Pope Benedict XVI formally allowed the move as the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints wrote a decree stating that Paul VI had “heroic virtue,” the first step necessary in the canonization process. Most likely, “Paul VI will be beatified in 2013 at the end of the Year of Faith,” wrote La Stampa journalist Andrea Tornielli adding that, just like with John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI “has closely followed the steps that have led to today's decree.”[1]
The process of Paul VI’s canonization in fact had been already at work in 1992, but dropped later, perhaps thanks to evidence given by Fr. Luigi Villa in his book Paul VI… beatified? A few weeks after the passing of Fr. Villa, the road to sainthood may seem open again. The recent book of Roberto de Mattei, Il Concilio Vaticano II brings out the strange removal of Pro-Secretary of State, Msgr. Giovanni Montini, under Pius XII based on breach of confidence in foreign policy with Communist Russia. Even those who speak highly of him have to admit that he dissolved many of the Church’s old traditions, and especially “reformed” - revolutionized might be a better word - the Church’s Roman liturgy. He was the one who concluded Vatican II in 1965 after taking over from Pope John XXIII.
We have seen lately the opening of the process of beatification of all the active heads of Vatican II. After John Paul II had beatified the pope who had convoked Vatican II, the present pope beatified most hurriedly the same John Paul II who has incarnated Vatican II’s principles for a quarter of a century and left a huge legacy of Conciliar interpretation and practice. Now it is the turn for Pope Paul VI. As the list of beatification of these protagonists of Vatican II increases, the average Catholic understands that the principles of the Council are written in stone since its makers are gloriously reigning in heaven, precisely for having conducted the post-conciliar reforms. Moreover, the multiplication of these modern heroes hides from our sight the examples of the previous saints so that one has no means of comparison.
At least, in the old days, when the Church was not drunk with the aggiornamento ferment, the process of canonization rested mainly on the doctrinal orthodoxy of the candidate. Needless to say, someone who promoted the revolutionary changes of the conciliar Church would have had no chance of advancing under any of the pre-conciliar popes.
Footnote
1 In an article published in Vatican Insider on 1-10-2013, "Wojtyla’s sainthood pushed to 2014 as miracle has not been presented yet".
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