Toàn Cảnh Lễ Tuyên Phong Chân Phước FX Trương Bửu Diệp

WHY DID THE CHURCH NOT USE MIRACLES TO DECLARE BLESSED FRANCIS XAVIER TRUONG BUU DIEP, DESPITE HIS NUMEROUS MIRACLES, TO DECLARE HIM BEATIFY? Following the beatification of Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, many people wondered: “Many people have been healed, received graces, and testified to miracles through Father Diep’s intercession. So why didn’t the Church use those miracles to declare him beatified?” To answer this question, it is first necessary to understand the canonization process of the Catholic Church. 1. Servant of God This is the first step in the canonization process. When the Church officially approves the opening of a diocesan investigation to study the life, virtues, or martyrdom of a person, that person is called a Servant of God. Simply put, this is the moment the Church officially begins the investigation, not the moment it confirms that the person will definitely be canonized. Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep was officially called a “Servant of God” in 2012, when the Can Tho Diocese opened a diocesan investigation for his beatification and canonization process. 2. Venerable After the investigation, if the Pope recognizes that the person lived the virtues heroically, or in the case of martyrdom confirms the martyrdom according to Church regulations, the dossier will move to the next stage. 3. Blessed This is the official title currently used by the Catholic Church. Previously, many Vietnamese people commonly referred to them as Blessed. In Sino-Vietnamese, the character "Á" means "next" or "close," while "Thánh" means "saint." Therefore, "Á Thánh" means a person close to sainthood, that is, someone who has been canonized by the Church but is one step away from being canonized. Today, the Vietnamese Church uniformly uses the title "Blessed." Therefore, the official title is: Blessed Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep. Normally, to be beatified, the Church needs a miracle that is investigated and recognized as having occurred through the intercession of that person. 4. Sainthood This is the highest title in the canonization process. Usually, after being beatified, the Church will need another miracle to be canonized. So why did Blessed Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep not need a miracle to be beatified? Because the Church canonized him as a martyr. This means the Church confirms that he voluntarily offered his life out of love for God and for the fulfillment of his pastoral mission, accepting death while remaining with the faithful during times of danger. For martyrs, the Church does not require miracles for beatification. Therefore, the focus of this dossier is not on proving miracles, but on proving martyrdom according to the Church's canon law. So what is the significance of miracles attributed to Blessed Diep's intercession? This does not mean the Church denies the miracles that many people still testify to. On the contrary, these testimonies remain very valuable. They are signs of devotion among God's people and can become important documents for the Church to consider in the future. So what is needed for canonization? According to current Church regulations, a new miracle is usually required, occurring after the beatification. That miracle had to undergo rigorous medical, theological, and canonical investigation and evaluation before the Pope could decide to canonize him. There is no fixed timeframe for this process. Some saints only need a few years, but others have to wait for decades, even centuries. Whether we commonly call him Father Diep or today we call him Blessed Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, what remains unchanged is the love and faith of millions for the shepherd who sacrificed his life for his flock. May Blessed Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep continue to intercede with God for the Church, for his homeland Vietnam, and for all of us 🙏🙏🙏 #chadiepbaclieu #chadieptacsay