John Paul II Canonization Shrine Already in the Works
Pope John Paul II is moving closer to sainthood and the Knights of Columbus have already began to create a shrine to honor the former Pope from Poland.
A commission of cardinals and bishops met earlier this week and gave their consent for his sainthood. All that is left now is for Pope Francis to make a final decision.
"We should be very happy if it is confirmed," the Rev. Robert Necek told Polish TVN24. "This is the next and the last step towards canonization. It will be presented to Pope Francis and the pope will take the appropriate decision."
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July 5 it was officially announced that that the final requirement for canonization was approved, the requirement of a miracle.
In June, a second miracle was attributed to John Paul II, relating to a case in Costa Rica where a woman with severe brain damage experienced a miraculous healing, and the faith of her entire family was restored.
The miracle allegedly occurred in May 2011, on the day of the pope's beatification. The pontiff's previous miracle reportedly occurred in 2005, when a French nun recovered from Parkinson's disease after her order prayed on her behalf and she wrote down John Paul II's name on a piece of paper
"We at the shrine dedicated to this great man join with people around the world in welcoming the news that Blessed John Paul II will soon be canonized," said the shrine's Executive Director Patrick Kelly Christian Newswire.
"Throughout his life, John Paul II was a champion of the rights and dignity of every human person, and his witness and legacy continue to speak important messages to our world today. Similarly, his life of holiness and devotion to God continue to be an example to us all," he continued.
Events will soon be announced as the canonization gets closer.
It would be the fastest path to sainthood in modern history – Josemaria Escriva, the Spanish priest who founded Opus Dei and was canonized 27 years after his death, holds the current record.
A Vatican official who wasn't named suggested that John Paul II might be canonized together with Pope John XXIII, who died in 1963 and has had to wait 50 years for his sainthood. It is understood that two popes are sometimes beatified or canonized together in order to "balance one another out."
