Cause of canonization
A witness of faith and love
within the Catholic Church, it is customary to present to the faithful as an encouragement to their Christian life, people who have distinguished themselves because of their special witness of faith and love for God and neighbour. This recognition follows a meticulous canonical process of verification that scrutinizes the life, ideas and actions of that person. The process can be started no earlier than five years after their death.
In recent years, considering Chiara Lubich (1920-2008) and her legacy, people at all levels and with very diverse visions, have expressed the hope that this could be the case for her as well. The prospect of such recognition would be to encourage many others to further their spiritual and moral commitment for the good of the human family. It would be an incentive for them to personally adopt the desire that was repeatedly expressed by Chiara: of becoming holy together, offering to the Church not only the sainthood of separate individuals, but that of a people. In this spirit, the president of the Focolare, Maria Voce, on 7th December, 2013 announced the decision to initiate the Cause of Beatification of Chiara Lubich.
After a year of compliance with the canonical norms for the opening of the cause, the Bishop of Frascati, Raffaello Martinelli, solemnly inaugurated the “Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Chiara Lubich” in the Cathedral of Frascati. In a letter for the occasion, Pope Francis exhortation was “to make known to the people of God the life and works of a person who, by accepting the Lord’s invitation, lit a new light for the Church on the path towards unity” (Letter of Pope Francis).
The diocesan phase of the Inquiry, which involves intensive research, concluded on 10th November 2019 in a solemn celebration presided over by the Bishop, in the Cathedral of Frascati.
On that occasion, Maria Voce, then President of the Focolare Movement, concluding her remarks of thanks and greetings, said:
“Our only wish now, through this comprehensive documentation, is to offer the Church, the gift that Chiara has been for us and for so many people. Accepting the charism that God gave her, coherently, day after day, journeying on and tending towards the fullness of Christian life and the perfection of charity, Chiara did her utmost to enable this path of gospel life to be followed by many, in an ever renewed determination to help those she met to put God first and to “become saints together”. Her attention and her heart, as is now demonstrated, were moved by a universal love, capable of embracing all men beyond all differences, always aiming to achieve the testament of Jesus: Ut omnes unum sint”.
All the information collected has been formally submitted to the Church, through Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, with which the Postulation collaborates with commitment and dedication and which is now continuing the study and evaluation of the material.
The support of the prayers of those who those seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit for this work is crucial. Confidence in God’s intervention, through the intercession of the Servant of God, is essential for obtaining graces beyond human capacity.
Reports of these interventions are pivotal, aiding the Church in recognizing the conditions necessary to declare individuals blessed and holy.
There are 29 causes of beatification and canonization currently underway within the Focolare Movement. They include the Blessed Chiara Luce Badano and seven Venerable Servants of God.
In 2022, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which carefully and attentively accompanies and supports the work of the various Postulations, began to hold annual conferences for the development and education of those engaged in the causes of beatification and canonization.
At the conclusion of the 2022 Conference “Holiness today”, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery, offered an effective image to express the value of holiness in the Church and the significance of the intense and passionate work of those who dedicated to its research in order to revealing it as a precious treasure of humanity.
“Holiness is like an underground river that always nourishes the Church but in some places, for example in the lives of canonized saints, it flows out and gushes like a fountain. Someone must be available to dig the well and in a sense, this is the role of our Dicastery: from the beginning of processes in the local Churches to the work of the postulators, Consultors, Cardinals and Bishops, right up to the decision of the Successor of Peter. In a hidden way, to dig the well from which the underground water flows!”
For information and requests, please contact:
Focolare Movement – Postulazione Chiara (Silvia) Lubich
Via Frascati, 306 – 00040 Rocca di Papa (RM) – Italia
Email: postulazionechiaralubich@dev.focolare.org
Tel. (+39) 06 – 94798139
Mobile (+39) 389 343 9529
How to contribute
Direct transfer to: COMITATO POSTULAZIONE CHIARA (SILVIA) LUBICH
- Bank account no. 000103229501
- IBAN Code: IT 42 Q 02008 39103 000103229501
- SWIFT/BIC Code: UNCRTM1383
Banca Unicredit – Agenzia di Frascati – Piazza Mazzini 18, 00044 Frascati (RM)