Who can be proposed for canonisation ?
Any Catholic, without distinction of race or social standing, who has died in the odour of sanctity and has the following requisites: reputation for holiness; practice of the Christian virtues to a heroic degree; absence of any insuperable obstacles to canonisation.
What purpose do causes for canonisation serve in the world of today ?
Neither beatification nor canonisation increase the glory of those who already enjoy the presence of God. Nevertheless, their causes serve a purpose both in the Church and in the world. Saints do not need declarations of sanctity. It is we who need the Church to present us with new models of holiness, capable of helping us to apply the message of the Gospel in any walk of life.
Why create a new saint when there are already so many ? Why waste so much energy in bringing this about ?
In spite of the objections that are made, the Church continues to raise to the honour of the altars those who in their lifetime were remarkable for the heroic way in which they practised virtue, especially that of charity.
Teresa knew how to be consistent, and made a faithful offering to God of her life. Hence, He inspired in her a charism in the Church in order to reveal to men and women the mercy and loving tenderness of God. The tiny seed which God allowed to fall into good ground has today become a great tree, the fruit of which is the [Portuguese] Congregation of the Dominican Sisters.
Work on the canonisation process in Rome has already begun. All of our Foundress's writings, numbering approximately five thousand letters, many of them in French and English, are being translated and transcribed.
The Irmăs Dominicanas de Santa Catarina are today living an important period in their history. Teresa de Saldanha has new things to say to us.
We must listen to her, rediscover her, allow her to speak to us