Blessed Paul VI, Pray for Us

Today in Vatican City, Pope Francis has beatified his predecessor Pope Paul VI, who was pontiff from 1963 until his death in 1978.

Beatification is the official recognition by the Church that the deceased is in heaven, and is the first step toward formally declaring the person a saint (called canonization).  According to rules laid down by the Catholic Church, one miracle must be believed to have taken place through the intercession of the person.

How fitting that Pope Paul VI, author of the 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae which reaffirmed the sanctity of life, should have as his first officially recognized miracle the healing of an unborn child in utero.

Chronology of the Investigation

The official Cause for canonization of the late Pope Paul VI was opened in 1993.

In December 2012, Pope Benedict XVI signed a decree recognizing his “heroic virtue” and bestowing on him the title “Venerable.”

The following year, in December 2013, the Medical Commission of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, headed by the Pope’s personal physician Patrizio Polisca, declared that the former pope’s healing of an unborn child is “unexplainable” and forwarded the case to theologians for review before forwarding the case to the Pope.

On February 21, 2014, Vatican Insider reported that those theological experts were in unanimous agreement that the  healing attributed to the intercession of Pope Paul VI was, in fact, miraculous.  The case was forwarded to Pope Francis, whose approval opened the way for the beatification.

The Miracle – Involving an American Unborn Child

The case involved a pregnant woman in California in the early ‘90s.  When a serious anomaly was discovered at 24 weeks gestation, doctors advised the mother to abort.  The child would likely die in utero, and if not, then would be born with brain damage and seriously damaged kidneys.  The woman refused to abort and continued the pregnancy, praying for the intercession of Pope Paul VI.

When the child was born at 39 weeks, the medical team was surprised to find no evidence of defects.  The child was closely monitored by physicians. However, only after he reached puberty could doctors assert with absolute confidence that he had made a full recovery.

Father Antonio Marrazzo, C.Ss.R., postulator for the cause of canonization for Paul VI, had received a list of a number of possible miracles; and from the list, he felt that the strongest case could be made for the healing of the unborn child who appeared to be healed in utero.  Finally he said with confidence that “a truly extraordinary and supernatural event had occurred, thanks to the intercession of Paul VI.”

Pope Paul VI’s Heritage

Pope Paul VI’s many contributions include his leadership over the Second Vatican Council, which had been opened by his predecessor Blessed John XXIII; his promulgation in 1969 of a new Roman Missal; his reaffirmation of the benefit of priestly celibacy; and his reform of the Roman Curia.  He was the first Pope to visit all five continents, and the first to visit the Holy Land since St. Peter.

In a visit to the Philippines in 1970, he was attacked by a man waving a bayonet.  A relic from that incident, a blood-stained vest, was brought to Rome from Manila for the beatification.

Especially notable, though, was his publication in 1968 of the encyclical “Humanae Vitae” which reaffirmed the Church’s teaching about the value of human life even at its earliest stages, and which explained the Church’s opposition to contraception.

Today, as Pope Francis celebrated the closing Mass of the Synod, he spoke of Pope Paul VI: 

On this day of the Beatification of Pope Paul VI, I think of the words with which he established the Synod of Bishops: “by carefully surveying the signs of the times, we are making every effort to adapt ways and methods… to the growing needs of our time and the changing conditions of society” (Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Apostolica Sollicitudo).

When we look to this great Pope, this courageous Christian, this tireless apostle, we cannot but say in the sight of God a word as simple as it is heartfelt and important: thanks! Thank you, our dear and beloved Pope Paul VI! Thank you for your humble and prophetic witness of love for Christ and his Church!

Blessed Pope Paul VI, pray for us.