Question on the Sanctity of St. Albert the Great

Photograph of the old estampita of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church... Theologian, Professor, Scientist, Philospher...

Anonymous said...

What miracles did he do to become a saint? or was it just because of the holy see and his encounter with the Virgin Mary??

March 30, 2011 9:39 AM

Fr. Abe, CRS said...

[What miracles did he do to become a saint?]

ST. ALBERT THE GREAT IS UNIVERSALLY DECLARED AS SAINT BY THE PEOPLE DURING HIS LIFETIME.

HE LIVED A LIFE OF SANCTITY TO A HEROIC DEGREE TO THE POINT THAT PEOPLE DURING HIS LIFETIME WERE CONSIDERING HIM AS LIVING SAINT AND EVEN CALLS HIM "DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH" BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT ERUDITION AND EXEMPLARY HOLINESS.

SINCE THEN THE CATHOLIC FAITH CONSISTENTLY CONSIDER HIM AS A HOLY PERSON AND ALWAYS REFER TO HIS WRITINGS FOR THEOLOGICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE.

THE ORDINARY NORM IS TO DEMAND FOR A MIRACLE BUT IN THE EARLY CENTURIES OF THE CHURCH THE SAINTS WERE DECLARED VOX POPULI. ONCE THE PEOPLE CLAMORED FOR THE SANCTITY OF THE PERSON LIKE WHAT THEY DID TO JOHN PAUL THE GREAT THEN THAT PERSON WAS ALREADY AUTOMATICALLY CONSIDERED A SAINT. THE CASE OF ST. ALBERT HOWEVER PASSED THROUGH THE RIGOROUS PROCESS OF BEATIFICATION AND CANONIZATION. HE WAS BEATIFIED IN 1622 AND CANONIZED ONLY IN 1931 WHEN HE WAS IMMEDIATELY DECLARED DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH AS WELL.

[ or was it just because of the holy see and his encounter with the Virgin Mary??]

I THINK YOU ARE REFERRING TO BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS.

ANYWAY, ST. ALBERT THE GREAT WAS UNQUESTIONED IN HIS SANCTITY AND BOTH STS. THOMAS AQUINAS AND BONAVENTURE TESTIFIED TO HIS HEROIC HOLINESS.

HAVING A VISION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IS NOT A MAJOR FACTOR FOR THE CANONIZATION OF A SAINT. RATHER HIS HOLINESS OF LIFE AND LIVING OF CHRISTIAN VIRTUES TO THE HEROIC DEGREES.

May 9, 2011 9:14 PM