Gen-X's First Saint?
Last weekend, Chiara “Luce” Badano was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI. Beatification is the 3rd of the four necessary steps to Catholic sainthood. Her parents met with the Pope late Wednesday hoping to thank him, but instead the Pontiff thanked them for bringing Chiara into the world.
Chiara was born one month after I was in 1971 to a truck driver father and a mother who waited 11 years to be blessed with a baby. Chiara died at age 18 from cancer.
Prior to the painful final months and days of her life, Badano was a very typical – if devout – teenager. She preferred sports over schoolwork, excelling in tennis while failing math. She tried to dodge household chores, and she butted heads with her parents about curfew. But her life's actions were also peppered with many small, thoughtful, God-like moments.
Near the end of her life, Chiara refused pain medication in order to more fully appreciate Jesus’ painful suffering on the cross. She chose to walk the halls of the hospital regularly -- an excruciating task for someone with bone cancer -- so she could comfort a depressed drug addict in another room.
Of course, my inadequate summary doesn’t do justice to her life. There’s much more to her, and this profile seems to get at it quite nicely. However, it occurs to me that sainthood, or beatification, is not always only for those who toss aside all wealth to live among the ill and rejected, or even those who make it their life’s mission to share Jesus’ teachings with millions of others. Sometimes it’s the "regular" person with a "normal" life who is infused with a grace that pervades, slowly but steadily, those around them. That inner light – “luce” means light in Italian – does not dim and, instead, causes faith in others to become deeper and more meaningful.
Gen X boasts Kurt Cobain, Tony Hawk, Lance Armstrong, and Jeff Bezos. I’m glad we also have Badano.
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Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Where's the "miracle" in the beatification? Isn't that a requirement? If there isn't, and she is being lauded just for her amazing heart, then I really believe the Catholic Church has reached a new modern era.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Here's the miracle, from a post about a year ago on the Archdiocese of Denver's website:
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Jeff Bezos was born in 1964. Generation X? Ursula are you trying to steal one of my guys (baby boomers)?
Aug '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
She's an admirable person, but I don't see anything really saintly about her. The single 'miracle' attributed to her is too thin a standard, and could have just been natural remission.
The bar for sainthood used to be set much higher, and there's much more substance to saints like Padre Piu.
Christopher Hitchens used to be Devil's Advocate at the Vatican, and there had to be a trials for beatification, testing the saintly assumptions. Pope John Paul did away with those to the detriment of the church, I think.
I would put money on the probability there are Muslims who have converted to Christianity - not necessarily Catholicism - and been martyred in recent years. They would be more worthy in my judgment.
With all due reverence and respect, Ursula, I think she's an example of saint inflation. A troubling modern trend!
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Well, Tommy, I think there might be some crossover, but in numerous places Gen X was defined as peeps born from '61-'81.
May '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Hmm, seems like the only thing binding Generation X is a residual lust for Winona Ryder. And Rick-rolling. Not a lot of zeitgeist.
We could all use a hero. Her decision to forgo painkillers is quite similar to Pope John Paul's decision to struggle on despite the pain.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
I agree. Having just lost a father to cancer, I know how remarkable this is.
Jun '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
She has not been cannonized only beatified, which means that in the eyes of the church she is not yet a saint. As for Christopher Hitchens, he was devil's advocate only in the case of Mother Teresa, he was not the "church's devil's advocate" as no such post exists. All the work including the devil's advocacy is yet to be done. Oh and the standard is still three miracles, not one, for cannonization. The possibility that this person may never be cannonized is very real,
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
River: I would put money on the probability there are Muslims who have converted to Christianity - not necessarily Catholicism - and been martyred in recent years. They would be more worthy in my judgment.
With all due reverence and respect, Ursula, I think she's an example of saint inflation. A troubling modern trend! · Oct 1 at 9:37am
I don't agree with the saint inflation charge, River, but I do agree that there are Christian converts that are probably worthy of sainthood as well. I expect such people are being seriously considered. I guess I don't see it as either/or. I mean, it's not like Badano stole a beatification space from anyone in the great parking lot in the sky.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
I had always heard that the Baby Boomers ended in 1964.
Guys my age (1963) always feel like we are in a lost gap anyway. Too young to be thought of as Boomers and too old to be thought of as Generation X.
Fine by me. I don't identify with the aesthetic of either (at least the widely held public perception of either).
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Ursula, a beautiful reflection. There are many different kinds of saints. The example of the Little Flower, Therese of Liseaux, influenced millions of grown men and women though she was but a child in a small convent in France whose "way" was founded on her very littleness and insignificance.
