Pope Francis approves ‘Mother Theresa’s’ canonization, but that does not make her a saint

‘Mother Theresa’ (1986 Túrelio)

Pope Francis decided to approve the canonization as a Catholic saint for the one called ‘Mother Theresa’:

December 18, 2015

The Vatican says Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, has recognized a second miracle attributed to the late Mother Teresa, clearing the way for her elevation to sainthood. …

The ethnic Albanian was born in 1910 and lived in India for much of her life, where she founded a religious congregation called the Missionaries of Charity. She died in India in 1997, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and beloved international figure. http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-approves-sainthood-for-mother-teresa/3108475.html

VATICAN CITY —

Mother Teresa … will be declared a saint next year after Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to her intercession. …

“With her work, she was always the symbol of mercy, not just with words but with her actions,” said the superior general of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, the Rev. Sebastian Vazhakala.

The Vatican said Francis approved a decree attributing a miracle to Mother Teresa’s intercession during an audience with the head of the Vatican’s saint-making office on Thursday, his 79th birthday. …

While Mother Teresa is known and admired by many around the world, she was not beloved by all. She was criticized for the quality of care in her clinics and for taking donations from Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and disgraced American financier Charles Keating. …

But Bergoglio, who has long shown admiration for the women who raised him and taught him, added: “I would have been afraid to have had her as my superior, since she was so tough.” http://abc7.com/religion/pope-francis-approves-miracle-for-mother-teresas-canonization/1127656/

Her actual given name was Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.

There are various ones who have long opposed her path towards Roman Catholic sainthood. Basically, they claim she was a publicity hound, was hypocritical, had various character flaws, and was not truly interested in helping the poor.

The focus of this post, however, is to look at the Roman Catholic and biblical criteria for sainthood.

For a time, the Church of Rome allegedly wanted to see evidence that the bodies did not decay (so called ‘incorruptibility’) for someone to be declared a saint after death, but they do not do that now (though they still consider ‘incorruptibility’ as a potential miracle).

The current Vatican procedure for making one a saint seems to be that the person be well-known, that people pray to the individual after he/she died, and that two reported ‘miracles’ (normally claimed healings) take place after the death credited to the potential saint, which the Vatican makes some attempts to verify.

As far as the somewhat traditional Vatican criteria for declaring sainthood compared to the biblical criteria, there are a few points to mention (and I have chosen to use Catholic translations of the Bible to demonstrate that even their versions of the Bible support my points here).

First of all, one does not BECOME a saint after one dies. The Apostle Paul clearly referred to saints that were alive in his writings. Here are few examples:

21 Salute ye every saint in Christ Jesus. 22 The brethren who are with me, salute you. All the saints salute you; especially they that are of Caesar’s household. (Philippians 4:21-22, DRB)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:1, DRB)

15 And I beseech you, brethren, you know the house of Stephanas, and of Fortunatus, and of Achaicus, that they are the firstfruits of Achaia, and have dedicated themselves to the ministry of the saints: (1 Corinthians 16:15, DRB)

The Bible does not endorse the Pope nor anyone else being able to canonize someone as a saint after death. One becomes a saint, a firstfruit, by becoming a real Christian. Only God, not any man like a pontiff, can make anyone else a saint (cf. Romans 8:9).

There are literally dozens of scriptures that use the term saints for people living at the time the New Testament was written.

Another point to make is that there is one mediator, and that is Jesus, and no one else:

5 For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: (1 Timothy 2:5, DRB)

People are not to pray to dead people. There is no verse in the Bible that shows that any of God’s people ever did that. There is no hint in the Bible that Christians are to pray to dead people.

Notice also something that the Apostle Peter stated:

10…the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him this man standeth here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was rejected by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12)

Notice that Peter did not claim he could heal anybody. Furthermore, he would not allow people to bow down before him:

25. And it came to pass, When Peter was come in, Cornelius came to meet him, and falling at his feet adored. 26. But Peter lifted him up saying, Arise, myself also am a man. (Acts 10:25-26, DRB)

Christians are not supposed to pray to dead humans for intercession.

Notice what the Bible teaches that the sick are to do:

¹⁴ Any one of you who is ill should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint the sick person with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him.

¹⁵ The prayer of faith will save the sick person and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15, NJB)

Those who pray to the dead for healing are not in obedience to these biblical instructions.

As far as ‘Mother Theresa’ herself goes, consider the following:

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:5-6)

As a lifelong idolater, Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu does not meet the biblical requirements to be in the kingdom of God, hence was not a saint when she lived nor will she be a real one after the Vatican makes a formal declaration.

It is my view that the usual criteria for sainthood by the Vatican gets people to look away from what the Bible actually teaches and puts too great of emphasis on signs that appear to be ‘lying wonders’ which deceive many (cf. Matthew 24:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

And this general emphasis towards the pointing to signs and wonders will be a factor in the rise of the Beast and Antichrist, and possibly will involve a female appearing figure (cf. Isaiah 47; Revelation 17 & 18).

But true Christians are to “walk by faith, and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). In my view, Pope Francis is walking by signs, wonders, and politics and not biblical criteria. This does not bode well for the world.

Some items of related interest may include:

What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did the early Church use icons? What was the position of Christians about such things?
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? A related YouTube video would be Origin of the Cross.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis I is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis I be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? This is a YouTube video.
The Malachy Prophecies and “Peter the Roman” An Irish bishop allegedly predicted something about 112 popes in the 12th century. Pope Benedict XVI was number 111. Francis would seem to be number 112–if he is that one–and if so, he is to reign until Rome is destroyed. May he be an antipope/final Antichrist?
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.