ROME, July 11, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis has just signed a motu proprio opening sainthood to those who have died for others.
The document, called “Maiorem Hac Dilectionem” or “On the Offer of Life”, says that such self-sacrifice is worthy of canonization.
In the motu proprio, Pope Francis states, “It is certain that the heroic offering of life, suggested and supported by charity, expresses a true, full and exemplary imitation of Christ, and therefore deserves the admiration that the community of the faithful is usually reserves for those who have voluntarily accepted the martyrdom of blood or have exercised Christian virtue to a heroic extent.”
This is a new qualification for sainthood, and comes with some provisos:
- The Servant of God must have freely, voluntarily and heroically offered up his or her life for the sake of charity in the face of a certain death soon realized.
- There must be a link between the offering and the premature death.
- The Servant of God must have lived a life of Christian virtue before offering his or her life, and maintained it to death.
- The Servant of God must have, after death, the reputation for and signs of holiness.
- The working of miracle, after death, through the intercession of the Servant of God.
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