, although I was born after he had passed away. God bless!
What is always so reassuring to me about the Saints and the people in the Old Testament is that they are so like us. So many flawed individuals who fall short again and again and again and yet on their path, they find their way to Jesus and ultimately heaven. They are not superheroes or anywhere near perfect except a rare few. They are just like you and I. So many of their stories give me such great hope in all my own personal flaws and battles. I have been working through the Old Testament in detail these past few months listening to the bible in a year podcast (which is wonderful by the way). Recently it was the story of Samson. What an arrogant, flawed individual who broke horrible commandments again and again. And yes, he paid for it dearly but in the end, through his prayer, faith and trust, he was redeemed and ultimately destroyed the enemy. There are countless Samsons in the bible, in the saints and in our everyday lives. People who fail again and again and again but still have that last redeeming trust and faith and repentance even at the hour of their death.
