• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A "positio," or position paper on the life and holiness of Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton, was presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome in 2015. Father Peyton is pictured in an undated photo. (CNS photo/Family Theater Productions)

Father Patrick Peyton and road to sainthood/ Pray for Judas Iscariot?

December 5, 2017
By Father Kenneth Doyle
Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner

Q. A friend told me recently that the cause of Father Patrick Peyton had been sent to the Vatican for sainthood. Do you know how it stands and when he might be declared a saint? (I hope and pray that it will be in my lifetime.) Also, what are the stages for someone to be declared a saint? (Albany, New York)

A. Father Patrick Peyton’s cause for canonization (which was handled by the Archdiocese of Baltimore) rests right now with the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes. In April 2015, the “positio,” or official position paper, was presented formally to that congregation. That document, a 1,300-page report that studied his life and ministry for signs of heroic virtue and sanctity, had been prepared over four years, gathering testimonies from 35 different dioceses around the world.

The congregation is now in the process of reviewing that documentation. Following a favorable review, the cause would then be presented to the Holy Father and, with the pontiff’s approval, Father Peyton would be declared “Venerable.” Then, evidence of miracles attributed to his intercession would be studied and subjected to rigorous medical scrutiny; one documented miracle would be needed for beatification and another one for canonization.

Father Peyton, hailed throughout the world as the “Rosary Priest,” died in 1992 at age 83. He promoted family prayer and coined the oft-heard slogan, “The family that prays together stays together.” He organized rosary crusades in 40 nations that drew 28 million people and was a pioneer in using modern media to advance religious values, producing 600 radio and television programs using Hollywood stars and other celebrities.

There is no way to forecast exactly when his canonization might take place, but I, too, would feel a personal thrill in witnessing it. I was honored when Father Peyton invited me to write the foreword for one of his final books; and once, when he was then in his late 70s and in failing health, I ran into him in Rome.

He asked about my mother, whom he had known when he first began the Family Rosary organization in the 1940s. I told him that she was, in fact, visiting me that very week in Rome. Though I pleaded with him not to, he insisted on climbing the steep set of stairs to my apartment to see my mother and give her a blessing. I will always remember “Father Pat” not only as a very holy man, but a kind man as wel

Q. Does it make sense to pray for salvation for Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus? It seems that throughout the history of Christianity, he has been vilified and no one has mentioned that, hopefully, he could have been forgiven for his sin. (Petersburg, Indiana)

A. It does no harm to pray for the salvation of Judas, and I admire your compassion. The church has never said definitively that any particular person is now in hell. It is possible, I suppose, that Judas repented for his sin and, in the silence of his heart, sought God’s forgiveness.

Matthew’s Gospel (27:3-5) says, in fact, that following the betrayal, Judas “deeply regretted what he had done” and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests, saying “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” Of course, he then “went off and hanged himself,” but even that does not translate automatically to the loss of eternal salvation.

(Note that the church now offers a funeral Mass for a suicide victim — on the possibility that the person’s desperate state of mind may have precluded full responsibility.)

The problem, though, with Judas is that Jesus did say of him (both in Mt 26:24 and Mk 14:21) that “it would be better for that man if he had never been born” — which suggests to me that Judas never did achieve eternal happiness. I believe, though, that prayers are never wasted — and if the Lord cannot apply your prayers to Judas Iscariot, he will surely find someone else (who will be grateful for your efforts.)

Copyright ©2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Father Kenneth Doyle

Father Kenneth Doyle writes Question Corner for Catholic News Service. Questions may be sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at askfatherdoyle@gmail.com and 30 Columbia Circle Dr., Albany, New York 12203.

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Question Corner: Leaving early and the paschal candle

An open letter to Marie Kondo: Thanks for sparking my joy

Question Corner: Burning or burying sacramentals? And why use holy water?

Centered on Christ

Resolution Revival: Assemble a team to get back to your goals

| Recent Local News |

Archdiocese launches anti-racism program: ‘In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All’

Archbishop Lori tells conference to look at ‘root’ of violence, poverty

Mercy on the move with athletic advancements

Make Jesus’ ‘Gospel friendship’ the heart of Catholic social ministry, says Baltimore’s Bishop Lewandowski

RADIO INTERVIEW: Celebrating Catholic Schools Week

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Mosque suicide bombing targets police, dozens dead
  • Archdiocese launches anti-racism program: ‘In God’s Image: A Racial Justice Journey for All’
  • Scholars, diplomats reflect on U.S. and church’s response to the Holocaust
  • Pope preaches peace, cooperation, resilience to a Congo ‘gasping for breath’
  • Archbishop Lori tells conference to look at ‘root’ of violence, poverty
  • New translation tweaks to sacrament of penance take effect this Lent
  • Pope arrives in Congo after praying on flight for migrants
  • U.S.-born priest to lead Vatican body overseeing selection of world’s bishops
  • With national March for Life behind them, pro-life advocates plan for state marches, rallies

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED