Wednesday, October 31, 2007
MASS SAINTHOOD NOT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
EuroNews reports:
The biggest mass beatification ever has taken place in Rome, amid accusations that it is a political dig at the Spanish government. The 498 Spanish martyrs, mainly priests, monks and nuns, were killed at the start of the Spanish civil war by left-wing government militias after the clergy, generally, sided with General Franco.
The ceremony comes at the start of a week when the Spanish parliament is expected to pass legislation condemning the rule of Franco.
The Spanish Catholic church has attacked the proposed law and insists today's ceremony was not politically motivated.
Uh huh, and if you believe that, let me tell you about all of the priests who would never molest a child.
The event brings up an important question, what is the purpose of canonization? It does not constrain God's hand. He makes His decision about whether a person shall enter Heaven or forever be damned without influence of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Canonization is for mankind. Its purpose is to provide us with examples of a holy life or a commitment to God which is greater than the fear of death. We pray for the intercession of saints. We read their stories and try to emulate their goodness.
Now comes a mass canonization of 498 martyrs, not as individuals who are examples for us, but as a crowd of people who will remain nameless for all practical purposes. What has been canonized here is an idea. And the press caught on, which has prompted the Church to deny political motivation, in the face of its blatant opposite.
