Extent to which Thomas à Kempis is venerated in the Catholic Church?

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Extent to which Thomas à Kempis is venerated in the Catholic Church?

It is slim picking, when we try to find out information about the canonization of Thomas à Kempis. He has never been beatified or canonized. At one point, his cause for canonization was opened. But it has come to a stop.

Hundreds of years ago, Bishop Maximilian started the cause for the beatification of Thomas à Kempis. But when the Bishop died in 1688, the beatification process came to a stop. Let us hope and pray that one day we will be able to say: St. Thomas à Kempis, Pray for Us! - Saints who loved the Blessed Sacrament Thomas à Kempis {1379 - 1471}

I fear that Thomas à Kempis can only be canonized by what we call in the Catholic Church an equipollent canonization.

There are several parts of criteria the Church holds that must be met for this to be possible and Thomas à Kempis may possibly fit into this situation. Time will tell.

Thomas à Kempis Was officially, at one point in time a Servant of God. I am sure many Catholics have a high veneration for him today.

Equivalent canonization or equipollent canonization (Latin: equipollens canonizatio) is a form of canonization that occurs when the Pope recognizes and orders the public and universal veneration of a Servant of God, without having gone through the procedure normally required by formal canonization, because veneration of the saint has been carried out since ancient times and continuously by the Church.

Requirements

Unlike ordinary canonization, in which a whole canonical process is necessary, in equivalent canonization only the prior verification of:

  • Public veneration of the servant of God carried out historically and without interruption.

  • The fame of holiness and miraculous intercession.

  • Heroic virtues or martyrdom.

After the above, only a public declaration of the Supreme Pontiff is enough where the extension of the cult of the saint to the Universal Church is ordered.

Pope Francis has carried out eight such canonizations. Pope Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II, both have canonized one individual each by this process.

Today many Catholics still venerate Thomas à Kempis a holy man of God.

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