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Note: This question deals with the political dimension of the Vatican City decisions, thus its presence on the Politics site.

According to this article, it takes quite some time for someone to become a saint of the Catholic Church:

The process to make someone a saint cannot normally start until at least five years after their death.

This is to allow time for emotions following the death to calm down, and to ensure that the individual's case can be evaluated objectively.

Some have to wait a long time before they reach Catholic sainthood. Saint Bede, the theologian, died in 735 but had to wait 1,164 years before he was declared a saint.

John Paul II had also dispensed with the five-year period for Mother Teresa, beginning the process in 1999, less than two years after her death.

I cannot find a source (saw on TV), but some analysts argued that a certain period (a few decades at least) should be left between a person's death and its sanctification to let all criticism settle down.

This article and this one argue about criticism surrounding Mother Theresa:

Not a Friend of the Poor, Her friends included the corrupt rich, very little was spent on medical expertise or making the lives of the sick and dying more comfortable.

Three years ago, a study by academics at the University of Montreal concluded that the Vatican had ignored Mother Teresa’s “rather dubious way of caring for the sick, her questionable political contacts, her suspicious management of the enormous sums of money she received, and her overly dogmatic views regarding … abortion, contraception and divorce.”

Whether this criticism is valid (fact based) or not is a subject for Skeptics.SE. However, it is clear that the criticism exists.

Question: Why is Catholic Church in a hurry to sanctify Mother Theresa (both by its standards and in spite of heavy criticism).

Alexei
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    Saint John Paul II was canonized much more quickly. Less than 10 years after his death. He died 8 years after Mother Teresa did. And wasn't Teresa canonized as a Saint already? Like, last year? – zibadawa timmy Jul 22 '17 at 06:32
  • @zibadawatimmy - yes, but afaik there was (is) less criticism surrounding Pope John Paul II. – Alexei Jul 22 '17 at 06:39
  • (slight speculation, hence a comment) despite criticism for the same reason they sanctified Padre Pio after having excomunnicated him: lots of people are devoted, and will bring money if allowed to worship a saint (instead of trouble for not being allowed to worship at all) – Federico Jul 22 '17 at 07:06
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    I'm pretty sure the beatification itself is religious and not political. Maybe focusing explicitly on who is leading the push and what it could change in his career prospects or influence would be better. –  Jul 22 '17 at 08:18
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    I don't like the way this question is implying there is something suspicious about the speeding up of the process for her, when the quoted material is only opposing her being sanctified as opposed to the speed of the process. – Golden Cuy Jul 22 '17 at 11:13
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    Francis of Assisi was canonized in 1228; just two years after his death in 1226, so "fast-tracked" canonisations might be uncommon, but are not without precedent. –  Jul 22 '17 at 15:11
  • @notstoreboughtdirt I suppose in the context of the catholic church, it could be argued that it is absolutely political. :) –  Jul 23 '17 at 22:16
  • I would say this is a better fit for Christianity.SE. Yes, there's probably a political element here, but there's also a lot of religion too – Machavity Jul 24 '17 at 01:48

1 Answers1

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The Vatican is a state like no other. It is impossible to discuss the politics of the Vatican from the religion. We will need to understand the Vatican view of "sainthood".

A saint is a soul in heaven. The Vatican view is that it doesn't create saints, it merely recognises them. As such secular criticism of Thersa is irrelevant.

Practically though sainthood is also a way of celebrating the life of Catholics, and Theresa was a Catholic Superstar. She won the Nobel prize, the presidential medal of freedom and countless other awards, while remaining strictly Catholic in her speeches.

And yet there was criticism during her life. After her death, it was widely expected that she would rapidly progress to sainthood. Had the Vatican delayed it would have suggested that they were unhappy with Theresa. Delaying would further tarnish her reputation. Instead by rapidly moving to canonise, it allowed the Vatican to put their case of Theresa the Saint, and so keep their "Superstar".

James K
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  • What does she do? Invent better scientific theory? Put PC on every household? Create jobs? What does she do that benefit humanity more than typical greedy capitalists? Actually what does anyone do that benefit humanity beyond normal capitalism? – user4951 Dec 20 '18 at 07:48