What is happening with regards to the cause
for Beatification ?
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Prayer to obtain
the Beatification of Marthe Robin
Sacred Heart
of Jesus, you have shown Marthe your great plan of love and life,
in order to draw to yourself those who seek you and those who
have forgotten you, and in order that her incessant offering
of compassion and mercy might contribute to a new Pentecost.
We ask that
her beatification by the Church might serve to make you better
known, living Word of love and peace, and we ask that with the
help of Mary, your Mother, we might follow Marthe's example in
responding to all our brothers and sisters.
Please grant
the prayers we address to you through your servant Marthe so
that all might know your joy and your glory. Amen.
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- Opening
in Rome of the file of Marthe Robin
- (Religious Week of
the Diocese of Valence from 7-12-1996)
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- The diocesan
enquiry concerning the life, the virtues and saintliness of Marthe
Robin is now concluded. It was an important and thrilling work.
The file has now been placed with the Congregation for the Cause
of Saints in Rome, and the opening in Rome has just commenced.
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D.L. MARCHAND
Opening of
the Marthe Robin file in Rome
On the 27th
May last, Pentecost Monday, in presence of the members of the
Commission, that is to say its president, Bishop A. Le Bourgeois,
the emeritus bishop of Autun, the undersigned Promoter of Justice
and the notary, the Reverend Father Charbel Gravand, Bishop Marchand
signed the decree of the closing of the diocesan enquiry on the
life, virtues and renown for saintliness of Marthe Robin. On this
same day, he confided to Father Ravanel, whom he had approved
as Postulator of the Cause on 31st December 1986, the care of
taking to Rome and giving to the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints the sealed files containing all that had been collected
over a period of 10 years both of testimonies and documents.
- Commission
of enquiry created on the 2nd February 1988 by Bishop Marchand,
presided by Bishop Armand Le Bourgeois, emeritus bishop of Autun,
and including his Lordship Maurice Bouvier as Promoter of Justice,
and Father Joseph Albert as actuary and notary. In this same month
of February, 1988, two theologians were designated for examination
of the writings of the servant of God. Experts and commission
of enquiry immediately began their respective tasks.
- Delivery
of the first report in January 1991 on the work in progress,
in support of the request presented by Bishop Marchand to the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
- Obtainment
of the Nihil obstat, the 26th March 1991.
- Decree
making public the existence of the commission of enquiry, on the
23rd May 1991, by which Bishop Marchand invited all persons
having something to say about Marthe Robin, or having in their
possession letters or documents received from her, to collaborate
with the said commission. New writings of Marthe Robin, and notably
letters, were thus given to the Commission. All were transmitted
to the expert theologians, and this was done twice.
Two historians
were also charged to examine the documents coming from different
archives :
The archdiocese
of Lyon, the diocese of Valence, the Foyers de Charité,
the Assumptionist Fathers in Rome, the Capuchin Fathers in Lyon
and Crest, the newspaper "The Cross", in Paris, and
even the National Archives.
Two medical
experts were charged with studying not only the official report
established in 1942, but the principal notations drawn from witnesses
about Marthe's health crises.
While these
different examinations were being carried out, the commission
of enquiry continued listening to witnesses indicated by the postulator
or quoted either "ex officio" or at the request of the
Promoter of justice. In this way over a hundred people were heard.
These statements were joined to the file, as well as the reports
of the Promoter of justice and the Lord Bishop.
- Opening
through the services of the Chancellery of the Dicaster above
named, on the 7th November 1996, in the presence of Father
Bernard Peyrous, priest of the diocese of Bordeaux, designated
as Postulator by the Council of the Foyers on the 12th June 1996,
and recognized in July by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
- New phase
in the procedure, in view of an eventual canonization of Marthe
Robin. The Valence stage is closed definitively.
Father
Maurice Bouvier
- Present
state of the Cause of Martha Robin
("L'Alouette"
Nb 210 - April 2002)
The steps
in view of the beatification of Martha Robin were began, in conformity
with the new rules on the Causes for beatification, when the required
period of 5 years after the death of the servant of God had taken
place. After having obtained a judgement, unanimously in favour
from the Episcopal Assembly of the Central-East region of France,
Bishop Marchand, the bishop of Valence, constituted the Commission
of Enquiry on the 2nd February 1988. On the 26th March 1991, the
"nihil obstat" of the Holy See authorized the official
opening of the diocesan Cause. The Cause was led in close union
between the diocese of Valence and the Foyers of Charity, represented
by Father Ravanel. Rome was kept in touch with all the phases
of the proceedings and controlled them according to the law.
The first
part of the Cause was led on the spot. The "case" for
beatification necessitated the constitution of a Commission of
Enquiry, presided by Bishop Le Bourgeois, the former bishop of
Autun, and which included Father Bouvier, the Promoter of Justice,
Father Albert, and Father Charbel, the notary. On their side the
Foyers of Charity were represented by Father Ravanel, the Postulator,
helped by a team made up of Foyer members. The Commission worked
until 1996, calling on several experts in different domains.
