Cardinal Ruini: Everyone is convinced he is a saint, the process will be short
Roma (AsiaNews) The beatification and canonisation cause of John Paul II will be brief. This was the conviction and the prayer expressed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini tonight at the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome as he opened the diocesan phase of the cause. According to the Vicar-General, the beatification cause "seems on the one hand to be superfluous, considering the very great and universal awareness of Him and the very profound and unanimous conviction of his sanctity". The tribunal charged with conducting the inquiry was inaugurated in the presence of several cardinals, the secretary of the deceased pope, Mgr Stanislow Dziwisz and political authorities, including the president of the House of Representatives, Pierferdinando Casini. The request of the postulator of the cause, Mgr Slawomir Oder was introduced. Then followed the oaths "to carry out the task faithfully and diligently" and to "keep secret the deposition of witnesses" pronounced and undersigned by Cardinal Ruini and by two judges, by the promoter of justice and by notaries, who make up the tribunal appointed by Ruini. The postulator also undertook not to "offend justice or limit the freedom of witnesses". Describing the figure of John Paul II, Cardinal Ruini highlighted especially "the intimate union with God which accompanied him from childhood until the end of his earthly existence", from which he drew the raison d'etre and strength to proclaim the Gospel, which was what he did above all and in so many ways. Of the 26 years of his papacy, Cardinal Ruini recalled "his innumerable apostolic trips to bring the news of Christ" to every part of the world. "We recall the extraordinary pastoral initiative of the World Youth Days, which opened a new and great path in the encounter of youths with Christ," he said. "And how to forget that love and solicitude for humanity in some way threatened, which led him to work tirelessly for the suppression of wars and re-establishment of peace, to assure the poorest peoples, the last of this earth, of hope in life and development, to defend the intangible dignity of every human being, from conception to its natural end, to safeguard and promote the family and authentic human love. Again, we cannot forget the foresight and courage which he contributed to pulling down the wall which divided Europe and later when he called the same Europe back to its Christian roots; the generosity with which he spent himself for Christian unity, his commitment so that religions would be bearers of peace among peoples; the disarming sincerity with which he asked pardon for the sins of the children of the Church and at the same time the strength and tenacity with which he defended and proclaimed the indissoluble link between the Church of Christ and the integrity of Catholic doctrine."