Is Father Damien of leprosy fame a saint?
He is a saint but he has not yet been canonized. The Congregation of the Causes of Saints at the Vatican has voted to canonize Father Damien of Molokai to sainthood. The measure now awaits the signature of Pope Benedict XVI. Saints are people in heaven or on their way to heaven. All Christians dead and alive are saints. The Catholic Church selects some of the most extraordinary examples, does in-depth research, and canonizes them. Canonization is the solemn declaration by the Pope that a deceased member of the faithful may be proposed as a model and intercessor (not mediator) to the Christian faithful on the basis of the fact that the person lived a life of heroic virtue or remained faithful to God through martyrdom. Here is the modern method of canonization: In order to allow greater objectivity and less emotion, no petition for sainthood can be made until at least 5 years after the candidate’s death. + Diocesan Investigation + A diocese, parish, religious congregation, or association
