Update on the Status of the Cause for Canonization of Paul M. Murphy, MJ
May 2006

Published in Miles Jesu Monthly, May 2006

During a recent trip to Rome i was able to make several visits to the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints. There i was given lots of encouragement and guidance for the continued progress of Paul Murphy’s Cause. Most importantly, i learned the good news that because of all the steps that have been taken in the Diocese of Phoenix under the authority of and in most cases personally by His Excellency, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted to advance the Cause, Paul can now be called officially “Servant of God”.

On the long plane ride over the Atlantic, two hopes loomed large in my anticipation of returning to the Center of Christendom. The first was to be able to spend some extended prayer time at the tomb of Pope John Paul II of blessed memory. During his final illness, death and funeral last April, i had been both travelling and very occupied, and so missed all the TV coverage of those historical events. I consoled myself with the hope that one day i would pay my last respects, personally, to the great Pope who had such a profound impact on my life, ordaining me and several other members to the priesthood for Miles Jesu. Thanks be to God, we had a full hour praying before his tomb in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, just yards from the tomb of St. Peter himself.

My second great hope was to pay a courtesy visit to the Congregation for Saints with the intention of finding a friendly, knowledgeable and preferably English speaking official of the Congregation with whom i could discuss the do’s and don’ts of the many steps in the canonical process of investigation for Paul’s Cause. My hopes were realized far beyond my expectations.

On the very visit to the Congregation, Fr. Gelis, Chris Slyvester and i met with the Relator General of the Congregation whom Fr. Gelis had met at the Congregation on previous occasions. H welcomed us warmly and going over some documentation we showed him about the Cause of Paul Murphy, he said everything “looks good”. He emphasized the importance the Congregation now puts on the historical investigation of the life of the Servant of God and encouraged us to be very thorough in the Diocesan phase of the investigation. When asked about someone in the Congregation we could consult with on an on-going basis about the procedures and requirements of the Cause, he referred us right way to the “official” for English-language causes.

This man, an American Monsignor and classmate of Bishop Olmsted, teaches courses on the postulation of causes according to according to the new code of canon law. When we knocked at his office door he quickly invited us “to pull up a chair” and graciously offered us a crash course in postulation.

I was already overjoyed to have made this Monsignor’s acquaintance and have the assurance of his availability in the future for any questions about the cause, yet at the end of our interview, he invited us to step down the hall to make an appointment to pay a courtesy call to the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation, Jose Cardinal Saraiva Martin.

The Cardinal received Fr. Gelis, Fr. Salcido, Chris and i the very next morning and encouraged us to pursue the Cause, saying that Paul was indeed a model of lay sanctity. After a group photograph as a memory of our visit, the Cardinal offered us his blessing and the familiar Italian “auguri” or “best wishes” at our parting.

Another meeting with the American Monsignor answered still more specific questions on how to manage the process. There are four basic areas the diocesan investigation will have to study thoroughly: a careful chronology and reconstruction of the life of Paul Murphy in as much detail as possible based on witnesses and documentation; an in depth study of the virtues he practiced and an assessment of the degree to which he practiced them; then his reputation among the faithful both for holiness as well as for his power of intercession before God. This latter point refers especially to the prayers you offer to the Lord for personal needs and intentions through the intercession of the Servant of God.

The diocesan phase of Paul’s cause still has much work to accomplish. As always, i beg your fervent prayers for its good guidance and successful conclusion, and all the assistance you are able to offer: we need funding and reports of any favors you may receive from the Lord through Paul’s intercession.

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