Priest, related to British royal family, moves closer to canonization

Published: 2007-03-06

LONDON (CNS) -- The British royal family could soon have its first saint after the Catholic Church took a step forward in the canonization process of a priest related to Princes William and Harry. An inquiry into the possible sainthood of Father Ignatius Spencer was sent to the Congregation for Saints' Causes March 1 after an exhaustive 12-year investigation by British Catholic officials. A tribunal in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, England, concluded Feb. 26 that there was nothing in either the work or 22 volumes of writings by Father Spencer to suggested he did not live a life of heroic virtue. The first step in the canonization process is the declaration of a person's heroic virtues then beatification. In general, the church must confirm two miracles through the intercession of the sainthood candidate before canonization. "The next stage is to hope and pray for a miracle that can be attributed to the intercession of Ignatius," said Passionist Father Ben Lodge, the postulator of the cause from Kent, England, in an interview with Catholic News Service March 2. Father Spencer is related to the princes through their mother, Princess Diana of Wales. Born in Admiralty House in 1799, he was the great-great-great-uncle of Princess Diana and was also the great-uncle of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

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