When someone asks for the intercession of a candidate for sainthood, such as healing from illness, if the prayer is answered, how can it be proven that the miracle was through that saint’s intercession?

The Church believes that those in Heaven, because they are close to Christ, can intercede for us on Earth. It is possible to implore the help of recognized saints—as we do when we call on Mary, Joseph, Anthony or other patron saints. But we may also ask for the intercession of those being considered for sainthood. If these prayers are answered, it may attest to the presence of the person in heaven since, if not, their prayers would be ineffective.

PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE

When a person is considered for sainthood, an inquiry (called a “cause”) is initiated where the potential saint lived. If it is determined after careful study that the person lived a life of heroic virtue, the cause advances to Rome. During this stage, the Church considers—and often awaits—some confirmation of the person being in heaven. This occurs through documented miracles connected with intercessory prayers directed to the one being considered for sainthood.

Miracles can come in many forms, but those best verifiable as part of a canonization cause are medically inexplicable healings. These miracles must be investigated—both their scientific credibility and their particularity, meaning that the intercession was made to a specific individual being considered for sainthood for a particular need. The precision of the mediation must be confirmed: How was the holy person’s aid implored? Were prayers of intercession directed to only that person and no other saints or potential saints? Was the request specific?

INVESTIGATION

The process of verifying a miracle involves a rigorous investigation. In the case of a healing, a medical examination determines the person’s medical condition before the healing, their  diagnosis  and  prognosis  and  what  occurred  after intercession. Medical experts review the case, using only medical evidence to determine whether the healing is scientifically inexplicable.

For a healing verified as inexplicable, a panel of theologians then assesses the claimed miracle further. When it appears the miracle is linked to a particular person whose cause for sainthood is being considered, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican reviews all the evidence and renders a judgment regarding the alleged miracle. If affirmed, the miracle becomes part of the evidence for the sainthood cause. Usually, two confirmed miracles are required for sainthood, which may take many years to verify (if it happens at all), delaying a possible canonization for decades or longer.

IN OUR MIDST

While asking for the intercession of a particular person being considered for sainthood may seem unusual, there are recent examples—some connected to miracles reported in the U.S.

One of St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s confirmed miracles is the recovery of a boy from Washington State who nearly died in 2006 due to flesh-eating bacteria. Two miracles attributed to the English saint, John Henry Newman, involved Americans: a Boston man was cured of a spinal condition in 2001, and a pregnant mother from Chicago was healed (along with her unborn baby) in 2013. In both cases, these miracles were evidence of the intercessors’ sanctity and were part of the process leading to their canonizations.

Praying for the intercession of saints and potential saints is part of our Catholic tradition. It reminds us that God’s help is near whenever we call upon Him or ask for the intercession of His holy ones in heaven.

Father David Endres is professor of Church history and historical theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology.

This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.