Papal priorities: Sainthood causes getting a new look at the Vatican

Published: 2005-05-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI agreed on the need for saints and on the fact that God continues to call and raise up saints among the faithful. But whether the Catholic Church and the pope himself should be proclaiming so many men and women blessed or saint appears to be an area where they would differ. The differences were on display in early May -- at the May 2 presentation of a book about the men and women Pope John Paul beatified or canonized, and in the May 4 announcement that Pope Benedict had delegated a cardinal to preside over a May 14 beatification. Before 1971, popes presided only over canonization Masses; a cardinal was delegated to celebrate beatification Masses.

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