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Complete list of American candidates for canonization

Here is about as complete a list of current US beatification and canonization causes as I can compile. It may be missing a few names, but only a few:

Juan Bautista de Segura and 7 companions, aka, the Martyrs of Virginia (1571)

Martyrs of Georgia (1597)
Diego Luis de San Vitores
Sébastien Rale (1724)
Antonio Margil (1726)
Felix de Andreis (1820)
Magín Catalá (1830)
Simon-Guillaume-Gabriel Bruté de Rémur (1839)
Demetrius Gallitzin (1840)
Pierre Toussaint (1853)
Félix Varela (1857)
Mathias Loras
Henriette Delille (1862)
Samuel Mazzuchelli (1864)
Francis Xavier Seelos (1867)
Frederic Irenaeus Baraga (1868)
Rafael Cordero (1868)
Franziska Schervier (1876; nurse during Civil War; died in Germany; dad nicknamed her “Frank” because he wanted a boy, and the name stuck)
Cornelia Peacock Connelly (1879)
Mary Elizabeth Lange (1882)
Isaac Hecker (1888)
Michael James McGivney (1890)
Maria Adelaida O’Sullivan (1893)
Augustus Tolton (1897)
Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez (1899)
Mary Magdalen Bentivoglio (1905)
Leo Heinrichs (1908)
Maria Theresa Dudzik (1918)
Thomas Price (1919)
Francis Joseph Parater (1920)
Stephen Eckert (1923)
Jan Cieplak (1926)
Mary Alphonsa (Rose) Hawthorne (1926)
Theresia of the Blessed Trinity (Hendrika) Ijsseldijk (1926)
Stephen Eckert of Dublin (1926)
Miriam Teresa Demjanovich (1927)
James Walsh (1936)
Nelson Baker (1936)
Jose Maria de Manila
Five Carmelites, several of whom were naturalized citizens, who served in the US for years but were martyred in Spain during its Civil War
Therese of Jesus Lindenburg (1939)
Bernard J. Quinn (1940)
Maria Kaupas (1940)
Joaquina Maria Mercedes Barcelo Pages (1940)
Edward Flanagan (1948)
Emil Joseph Kapaun (1951)
Francis X. Ford (1952)
Mary Teresa Tallon (1954)
Mary Virginia Merrick (1955)
Solanus Casey (1957)
Cora Evans (1957)
Carlos Rodriguez Santiago (1963)
Vincent Robert Capodanno (1967)
Jean Martin Zozine Eyraud (1968)
Theodore Foley (1974)
Paul Murphy (1976)
Fulton Sheen (1979)
Dorothy Day (1980)
Celestina Bottego (1980)
Stanley Francis Rother (1981)
Aloysius Ellacuria (1981)
James Alfred Miller [Santiago] (1982)
Vincent J. McCauley (1982)
Terence John Cooke (1983)
Joseph Muzquiz (1983)
Walter Ciszek (1984)
Angeline McCrory (1984)
Alphonse Gallegos (1991)
Patrick Peyton (1992)
Aloysius Schwartz (1992)
John Hardon (2000)
Ida Peterfy (2000)
Gwen Cecilia Coniker (2002)
Bill Atkinson (2004)
Joe Walijewski (2006)
Sr. Mary Annella Zervas, OSB (1926), Rhoda Wise, and Julia Greeley don’t get mentioned because their causes have not officially been introduced. Incidentally, given her involvement with the secular Franciscans, Julia would likely have known the Servant of God Fr. Leo Heinrichs, who was murdered while distributing Communion at Denver’s St. Elizabeth Church ca. 1903.
Some of these causes are moribund (e.g., Fr. Catala’s, which is weird because his cause is older than St. Junipero’s and he had a greater, more easily demonstrated reputation for sanctity).
The cause of Bishop Francis X. Ford, MM, has stalled because of political considerations (he was killed by the Chinese Communists). People like Bishop Patrick Byrne, sadly, don’t have causes going for them. (Shameless plug: His complete and truly compelling story is contained in my most recent book, 150 North American Martyrs You Should Know.)
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9 thoughts on “Complete list of American candidates for canonization

  1. By the description “list of current US beatification and canonization causes” do you mean that the process has begun to put them on the path to being declared, by Rome, …
    Or that this list includes those whose process has been completed, and they have been declared…..
    The reason I ask for a clarification of your list is because Rose Philippine Duchesne (1852) has already been canonized, yet she is on this list.

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    • Great question, David, and thank you for pointing out my oversight. Yes, this list contains Servants of Gods, Venerables, and Blesseds. It should not contain any canonized saint. I hope the list will encourage people to investigate these causes and, where appropriate, support them in some way. We could use more American saints, and some of the candidates are amazing women and men. Thanks again.

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  2. Ricardo Pagba Jr. says:

    How come Sister Mary Anella Zervas OSB, wasn’t the list yet, She was known as servant of God and many miracles from her intercession….She was blessed I will continue to pray for her that she will canonized soon..

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    • Because one is only a Servant of God if a formal diocesan cause has been opened. The competent bishops since her death have never done this with or for her. She is considered a saint by many good and faithful Catholics, but until her cause is formally opened by the competent local Church, then she cannot officially be considered a “Servant of God” in the canonical definition of the term. Ergo she is not on the list. Frankly the slightest bit of research would have answered this question. Furthermore your real issue is with the diocesan bishop, not with my list. Get him to open her cause, and I’ll put her on.

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  3. patrick norton says:

    The servant of God Sister Annella Zervas appear to me in 2010 at the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in St. Joseph M.N Saint B enedict college . My Bishop gave me permission to share my story May i share my story with you Please send me your address or your phone number . And if this story interest you let me share my story to the holy Father Pope Francis and let him decide if the holy spirit will guide him to open up her cause. I am just a simple man Thank you and god bless you.

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  4. It would be great to see Marie-Rose Ferron, a stigmatic nun who lived in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, be up there in the causes. It’s very sad how the rivalry Irish Catholics nurtured towards Franco Catholics has made it that almost no-one knows about her life, as it is truly remarquable. She seems now to be solely remembered by those of Canadian heritage.

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