As I understand it, an exhumation of the body is always part of the canonisation process. In rare cases, the body of the saint has been found intact. In usual cases, the remains are reburied, after taking some tiny fragments of bones for relics. These relics, are later placed in a altar stone, if the canonisaton is completed.
There is someting odd about the halting of ArchBishop Sheen’s “cause”. I do not know why the New York authorities would not allow the grave to be opened. It might seem rather odd, from a contemporary perspective, but this has always been part of honouring saints in the Catholic church.
One does wonder if there is some other reason, which we are not being told.
Thank you for the explanation.
He was born in El Paso, Illinois. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. He was buried in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.
Perhaps Cardinal Dolan doesn’t want to lose the visitors who might come to St. Patrick’s if Bishop Sheen’s remains remained there; and any income from it? And thus opposes moving his body to where he was ordained.
H’mmmm — reminds me of the line “See how it plays in Peoria” is something Cardinal Dolan is afraid to face or will be facing.
Here is the press release from the Archdiocese of New York.
http://www.archny.org/news-events/news-press-releases/index.cfm?i=34110
Regards,