Passionist International Bulletin

The Curia Informs24served, permission must be sought from the Holy Seeprior to the nulla osta of the local Ordinaries.The authenticity of relics, of significant nature orparticles, is guaranteed by a document of authenticitythat may only be issued by a Cardinal, a bishop, by anecclesiastical authority who possesses an apostolicIndult and by a Postulator accredited by theCongregation for the Causes of Saints.The Postulator General is so designated and specificallyentrusted with this ministry by the SuperiorGeneral and his Council. This personal nominationfor a specific task that is given by general Authority -the same that ratifies Provincial elections for anotherservice, that of the provinces - is not sufficient:it is the Congregation for the Causes of Saints - theonly competent authority - after having been dulyinformed, ratifies such a request for nomination andinserts it in the Acta Congregationis pro CausisSanctorum, thereby accrediting and recognizing thenomination of the Postulator for the purpose of theCauses of Beatification and also the ordering, creationand distribution of relics to the faithful.Therefore, it is the sole authority of the PostulatorGeneral to create, authenticate and distribute relics ofall the members of the Congregation (Servants ofGod, Venerabili, Beati and Saints), or to whomever hespecifically delegates such a faculty. The theory thatVarious relics at Sts. John and Paulwith the Canonization of a member of an Institute thecompetence of the Postulator general ceases in thisregard is not juridically valid. The only exceptionwould be in a case where the Postulator expressly andpersonally delegates with specific parameters, as inthe case of the Vice-postulator within the provinces,named as such by the Postulator general with the recommendationof the provincial Superior. Anyone elsewho illegitimately assumes this right commits a fallacyand is in violation of the canon law of the Church.Only the Postulator general, whose nominationhas been made by the authority of the Congregationfor the Causes of Saints, which has ratified this taskbefore the Holy See, therefore has, by reasons of theoffice and by right the faculty to authenticate relics bymeans of a seal and a certificate of authenticity. Withregard to the specific identity of the relics, this refersto those "ex ossibus" and those "ex corpore" of thesaints and beati of the order or congregation of whichthe postulator is a member and of those causes whichhe has undertaken.Therefore it is necessary for us, obedient sons ofthe Church, to attend to the verification of the authenticityof relics preserved in our religious houses, to theverification of the seals, to the verification of theaccompanying certification and obedience to thecanon law and its implementation.