The criteria for sainthood is "heroic virtue." In layman's terms, that's exactly what it is. Often this virtue is heroic because of the circumstances. With others, I'd also point out that this young woman is not yet a saint, but the process has started.
As the father of three girls, I'm grateful for modern examples such as Chiara Badano, whose stories help do just what they are supposed to: inspire us to reach for better than we are.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
The causes of Saints are often grass roots movements by the locals who experienced 1st hand what the rest of the Catholic world can only read about. It's great that the Church has paid attention to her cause and Cas is right, she may never be canonized but the attention her life story gets in the process is a real blessing to millions.
We need only imitate the Saints to become Saints so the more examples the better. Pope John Paul II understood this and focused on creating more official Saints. There are many Saints that go completely unrecognized by the Church, and martyrs like the Muslim converts. The John Paul II papacy devoted more resources to seeking out these saints than previous regimes did but that doesn't mean they have any less credibility, that was just his charism. I am grateful for what he did. I'm grateful for every Saint that is brought to my attention. Today is the feast day of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, another great story that inspires me.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Badano is not yet a saint. That's why I had the "?" in the title. Here is a simple synopsis of what has to happen for sainthood:
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Joe Escalante
The causes of Saints are often grass roots movements by the locals who experienced 1st hand what the rest of the Catholic world can only read about. It's great that the Church has paid attention to her cause and Cas is right, she may never be canonized but the attention her life story gets in the process is a real blessing to millions.
We need only imitate the Saints to become Saints so the more examples the better. Pope John Paul II understood this and focused on creating more official Saints. There are many Saints that go completely unrecognized by the Church, and martyrs like the Muslim converts. The John Paul II papacy devoted more resources to seeking out these saints than previous regimes did but that doesn't mean they have any less credibility, that was just his charism. I am grateful for what he did. I'm grateful for every Saint that is brought to my attention. Today is the feast day of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, another great story that inspires me.
Thanks, Joe! I think we posted at the same time.
May '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Thanks, Ursula, and Joe.
Bill, I thought of the Little Flower as well. Small acts of kindness can have tremendous impact. Sometimes, a smile is all it takes to change someone's day. Holy people radiate joy.
Mother Theresa said that her primary service to the poor was not food and medicine, but smiles and laughter. People need to feel loved.
In my experience, many of the kindest people suffer most.. and they accept that suffering with a smile. I admire them greatly. I woke up last night with a pain and immediately thought, "Please, God, make it go away." It takes strength and courage to think selflessly in the midst of pain and try to understand the pain of others, including God.
Aug '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Ursula Hennessey
River: I would put money on the probability there are Muslims who have converted to Christianity - not necessarily Catholicism - and been martyred in recent years. They would be more worthy in my judgment.
With all due reverence and respect, Ursula, I think she's an example of saint inflation. A troubling modern trend! · Oct 1 at 9:37am
I don't agree with the saint inflation charge, River, but I do agree that there are Christian converts that are probably worthy of sainthood as well. I expect such people are being seriously considered. I guess I don't see it as either/or. I mean, it's not like Badano stole a beatification space from anyone in the great parking lot in the sky. · Oct 1 at 9:56am
Point well taken.
Aug '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
According to Boom, Bust and Echo, the Baby Boom was from the end of WWII until the approval of the birth control pill (born between 1945 and 1965). Generation-X was a sub-cohort within the Baby Boom (those born between 1961 and 1966).
So, if you use this book's definitions, you're both correct.
Edited on Oct 1, 2010 at 1:00pmJun '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
...and there's no limit on the number of Saints. Ideally, we should all achieve sainthood, but it doesn't happen. And it's one of those things achieved most often by the people who believe they--if you ask them--are least deserving. The closer you approach holiness, the farther away holiness looks to you.
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Misthiocracy
According to Boom, Bust and Echo, the Baby Boom was from the end of WWII until the approval of the birth control pill (born between 1945 and 1965). Generation-X was a sub-cohort within the Baby Boom (those born between 1961 and 1966).
So, if you use this book's definitions, you're both correct. · Oct 1 at 12:57pm
Edited on Oct 01 at 01:00 pm
To be fair to Tommy, I was surprised to see early 60s as part of Gen X, too. I would, just by gut, go with a more mid-60s start and a late 70s end, but when I was searching around, I found a few references to the 61-81 time frame and just went with that. As for feeling welcome, Tommy, maybe it's better to be able to float between the two when it's convenient!
May '10
Re: Gen-X's First Saint?
Thanks for the post Ursula. She reminds me of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, he was another "regular" person and is one of my favorites :)