Pope Francis is allegedly set to declare the 16th century Jesuit, Rev Peter Faber, a companion of St. Ignatius Loyola, a saint.
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Vatican Insider is reporting that Pope Francis is set to declare 16th century Jesuit, the Rev Peter Faber, a companion of St. Ignatius Loyola, a saint.
The outlet predicts that Pope Francis will issue the Bull of Canonization before Christmas.
This canonization will not follow the typical route of canonization. It’s reportedly called “equivalent canonization” and occurs when the pope bypasses the typical process. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict each declared a few servants of God to be saints in this way during their pontificates.
Pope Francis previously spoke about his admiration of Fr. Faber in his interview with Civiltà Cattolica. In that interview the Pope described the qualities of Fr. Faber that he believes makes him a great role model for priests today. He stated, “[His] dialogue with all, even the most remote and even with his opponents; his simple piety, a certain naïveté perhaps, his being available straightaway, his careful interior discernment, the fact that he was a man capable of great and strong decisions, but also capable of being so gentle and loving.”
According to New Advent:
Though Fr. Faber is unknown by many Catholics, he has long been revered as a great figure by Jesuits.
Gonzaga University, a Jesuit institution, is home to Faber House, an extension of the university ministry office. It acts as a space for preparing retreats, continuing retreats and further developing university ministry programs.
Marquette University is home to The Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality, which is dedicated to providing faculty, administrators, and staff with support and guidance in leading a reflective life through retreats, reflection groups, a spiritual library and spiritual direction.
In 2010, Boston College dedicated The Blessed Peter Faber Jesuit Community, a space devoted to the formation of Jesuit priests.
Originally published by The Cardinal Newman Society's Catholic Education Daily on 11 December 2013.