Brandon Scott
The canonisation of 16 Catholic women, martyred during the French Revolution, has been described as “wonderful” by an Irish priest, who added that “of all of the martyrs of the French Revolution, the 16 sisters of the Carmel of Compiègne are iconic”.
Fr John Hogan, a priest of the Diocese of Meath and Postulator for the Cause of Fr Willie Doyle, said that canonisation of the new 16 saints, comprising 11 Discalced Carmelite nuns, has been in development for a while but the news came “quite quickly in the end” but that their “iconic” status made them worthy recipients.
“It was proposed to the Pope and the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to request equipollent canonisation,” he said. “So the request went in from the order through the postulator general of the Discalced Carmelites, Fr Marco Chiesa. It’s a process that has been happening but it seemed to come quite quickly in the end.
“It’s wonderful for an order to get new saints all in a morning. It’s particularly wonderful because first of all, these women were extraordinary Catholics and examples of the religious life. The lived very simple, observant lives of prayer. Their martyrdom was an attack against the Faith so they’re definitely martyrs.
“Of all of the martyrs of the French Revolution, the 16 sisters are iconic. I imagine this is why the Holy Father has decided to grant equipollent canonisation because of this great reputation that they have and the symbolism of their lives and death.”