Paul KeenanDear Editor, There are two interesting points raised by Syl Doyne’s letter ‘Canonisations raise questions’ (IC 8/5/14).
Firstly, it was Saint John Paul II himself who ordered the investigation into the case against Fr Marcial Maciel which was not concluded until after his death during the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI who then responded to the facts uncovered with immediate and effective action. Secondly, regarding canonisation, we can see in the lives of the saints the beautiful truth of the Gospel and the beautiful face of the Church.
They show us that the Gospel is not a fairy tale but is the triumph of love over hatred, hope over despair and faith over unbelief in the lives of sinful creatures like ourselves but to a heroic degree.
In the bond of Christ’s love that unites us to the saints we can rely for help on their constant intercession for us in the great battle to accept salvation. Certainly we need help to say ‘yes’ to salvation, both for ourselves and for the whole world.
The great and increasingly popular temptation today, it seems, is to say ‘no’. Karol Wytola before his election to the papacy said the following: “Today we are faced by the greatest battle which the human race has ever seen. I do not think that the Christian community has fully understood it. Today we are confronted by the final battle between the Church and the Anti-Church, between the Gospel and the Anti-Gospel.”
The saints understood well this battle for our salvation and the consequences of our ‘yes or no’.
Yours etc.,
Fr Freddy Warner
Portumna,
Co. Galway.