On 24 September the documentation for towards beatification of Marist founder, Fr Jean Claude Colin were sent to the Archdiocese of Lyons in France.
With this significant event, the first important phase reopening Fr Colin’s Cause for beatification comes to an end.
The general postulator, Fr Carlo-Mario Schianchi, has spent the past years in overseeing the preparatory work and in putting together the required documents.
“The boxes contain the patient and precise work of some of our confreres: Frs Coste, Lessard, Fagan, Bourtot and Greiler, whom I thank wholeheartedly.
“The books which we send today have been produced from the ’50s till today include: ‘Origines Maristes’, ‘Colin sup.’, ‘Colin Fondateur’, ‘Conferences et discours du p. Colin’, ‘Autour de la Regle’, ‘Jean-Claude Colin – Descriptive Chronology of his life’, ‘Antiquiores Textus’, ‘Quelques souvenirs’ et ‘Entretiens Spirituels’,” said Fr Schianchi.
Fr Schianchi says each of the seven boxes has the same material in them; one is for the diocese of Lyons, three for the committee of theologians, and three for the committee of historians.
“Each of these people will study the documentation and formulate a judgment from their field of expertise,” he said.
The Vatican requires that causes for beatification be introduced from the diocese where the person died, so in line with the beatification process, Fr Schianchi said the process is now in the hands of the Archdiocese.
“The only work remaining is for the Marist Fathers is to mark this moment with a special prayer to Fr Colin,” said a smiling Fr Schianchi.
On January 23 a meeting took place in Lyons between the Archbishop of Lyons, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, some of his staff members and a delegation of the Society of Mary. At the meeting the Archdiocese indicated it is happy to collaborate with the Society for the request to the Vatican for the reopening of the cause of Beatification of Fr Colin.
Fr Colin’s cause was first introduced in 1893 but followed a ‘chequered path’.