John Paul II a step closer to canonization

(December 21, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday authorized the decrees that recognize the heroic virtue of Popes John Paul II and Pius XII, which pushed them both a step closer to canonization. The German Pontiff approved a total of 21 decrees, 5 of them on miracles that cleared the way for the sainthood of 5 candidates, 5 on miracles for beatification, and 9 on heroic virtues. One decree testified to martyrdom, and another was on the heroic virtue of a Blessed. Pope John Paul II and Pope Pius XII are among the decrees for heroic virtues. They will now be called Venerable. The now need a miracle each to qualify for beatification. Pope Pius XII who lived from 1876 to 1939 has been criticized for remaining silent in face of the Jewish Holocaust, although many historians note that he served an important role in helping to save the lives of many Jews. Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyla, was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. He was elected Pope in October 1978, and he served until he died on April 2, 2005. Among the decrees, Pope Benedict approved a miracle attributed to Blessed Mary MacKillop, who will become Australia's first saint. The heroic virtues of English nun Mary Ward, the founder of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Loreto Sisters, were also approved by Pope Benedict.