When this
diocesan work was completed 17000 pages were transmitted to Rome!
A second part of the proceedings then began, the part of Rome.
It is a question of preparing an examination of the file by a
double Commission of theologians and then of Cardinals, to see
whether Martha Robin practised the heroic virtues. For that, it
was necessary to establish the "Positio" comprising
three big parts: the Summarium, synthesis of the Commission of
Enquiry, the exercise of Virtues and the biography of Martha Robin.
This is the
document which the Postulation drew up. The Postulation is now
Father Bernard Peyrous, assisted by Miss Marie-Thérèse
Gille, Vice-Postulator. They work in union with a Relator, officer
of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. When the Positio
has been signed, the Cause of Martha will take a date to be examined
by the Commissions already named. If, after this, there is a miracle
which can be proved, she can be beatified.
Up until then,
all miracles and favours obtained through Martha's prayer will
be welcome. For that you can write simply to the Vice-Postulator,
at Châteauneuf de Galaure, 26330.
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- Father Bernard
Peyrous
- Postulator
of the Cause for Beatification
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- News of the Cause
of Beatification of Marthe Robin
- ("L'Alouette"
(Skylark) n° 177/178 December 1996).
Immediately
after the death of Marthe Robin, on the 6th February 1981, the
collection was undertaken of all documents which might concern
her. A few years previously, Marthe herself had given personal
writings to Father Finet. The entirety of these documents has
undergone classification. Then, at the end of the period of five
years demanded by the Code of Canon Law, Bishop Marchand, bishop
of Valence, at the request of the Foyers, undertook the opening
of the cause for the beatification of Marthe. (1986).
At the moment,
the cause for beatification is being made in two stages. First
there is a local procedure under the responsibility of the bishop
of the place, although in contact with Rome. This part of the
procedure lasted from 1986 to 1996. It consisted first in setting
up a tribunal, of which the presidency was confided to Bishop
Le Bourgeois, emeritus bishop of Autun. This tribunal was made
up of Father Maurice Bouvier as Promoter of the Faith, and Father
Joseph Albert as notary, replaced later by Father Charbel Gravrand.
This tribunal called on and listened to more than 100 witnesses
under oath, which is very important. Father Jacques Ravanel, on
his side, was the postulator of the cause, that is to say the
advocate, assisted by a team of members of the Foyer of Châteauneuf,
and by Father Bernard Peyrous as vice-postulator. At the same
time expert theologians, historians, doctors, etc ...were designated
and worked on the file. All writings concerning her, all possible
testimonies, all references of archives were collected. This enormous
work having gained favourable reports as to its seriousness and
to the possibility of carrying on with the cause, the entirety
was transmitted to Rome. The French part of the procedure was
then closed at Châteauneuf, on Pentecost Monday, the 27th
May 1996 in the presence of the members of the Commission and,
by delegation of Bishop Marchand, Father Ravanel took the documents
to Rome.
The Roman
part of the procedure is now beginning, which will lead to the
setting up of a file in view of the heroicity of virtues. For
this stage, the Foyers de Charité have appointed Father
Bernard Peyrous, member of the Emmanuel Community, as postulator.
Miss Marie-Therese Gille, head of the Community of The Girls'
School at Châteauneuf, has been appointed vice-postulator.
If the heroicity of virtues is obtained, that is to say if it
is recognized that the servant of God lived in the presence and
under the constant inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then another
stage of procedure will begin. In view of the beatification, a
miracle will have to be established. Then, if God will, Marthe
will be proclaimed Blessed.
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- Father Bernard
Peyrous
- Postulator
of the Cause for Beatification
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February
2008
Martha Robin's cause has been
introduced 5 years after Martha's death, because of her great
fame of sanctity enhanced by the witnesses of graces and of favours
obtained in the whole world by persons who prayed her.
The cause was first treated in the diocese of Valence, as the
Canon Law provides. It formed the subject of a very complete "process"
(to use the juridical term), which was then transmitted to Rome
for the next step. Then Martha Robin has received the title of
"servant of God".
Presently the file is treated
at the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of the Saints at Rome,
and it is proceeding normally. The work is long, for the file
is considerable.
The postulator is Father Bernard Peyrous, and the vice-postulator,
Miss Marie-Thérèse Gille.
If you receive graces,
favours, healings which you attribute to the prayer of Martha
Robin, it would be a good thing to make them known, for the fame
of sanctity of a servant of God is obviously taken into account
for the promotion of her cause.
Fr Bernard Peyrous,
Postulator
Will you be so kind to send
your testimonies to:
Cause Marthe Robin - Foyer
de Charité - 85, rue Geoffroy de Moirans
26330 CHATEAUNEUF DE GALAURE - FRANCE
