American Servants of God and Blesseds
“The litany of saints is long, but not long enough!”
This November, LA Catholics invites you to journey with us through the lives of Americans who are on the path to sainthood. From Servants of God to Blesseds, each story reminds us holiness grows in our homeland — within our communities, our parishes, our families, and within ourselves. This month, join us in learning about these holy men and women, praying for them on their way to sainthood, and becoming inspired to walk the same path in our own lives.
Together, let’s fill the litany of saints — with American saints of the modern age!
“…we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”
-Hebrews 12:1
To understand holiness, look to the saints || Scott Hahn
Catholics, from their earliest lessons in Vacation Bible School, are taught to prize holiness — to admire it in others and to strive for it in their own lives.
Meet Those on the Road to Sainthood
Venerable Rose Hawthorne Lathrop
Born: May 30, 1851 Death: July 9, 1926 Cause for Canonization Opened: Declared Venerable: Venerable Rose Hawtho... READ MORE »
Venerable Father Augustus Tolton
Born: April 1, 1854 Death: July 9, 1897 Cause for Canonization Opened: 2019 Declared Venerable: June 2019 Venerable... READ MORE »
Servant of God Father Simon William Gabriel Brute de Remur
Born: March 20, 1779 Death: June 26, 1839 Cause for Canonization Opened: September 12, 2005 Declared Servant of God... READ MORE »
Servant of God Dorothy Day
Born: November 8, 1897 Death: November 29, 1980 Cause for Canonization Opened: March 2000 Declared Servant of God: ... READ MORE »
Venerable Pierre Toussaint
Born: June 27, 1766 Death: June 30, 1853 Cause for Canonization Opened: 1990 Declared Venerable: 1996 Venerable Pie... READ MORE »
Servant of God Cora Evans
Born: July 9, 1904 Death: March 30, 1957 Cause for Canonization Opened: 2012 Declared Servant of God: November 16, ... READ MORE »
Blessed Father Michael McGivney
Born: August 12, 1852 Death: August 14, 1890 Cause for Canonization Opened: Declared Blessed: October 31, 2020 Bl... READ MORE »
Servant of God Charlene Richard
Born: January 13, 1947 Death: August 11, 1959 Cause for Canonization Opened: January 2020 Declared Servant of God: ... READ MORE »
Venerable Father Emil Joseph Kapaun
Born: April 20, 1916 Death: May 23, 1951 Cause for Canonization Opened: Declared Venerable: February 2025 Venerab... READ MORE »
Servant of God Mary Thea Bowman
Born: December 29, 1937 Death: March 30, 1990 Cause for Canonization Opened: November 14, 2018 Declared Servant of ... READ MORE »
Servant of God Father Walter Joseph Ciszek
Born: November 4, 1904 Death: December 8, 1984 Cause for Canonization Opened: March 2012 (Formal Opening), Consider... READ MORE »
Blessed Father Stanley Rother
Born: March 27, 1935 Death: July 28, 1981 Cause for Canonization Opened: 2007 Declared Blessed: December 1, 2016 Bl... READ MORE »
Venerable Henriette Delille
Born: March 11, 1813 Death: November 17, 1862 Cause for Canonization Opened: 1988 Declared Venerable: March 27, 201... READ MORE »
Servant of God Father Vincent Robert Capodanno
Born: February 13, 1929 Death: September 4, 1967 Cause for Canonization Opened: May 19, 2006 Declared Servant of Go... READ MORE »
Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich
Born: March 26, 1901 Death: May 8. 1927 Cause for Sainthood opened: 1945 Declared Blessed: October 4, 2014 Blessed ... READ MORE »
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Born: May 8, 1895 Death: December 9, 1979 Cause for Sainthood Opened: 2002 Declared Venerable: June 28, 2012 Venera... READ MORE »
Servant of God Michelle Duppong
Born: January 25, 1984 Death: December 25, 2015 Cause for Sainthood Opened: June 2022 Declared a Servant of God: No... READ MORE »
Blessed Father Solanus Casey
Born: November 25, 1870 Death: July 31, 1957 Cause for Canonization Opened: unknown Declared Blessed: November 18, ... READ MORE »
Servant of God Father Edward Flanagan
Born: July 13, 1886 Death: May 15, 1948 Cause for Canonization Opened: February 25, 2012 Declared Servant of God: M... READ MORE »
Venerable Mother Mary Lange
Born: circa 1784 Death: February 3, 1882 Cause for Canonization Opened: 1991 Declared Venerable: June 22, 2023 Vene... READ MORE »
Check back each day to get to know another American on the path to sainthood!
Steps to Sainthood
Each step in the process is one of deep investigation, prayer, and discernment — confirming that the person lived a life of heroic virtue and holiness, and died in friendship with God.
Servant of God
Requirements:
- Typically 5 years after death
- Local bishop investigates their life, writings, and holiness
- Approved causes are sent to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints where the person receives title of Servant of God
Venerable
Requirements:
- The Vatican studies the person’s life to judge if it one of “heroic virtue”
- If Pope agrees with the findings, the person is declared Venerable
Blessed
Requirements:
- A verified miracle is attributed to the person’s intercession
- Once confirmed, the Pope declared the person Blessed
Privileges:
- The person may be venerated locally or regionally, but not by the universal Church
Saint
Requirements:
- A second verified miracle is attributed to the person’s intercession
- Once confirmed, the Pope declares that person a Saint
Privileges:
- The person is recognized as in heaven and worthy of veneration by the whole Church
Our God is a God of miracles || Archbishop Gomez
Want to learn about a local LA miracle that led to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati’s canonization? Archbishop Gomez tells the story in a column for Angelus News.
