Pope John Paul II's sainthood cause to take years, promoter says

Published: 2005-06-23

ROME (CNS) -- The Polish priest nominated to shepherd Pope John Paul II's sainthood cause said it is "absolutely impossible" to make even a wild guess about how long the process will take. "It is totally unpredictable," Msgr. Slawomir Oder told Catholic News Service. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the papal vicar of Rome, will preside June 28 over the formal opening of the diocesan phase of the process with an evening prayer service. During the ceremony, Msgr. Oder, previously a judge in the Rome diocesan tribunal, and the canon lawyers, theologians and notaries involved in the process will pledge to work honestly and objectively and to maintain certain secrets about the process. One of the secrets, Msgr. Oder said June 23, was the exact number and identity of the witnesses who will be called to testify about Pope John Paul's life and ministry. The monsignor said all he could say was that the list of witnesses he will present to the cardinal June 28 numbers "more than 100."

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .