Beatified in Holy Year?

The beatifications of the late Popes John XXIII and Pius XII are expected to be solemnised in St. Peter's here during the 1975 Holy Year celebrations, according to authoritative Vatican prelates. "We hope to have finished our investigation into the lives of these two Servants of God before the end of December, possibly even the end of this month," says Mgr. Marcello Magliocchetti, President of the Rome Vicariate Appeal Tribunal, who is in charge of the inquiry stage of the beatification process.
The findings of Mgr. Magliocchetti will then be sent to the Holy Congregation for the Causes of Sanctity, which is expected to conclude its assessment by the end of 1974 or early in 1975.
"We consider that these assessments will be in favour of beatification," said one of Mgr. Maglincchetti's assistants. "Our inquiries have produced positive reactions on all sides."
It is eight years since Pope Paul VI proclaimed to a Vatican II assembly that he had ordered the immediate start of the lengthy process towards eventual possible cceasnsoonris.
sation of his two prede Within a short time both former Popes were declared Ser vants of God and the real inquiries began. The inquiry into Pope John's activities throughout his KA years of life have taken the investigating postulator, Fr. Antonio Cairoli, a Franciscan, over most of Europe. The oral and written testimony he has amassed on Pope John today fills 25 volumes of between 300 and 400 pages each.
It was not merely a case of carrying the inquiry into his birthplace of Sotto il Monte, or to his former secretary, the present Archbishop Loris Capovilla, now custodian of the Virgin's House at Loreto, but of ranging far and wide. In Germany, the former Ambassador to Turkey, Franz von Papen, was asked to testify to the then Apostolic Delegate Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli's moves on behalf of Jews in Germany or seeking to escape.
In Lisbon, the former Queen of Bulgaria, Queen Giovanna di Savoia, was also asked to depose on her knowledge of the prelate who, as Apostolic Delegate to Sofia, had played such a prominent role in arranging the Catholic Church wedding to King Boris.
In France, the late General Charles de Gaulle testified as to how Papal Nuncio Roncalli had worked to restore the post-war Church in Rome and to clear the names of some 40 French bishops wrongly accused of collaboration with the Nazi occupiers.
In Ireland, Bishop Thomas Ryan of Clonfert was asked to reveal what he knew of the Pope whom he had assisted in Rome and to whom he had taught the basic English he used at audiences and in public speeches.
The list of persons interviewed was almost endless. Among them was Pope Paul VI, whose testimony on both men ran into thousands of pages. For some 40 years Pope Paul had served in the Secretariat of State and had known both Plus XII and John XXIII intimately. It was John who had named him a cardinal when he was Archbishop of Milan — in fact he was John's first cardinal.
The British colony in Rome is preparing to commemorate Armistice Day here this coming Sunday. The first ceremony, an ecumenical one, is scheluled to take place at the War Cemetery in the Ostiense area of Rome, when the Ambassador of Great Britain and representatives of former British colonies to the Quirinale will lay wreaths in front of the commemorative dais.
Scriptures and prayers will be read by the Rev. Davis of All Saints, Church of England; Mr. Roger Ducker, of the Methodist Church; Dr. McLean, of the Scuts Presbyterian Church, and Fr. Gukdera of St. Sylvester's Catholic Church.
St. Sylvester's is losing Fr. Kevin Ward, who is flying to London on Armistice Day morning after four years as assistant parish priest. He has been replaced by Fr. Denis O'Brien, of Limerick, who has been serving in Clerkenwell.
Last Sunday 22 students of St. Patrick's Augustinian College in Rome were instituted lectors by Fr. Theodore Tack, American Prior General of the Order, during a Mass concelebrated by eight Augustinian priests, including Fr. Thomas Hunt, Assistant General for England, Ireland and Australia, and Fr. Gabriel McDonagh, the recently appointed Rector of the College. Of the 22, 16 were Irish, four Australians and two English.