Fr. Eusebio Francisco Kino, S.J., Servant of God, proclaimed a man of heroic virtue

By Vatican News and Fr. John Arnold

Pope Francis received in audience Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on Friday, and authorized the promulgation of decrees concerning 5 candidates to sainthood. Among the five decrees promulgated on Saturday, one regards the heroic virtue of Servant of God Eusebio Francesco Chini, S.J. (known as Kino), an Italian Jesuit priest who was born on August 10, 1645, in Segno, and died in Magdalena, Mexico, on 15 March 1711. Fr. Kino, S.J. was the missionary to the Pimeria Alta and the founder of mission San Xavier del Bac near Tucson and three other missions in Southern Arizona.

Pope Francis has authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to declare Fr. Kino as "Venerable." Fr. Kino was earlier declared a Servant of God. The declaration of Venerable is the next step in the process towards beatification and canonization. "Venerable" is the title given to a candidate for sainthood whose cause has not yet reached the beatification stage but whose heroic virtue has been declared by the pope. 

For more information on the process of canonization, follow this link:

Process of Canonization

The difference between veneration of a saint and the worship of God is sacrifice. Catholics sacrifice only to God, not to Our Blessed Lady, the saints, the beatified or venerable men and women of our Catholic tradition. EWTN is planning a feature length film on the life and work of Fr. Kino. You can learn more about that film here:

Listen to this Podcast on the upcoming movie
about Servant of God, Eusebio Kino, S. J. 

Other Actions by the Holy See

Pope Francis also declared the following to be men of heroic virtue:

- Servant of God Mariano José de Ibargüengoitia y Zuloaga of Spain, a diocesan priest who co-founded the Institute of the Servants of Jesus of Charity.  Born in Bilbao on September 8, 1887, he died there on January 31, 1888;

- Servant of God Maria Félix Torres of Spain, the foundress of the Company of the Saviour. She was born on August 25, 1907, in Albelda, and died in Madrid, on January 12, 2001;

- Servant of God Angiolino Bonetta of Italy, a teenager belonging to the Association of Silent Workers of the Cross.  He was born on September 18, 1948, in Cigole, and died there at the age of 14 on January 28, 1963.

Pope Francis also declared the validity of a miracle attributed to the prayerful intercession of Maria Antonia Samà soon to be Blessed
A miracle has been recognized through the intercession Venerable Servant of God Maria Antonia Samà, an Italian layperson.  She was born on March 2, 1875, in Sant’Andrea Jonio and died there on May 27, 1953.  The miracle clears her for beatification, which is a step away from canonization, when the Church officially declares someone a Saint.  At the beatification ceremony, Samà will be given the title “Blessed”. 

As a child Samà was struck by a serious illness, which left her paralyzed, with her knees bent. Bed-ridden in this uncomfortable position, she bore her cross with faith and invited those visiting her to have faith in God in every situation. In 1915, she made private vows of special consecration to God and covered her head with a black veil. The people of the village called her "the nun of San Bruno", and came to her for advice and prayers and experienced peace and serenity.  She died at the age of 78, living more than 60 years in bed, offering her sufferings to the Lord.

The miracle considered for her beatification involves a lady suffering from a severe form of osteoarthritis, which caused her unbearable pain on the knees. On the evening on December 13, 2004, when the lady was in unbearable pain, she prayed earnestly to Samà. She soon fell asleep and, on waking the next morning, she found the pain had disappeared altogether and she could go about her normal activities.